Customer Experience (CX) is everywhere. It’s the subject of articles, webinars, and even TED Talks. But despite all that attention, many businesses, including propane dealers, still find it confusing.
That confusion is understandable. CX often feels abstract compared to Customer Service or Satisfaction. It raises tough questions. How do you build it into your strategy? How do you measure success? How do you handle customer feedback in a way that actually helps?
The good news is you don’t need to get stuck on the definition. You just need to approach CX in a way that fits your business.
Forget the Perfect Definition
There are countless interpretations of CX, and no one-size-fits-all definition. Different industries, customer bases, and business models all shape what good CX looks like.
For propane dealers, it makes sense to define CX as the sum of every direct and indirect experience your customers have with your business.
This includes:
- Their first impression of your brand
- Using your website or placing an order
- Interacting with your team
- How you handle conflicts or problems
- What they hear about you from others
Each of these experiences shapes their perception of your company.
Why Customer Journey Mapping Matters
If you really want to understand CX, start by mapping the customer journey. Break down every stage customers go through over time with your business.
Along the way, you’ll uncover what the industry calls “moments of truth.” These are the critical points where your company either earns trust, or loses it.
It could be a smooth delivery, a problem solved quickly, or how you handle a billing issue. The important thing is that customers are paying attention during these moments.
Customers expect the basics to work. What they really remember is how you perform when something goes wrong.
Why Our Industry Defaults to Service and Satisfaction
Propane dealers have traditionally focused more on Customer Service and Satisfaction than CX. And there’s a reason for that.
Running a propane business is fast-paced. Managing the chaos often means creating detailed processes and strict rules, especially for CSRs and managers.
Over time, that structure can become rigid. The unintended consequence? Customers start to feel like they’re part of the problem.
It’s time to rethink how you view your customers, and how they experience your business.
Rethink Customer Service’s Role
Customer Service shouldn’t operate in a vacuum. Its job is to fix problems that usually start somewhere else, whether that’s sales, delivery, billing, or your online systems.
A true commitment to CX means going beyond patching issues. It means looking at what’s causing those customer complaints in the first place.
Common trouble spots include:
- Confusing billing policies
- Poor online self-service options
- Delivery errors
- Gaps in communication
Addressing these root causes leads to fewer complaints, and a better experience.
Create a Unified Experience Across All Touchpoints
Customers don’t care how your company is structured. To them, you’re one business with one voice.
Whether they’re dealing with your website, customer service, or delivery team, the experience should feel consistent.
That means focusing on employee training, improving your online tools, and making sure your systems work together.
Customers want to feel the same level of service and attention, no matter where or how they interact with you.
Feedback Is a Tool – Use It
Great CX relies on feedback. Not just listening to complaints but learning from them.
Customer feedback is valuable, but often focused on individual experiences. Your employees, especially CSRs, hear from hundreds of customers. They see patterns and recurring issues.
That perspective is priceless. Your team can often spot what customers won’t say directly.
Treat feedback, good or bad, with the same level of respect. It’s the best way to improve.
Make CX a Business Priority
Customer Experience isn’t optional or a “soft skill.” It’s as important as finance, operations, or marketing.
Service and Satisfaction still matter, but they’re just parts of the bigger CX picture.
Think of CX as the full journey your customer takes with your company. Service and Satisfaction are just stops along the road.
Customers judge you based on the entire trip. And yes, they’ll share that experience, good or bad, with the world.
Final Thoughts
Improving Customer Experience doesn’t mean throwing out everything you do. It means shifting your mindset and refining how customers engage with your company.
The companies that embrace CX will build loyalty, earn trust, and create relationships that last.
That’s the future of customer engagement in the propane industry. And it starts by looking at your business through the eyes of your customers.