**1/5 -- Extremely Disappointing and Unprofessional Experience**
We recently purchased our home, and John Ray & Sons' propane tanks were already on the property. We were actually considering keeping them as our propane provider, so shortly after moving in we called to get everything transferred and set up. We left a message and **didn't receive a response for over a week**.
Then a technician showed up at our house saying he was there to perform a service/safety check. We thought, great, they're finally getting everything taken care of and getting us set up as customers. He completed whatever he needed to do outside, waved to us when he was finished and essentially indicated everything was "all set."
That evening we went to use our gas stove and discovered **we had no propane at all**. We then realized the tanks had been locked out. We were left without propane for **cooking, hot water, and heat**, with no clear explanation from the technician before he left that he had shut down our propane supply.
That's where this experience became completely unacceptable to us.
We contacted the company repeatedly and explained how urgent the situation was. We specifically told them that **we have a toddler in the home and were without hot water, cooking gas, and propane heat**. Despite explaining that, there seemed to be very little concern or urgency about getting our household back up and running.
We ultimately went **over a week without propane** while trying to get the situation resolved. For a company providing an essential household utility, I expected much better communication and a much greater sense of urgency--especially after explaining that a young child was living in the home.
Thankfully, **another local propane company absolutely saved the day for us.** They listened to what had happened, understood the urgency of the situation, and actually came through for our family when we needed them. Not only was their customer service and responsiveness significantly better, but we also ended up with **better pricing and a far better overall experience**. The difference between dealing with the two companies was honestly night and day.
The other company made us feel like they actually wanted our business and cared about getting our family taken care of. They were able to get us back up and running after we'd spent more than a week dealing with this situation. Needless to say, **they earned our business going forward.**
At that point, we'd had enough and canceled John Ray & Sons altogether. Unfortunately, even getting their tanks removed has turned into another hassle. We have contractors working on our property, their tanks are sitting in a walking/work area, and despite asking if they could please be picked up promptly, we're being told it may be sometime the following week, with no exact date available because the service department controls the schedule.
To be fair, the individual representative I've been communicating with recently has been polite and has tried to provide information. He also confirmed that our account shows a **$0 balance**, which I appreciate. My frustration is with the overall experience and how poorly this situation was handled from beginning to end.
I completely understand that propane companies have safety procedures and that a safety inspection may be required when a home changes ownership. **Safety is not the issue here. Communication, responsiveness, urgency, and professionalism are.**
If you're going to lock out the propane supply to someone's home, clearly explain to the homeowner what you're doing and what needs to happen next. Don't finish a "service check," wave goodbye leaving the homeowner believing everything is all set, and then have them discover that evening that they can't use their stove or get hot water.
And when that family calls and explains that **they have a toddler and have been left without essential utilities**, I would expect considerably more urgency in helping them find a solution.
The most frustrating part is that we started this whole process as **new homeowners who were considering becoming long-term John Ray & Sons customers**. Their tanks were already here and **we contacted them first because we were prepared to give them our business**.
Instead, their handling of the situation pushed us directly to a competitor who provided **better service, better communication, better pricing, and an overall experience that wasn't even comparable**.
What should have been a simple transition of propane service after purchasing a home turned into more than a week of unnecessary stress for our family.
Based on our experience, **I cannot recommend John Ray & Sons.** In the end, I'm glad we found another company that saved the day and showed us how much easier this process should have been from the beginning. read more
