LP Gas, February 2019

BRIAN SORA DILEO GAS INC The essentials Age 29 director of operations at DiLeo Gas Inc in Worcester Massachusetts Years in the propane industry 3 LP GAS RISING LEADERS How did you get your start in the propane industry I was originally offered a position three years ago from Paul and Harry DiLeo two brothers who had recently purchased their fathers propane company Their vision was to increase the organizations market share with an aggressive growth strategy that would require more management assistance and an outsiders perspective My work background was in operations and sales and because of this they thought I would be able to successfully wear the multiple hats they would need What is your vision for growing your company and how can you achieve that vision For DiLeo Gas to become one of the largest U S retailers while still delivering the family owned service we have for over 25 years We understand this is no small feat but we have a dynamic group of talented employees from all We have begun to tackle e automation for the office via online payments installation quotes and delivery requests departments that span multiple generations and that will provide the infrastructure needed to attain a long term goal like this Internally we need to ensure that employees from all departments and all generations are aware of the companys vision and make sure everyone is working together functionally Externally we want to continue to have personable interactions with our customers treating them with the respect they deserve while increasing automation for payments and scheduling for those that are savvy with newer technology How can the propane industry prosper in the coming years The industry can prosper if it actually listens to perspectives from younger professionals in the industry Propane has done a great job of increasing the female presence in the industry with its Women in Propane initiatives something that was long overdue We need to keep finding ways to better ourselves as a collective unit Outwardly the propane industry still has a lot of opportunity in increasing awareness to new homeowners of its benefits compared to other fuel sources Even with the steady amount of growth we have seen in New England with propane new construction homes and heating conversions to propane there is still a general lack of awareness or a lack of information There are many opportunities to be had with newer ventures like autogas but we are still leaving a large piece of the home heating market that can be attained quickly if we do our job of showing our superiority over competing sources What does your generation offer to the propane industry that previous generations did not The most common culture within the organizations of generations past were very hierarchical with formalized organizational structures designed to facilitate a low cost management strategy While structure and preventing wasteful spending is important to an organization this culture can sometimes be shortsighted and changes rarely occur My generation tends to work best in a collaborative culture where organizations are committed to human development and employee fulfillment This type of employee works well with organizations and leaders with vision where they can together help foster innovation and accept change as a constant something technology dictates we all must do to succeed My generation has witnessed entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg Facebook and Evan Spiegel Snapchat create billion dollar companies at very young ages This has developed an overall belief that one can be capable of being great at any age This mindset can lead to burnout where an employee goes from maximum effort to little or none if put in a position where they cannot grow But if they are given the opportunity for professional development and further fulfillment then those of my generation have the capacity to do great things for this industry What specific technologies are you using or plan to use to support business operations Mobile delivery software and routing has increased the communication level we have with our drivers while allowing us to update routes to the most efficient order possible Weve utilized tank monitors for our commercial accounts and newer accounts that we dont necessarily have a good feel for delivery frequency yet Most recently we have begun to tackle e automation for the office via online payments installation quotes and delivery requests This has greatly lowered the amount of phone traffic bogging down our CSRs while becoming a service leader in our local market with regards to a streamlined customer experience 30 LPGas February 2019 LPGasmagazine com