If you’re running a propane company, the start of your work week can set the tone for everything that follows. But getting pulled in many directions is easy — calls, deliveries, invoices, and staff issues can all crop up as soon as the week is underway. That’s why it helps to begin your Mondays with a clear picture of exactly where your business stands. Let’s examine three essential reports that can give you that clarity. If you review them every Monday morning, they’ll help you stay ahead of potential problems and make smarter decisions all week long.
Start With Your Accounts Receivable Report
The first thing you want to review each week is who owes you money and how overdue it is. Your accounts receivable report should give you a snapshot of all unpaid invoices and how long they’ve been outstanding. Are customers sliding into the 60 or 90-day overdue range? Are large balances piling up from key accounts?
This report tells you if your cash flow is in danger. You might appear to be profitable on paper, but if customers are slow to pay, your ability to cover fuel purchases, payroll, and maintenance can get minimized quickly. Look for signs that a customer may be falling behind. The sooner you catch it, the easier it will be to address it without harm coming to either your company or to your relationship with them.
Check Your Gallons Delivered vs Gallons Sold
Many business owners assume that if they deliver fuel, they make money. But that’s not always true. You need to compare the number of gallons delivered and the number sold at a profit.
This report shows if you’re delivering too many gallons under discount pricing, not enough to fill each stop efficiently, or eating the cost of too many customer requests that fall below your minimum. It’s a way to track how tight your delivery operation is and how much of your rolling effort is really returning value.
Also, watch for trends. Did your sales drop even though deliveries stayed high? That could point to underpriced contracts or short deliveries that cost more than they earn.
Review Your Service Call Report
Your service department plays a bigger role in customer satisfaction and retention than many realize. Each Monday, check the number of service calls received, the issues that were addressed, and how quickly they were resolved. If one technician is being sent to the same address repeatedly, that’s worth your time and attention.
This report helps you spot patterns early. Are specific tank models causing repeat issues? Are older regulators starting to fail? Are service calls pulling drivers away from scheduled work? Knowing these things lets you plan more efficiently, reduce overtime, and even catch equipment issues before they become safety risks.