By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
Bates Fuel company is celebrating 25 years of service in Aroostook and Penobscot counties, with Customer Appreciation Day.
Bates Fuel will be holding a celebration in Houlton on Friday, June 20, with hot dogs, chips, soda and other goodies, while doing the same in Stacyville on Friday, June 27.
In 1989, Bates Fuel was started by owner Scott Bates in Stacyville. In April 2003, Bates opened an office in Market Square after the closure of Irving allowed an opening in the market.
“I took over a company list from the dealer I bought out and many of the customers are still with us,” said Bates. “Their loyalty to us really means something to us.”
Some of Bates’ customers were in their 50s when he began running the business, and now they are getting on in years, but they have remained faithful customers.
“My goal for my customers is to get heating oil prices down,” he said. “That would make everyone’s life better, including mine. But, I have very little control over that.”
What is within in his reach is to continue providing the best customer service that he can.
“Our customers have been there for us,” he said, “and now, I want to be there when they need us. I want to take care of my people.”
Bates Fuel will continue to offer the best possible deals, with the most reliable service, through office receptionist Karen Rodgerson in Houlton to Donna Gantnier in Stacyville, along with service technicians Mark Hartin and Tim Jacobs to those familiar faces you see in delivering your product, Peter Folsom and Dennis Rush.
Bates Fuel also employees Holly Ross, Elery Grant and John Cummings, part-time and seasonally.
To add to Bates Fuel, the staff is now installing heat pumps, along with hot-air furnaces, as wel as delivering No. 2 fuel oil, kerosene, off-road diesel, wood pellets and coal. If homeowners need assistance with their furnaces they can call the Bates Fuel office number 532-1166 (Houlton) or 365-4292 (Stacyville). In the winter months, the message machine will have a number for the technician on call — 24/7.
Bates Fuel delivers from as far south as Benedicta to as far north as Presque Isle, along with all the outskirts and senior citizens also get their fuel three cents a gallon less than the market price.
When Bates started out he didn’t think the business would grow the way it has.
“We are local, and people want to deal with local people,” he said. “We are the underdog. The small guy on the block. But, the response from our customers has been great.”
Bates Fuel is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the winter months, the office is open Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.
“Our Customer Appreciation Day is just our way to say ‘Thank you’,” Bates said. “We want people to stop by. We would love to see ya.”
