Suburban Propane negligence, poor services, threats Whippany New Jersey

Suburban Propane Company HQ

One Suburban Plaza

240 Route 10 West

P.O. Box 206

Whippany, NJ 07981-0206

December 10th 2013

Over the course of the past 24 hours myself and my wife have had the single worst customer and technical service experience of our life. Suburban Propane's lack of response, lack of compassion and complete disregard for our family safety will not go unnoticed

Effective this morning based on your insulting approach to:

1)         An obvious oversight at the least, or potentially negligence at the worst based on your technicians who had to first be urged followed by supposedly doing a tank leak check and claim to have found nothing

Our initial call to Suburban based on having no gas (although 250 gallons were delivered three weeks prior—obviously indicating the potential for a leak) went out Sunday morning at approx 11:30. We were told we would be contacted with respect to time of delivery. We received a call later that day at approx 2:30 from Bill and Joe who said they were on their way. They never arrived nor did they call back until after our additional call to Suburban again to determine if they were coming. We were debating on whether to leave the home for a hotel.

Bill then called back again asking for specific directions to our location?? I thought that was odd as they must have GPS AND OUR ADDRESS AS WE HAVE BEEN A CUSTOMER FOR YEARS. He said “yes, we have GPS however we always get lost with it”???? I gave them specific directions and informed them (based on what appeared to be two very uncertain delivery people) that if they were not coming to simply tell me so that I could move my family to a hotel. HIS RESPONSE AT THAT POINT WAS “SIR IF YOU DON’T WANT GAS THEN WE WON’T COME OUT”!!

They then called at 7PM and told us their GPS (the same GPS he had previously explained got them lost) was telling them 27 minutes. At approx 8:30PM we again called Suburban Propane to tell them our situation and to determine where they were. They finally arrived after 9PM. I emphasized to them that a leak check should be done as gas was running out at a very rapid pace. They claimed to install 50 gallons yet gave us no receipt as to the volume of gas installed. As they were leaving I had to tell them to come into my home to check the pilots, gas water heater and fireplaces to be certain that the gas was on and there was no danger!!

The very next morning AGAIN we had no gas—no heat! They claim to have put in 50 gallons however they provided us with no receipt with respect to gas volume delivered.

2)  An obvious leak in our system, based on a recent delivery of 250 gallons that barely lasted 3 weeks--followed by a delivery of 50 gallons last night that did not last 24 hours!

This in and of itself should have immediately put up red flags. Any concerned company would have sent out techinicIans to test the tank and the property!  You then had an obviously unconcerned technician call us last evening (Dec 9th) who said he can’t do anything because “there is no gas in the tank"!!! Again  his demeanor was less than concerned and obviously he was not interested in making the trip to be certain of this customers safety..

3) NO propane --no heat--

All of this adds up to an obviously potentially dangerous situation.

Your lack of response and most importantly lack of concern has us absolutely amazed however the behavior of Mr Nate Rand, your Market Manager in Temple PA has us now feeling completely violated.

The final straw that prompted us to stop our night and begin this process which will not end with this outline. We received a phone call from your Market Manager in Temple, Nate Rand, whose  patronizing approach began by telling me that he was the Market Manager in 3 markets. He made no progress to resolve this matter. Opposed to taking steps towards a resolution he decided to place his ego first and began steps of taking control He stated the obvious and agreed that this rapid reduction in gas was obviously a leak.

This is something we have been trying to convey since the prior night!! He then became increasingly aggressive when I told him the only way to resolve this matter is to have a trained technician come out to diagnose what we all have concluded is a problem! He then took the "I'm in charge here approach" and stated “I’m not sending anyone out, I'll discontinue service, remove you as a client and pull the tank out at your expense—this is what the contract allows us to do"

This approach is what  will be clearly conveyed to the consuming public.

You have decimated your own mission statement with this one situation.

"It is the Mission of Suburban Propane to:

Lead the industry in customer satisfaction by offering the highest level of total value

Treat all employees fairly and create a work environment that offers challenge, opportunity and rewards

Maintain the highest level of safety standards for the well-being of our employees, customers and communities"

Additionally your website states:

In addition to the peace of mind of our 24/7/365 emergency service,

Suburban offers you:

•           Dependable fuel supply fuel - there when you need it.

•           Employees who are trained with your safety being their #1 priority

•           Over 80 years of experience.

Your mission statement and claims made on your site are obviously something Mr Rand does not concern himself with.

Failure to resolve this matter immediately will result in filing complaints with the Attorney Generals Office in each state that you operate as well as each and every consumer affairs related website, as well as 6ABC, NBC10 and FOX29. Additionally we believe it is also important that your Builder relationships, who inevtiably convert their own customers into your customers be made aware of this approach towards customer service. Resolving this matter is now not as simple as a leak check and a tank fill. It is imperative that that Suburban Propane assures us that they in no way advocates or accepts this type of behavior.

Sincerely,