Pros
Outside sales allowed for a flexible schedule. Could work from home and district offices. Co-workers made the job more fun, we had each other to lean on and encourage when stress was too much. Was allowed time off for family situtions, DM was great. Pay was fair but could've been better. Benefits were good. Annual sales meetings were informative and fun. Note: Select area's of the country can be very lucrative for outside sales in this industry, i.e. Texas. Advancement is possible if you want to become a District Manager, etc. Safety first is a priority, as it should be in this industry.
Cons
Sales goals not adjusted for state/market potential. Workload is ok, depends on how many hours a day you want to spend with your family. If you're a workoholic this job is a perfect fit. Management's expectation was 10 - 12 hours daily. Outside cold calling 8-4; home office work from 4- 8pm. Working Saturdays to stay caught up was the norm. Anticipate spending inordinate amounts of time closely monitoring the commisson reports to make sure you're getting paid correctly (or at all). If you join AG from outside the industry expect to receive 2 weeks of "ride along training" with fellow AM's then learn by trial and error. Side note: If you're looking for a long term career- the Propane industry is shrinking. Commercial propane builds the market for Natural Gas to eventually take over at a significant savings to former (LP) customers. Sales commisions are low due to the nature of selling a commodity energy product. The lowest price proposition lures the customer away from current supplier (competitor). Customers that understand the game change suppliers often to save money. Commissions is earned at pennies on the gallon. Constantly cold calling the same prospects in hopes of catching them when they're angry at their current supplier over price or delivery issues. The daily grind can feel like you're in the movie 'Groundhog Day'. Not enough Service Tech's to take care of the customers. Very few young people entering the service side of the industry seeking a career. Aging Tech's are overworked and are leaving or retiring. Office workers are overwhelmed with all the reporting, paperwork and endless training.
