Web Tools for the Oil & Propane Industry

What is Destwin? Destwin is a web-based application that provides robust, secure web commerce capabilities for the oil & propane industry, including:  On-line price contract management  On-line bill payment  On-line information look-up  On-line service scheduling  On-line purchase of any product or service  On-line forms publishing (such as employment applications, etc.) Destwin consists of three basic parts: a customer user interface, host conversion interface, and a dealer management console.

What are the benefits of Destwin? Provide web-based commerce capabilities  Make your company look up to date with the latest web technologies that today's consumers demand Reduce and balance staff load. In most cases a fully deployed Destwin system can reduce CSR staff requirements by as much as 25% Simplify and automate complex functions  Oil price contracts  On-line bill pay  Setting on-line prices and fees Reduce risk Dramatically increase profit by creating customized programs Consolidate multiple data platforms into one easy-to-use system Very little training required for both management and customers Provide real time data to customers, owners, and risk managers

S ynchronized I ncremental P rice P rotection (over) I ntegrated N etworks The Destwin Contract Business Model

Synchronized The only time a margin can be ensured is when buying and selling happen at or near the same time. This first requires the elimination of ALL non-immediate price contracts and quotes. Most importantly, it requires the complete elimination of postal mail contracts.

When your margin for every program is ensured, you no longer have to "rob Peter to pay Paul." Most notably you no longer have to take advantage your loyal, good- paying retail customers to cover bad program hedges. This is especially true with capped programs. If these are done right (adequate fees collected to pass through on options protection) these programs can actually work the way they were intended, i.e., they should DROP when the market goes down! Let every program stand on its own two legs!

Risk Management at the speed of light Synchronized on-line purchases and sales have marked a new age in risk management. By knowing, in real time, what a dealer is selling, risk managers are empowered with the knowledge and data they need to make timely and informed decisions. Programs can be "finessed" on a daily basis to accommodate market fluctuations and purchase positions (i.e., long or short positions for forward months).

Incremental (Roll-Forward Programs) Incrementally "metering" out programs throughout the year, rolling-forward contract expirations achieve many objectives, not the least of which is to relieve staff load and reduce telephone traffic. It also helps insulate your customer base from predatory marketers by eliminating a point at which all customer price contracts expire. Roll-forward contracts also give your customers the power to choose the time of the year they wish to lock in (or not lock in).

Here are the three worst things a customer can hear when they call your office about oil price protection 1. A busy signal because your phones are slammed! 2. “We have no oil price programs available, call back later…” 3. “We had an oil price program available a while ago and you missed it.”

Better customer support! By having small numbers of customers calling throughout the year, CSRs can afford to spend quality time with each customer providing the care they deserve.

Price Protection Protecting who? A well-managed program protects heating oil dealers as well as customers. It makes offering alternative programs easy, so customers can have choices. Web-based programs give customers all the information they need to make intelligent decisions about oil price protection without feeling pressured. You can even provide links and market tools to help them make informed decisions.

Integrated networks By integrating host data with the Destwin Internet based system, real time data can be uploaded, viewed, and used to create custom-tailored price contracts. Customers can also view account information, pay bills, and purchase products and services on- line. For example, the system "knows" that they don't have a service plan, and "suggests" they buy one, then walks them through the available plans, and allows them to pick the plan and pay for it on the spot. The best part is that not once does the customer require human assistance.

Integrated networking also provides data sharing with advanced hedge "modeling" and forecasting software such as Hedge Insite. Integration with advanced analytical tools

Use data to optimize profit Oil contract pricing and profit can be optimized by uploading customer data. For instance, why provide an attractive price to a customer who is a small user, or has bad credit? At the same time, it would be a crying shame to loose a large user account to a competitor because you didn't provide a competitive price. Contract prices and types can be changed at a moment's notice, allowing them to be updated several times a day or shut off if need be.

Relax, you're in control! This is a photo of an actual Destwin client enjoying his vacation while not worrying about the market or his oil price protection program. Hallelujah!