Frequently Asked Questions

Maxol Direct in partnership with Emo Questions

Price Questions

Ordering Online

Delivery Questions

Payment Questions

eVoucher Questions

Boiler & Tank Questions

 Maxol Direct in partnership with Emo

1.     Who is DCC Energy Ltd?

DCC Energy Ltd is a subsidiary of DCC plc, a sales, marketing, distribution and business support services group, headquartered in Dublin. DCC plc’s Energy Division is the leading oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution business in the UK and Ireland and one of the leading oil distribution businesses in Austria and Denmark. DCC Energy Ltd operates two marine terminals in Belfast importing oil and LPG into Northern Ireland. Its oil products are marketed under the Emo brand and its LPG products under the Flogas brand.

2.     What will happen with my Direct Debit payments?

If you have a Direct Debit payment with us, your direct debit payments will automatically transfer to our new bank account: DCC Energy Ltd T/A Maxol Direct and the payee name 'Maxol Direct' will appear on your bank statement. You do not have to contact your bank and you do not have to resign a new Direct Debit mandate. This change over is completely automated.

3.     When is the change to Emo happening?

On 30^th September 2011 Maxol reached an agreement with DCC Energy Ltd (which trades under the oil brand Emo in Northern Ireland) to purchase Maxol Direct. In December 2011, Maxol Direct and Emo will combine teams and operations to provide our customers with a customer focused, value driven service in the delivery of home heating and commercial fuels. The completion of the re-brand from Maxol Direct to Emo will take place by 1^st April 2012, although rebranding of some elements such as tankers will be scheduled into 2013.

4.     What will this mean for me?

Some immediate changes that you may see are in the branding of the tankers that deliver your oil, and the delivery docket that you will receive as confirmation of delivery. Overall, we will work to ensure that there will be minimum disruption to our customers, in fact we look forward to introducing a new range of services to our home heating customers through this merger with Emo.

5.     Who do I make my cheques payable to?

Your cheque should be made payable to Maxol Direct as normal and posted to DCC Energy T/A Maxol Direct, 40 – 48 Airport Road West, Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast, BT3 9ED

6.     Will the tankers change? And when?

Rebranding of the Maxol Direct oil tankers will commence from April 2012 and may take several months to complete.

7.     What tanker will l will be delivering my order?

Your oil order may be delivered by a Maxol Direct tanker or an Emo Oil tanker until such times as all the tankers have been rebranded to the Emo Oil livery.

8.     Will all drivers be wearing the same uniform?

The driver may be wearing unbranded uniforms during the transition period. Where the driver uniform is branded, it may display either the Maxol Direct or the Emo Oil logos.

9.     Is there any incentive for me to stay with Emo?

Our combined Maxol Direct and Emo team provide you as our customer with the most experienced team, the largest delivery fleet and a province wide network. With Emo, we can also provide our customers with a full range of home heating services including planned delivery and boiler/tank servicing and replacements. With Emo, we will also be able to provide regular marketing and promotional offers including special offers from the Grand Opera House.

10.   Will prices increase to cover the cost of rebranding to Emo?

No. The savings we make operating as one brand will cover the cost.

11.   Will I get a more competitive price?

We strive to provide the most competitive price that we can and will also make sure to look at a range of cost saving options for our customers.

12.   Will I still be able to contact the person I usually speak to?

The majority of Maxol Direct staff will be transferring with the business so there is every likelihood that you will be dealing with the same familiar voices.

13.   Will my account number change?

Yes, but you will still be able to quote your existing Maxol Direct account number and we will be able to access your account details on our system.

14.   Can I still order on the Maxol Direct website?

You can still order on the Maxol Direct website until the 1^st April when you will be redirected to the Emo website. The Emo website will offer you a full order and payment service, as well as a range of other services. We will aim to keep the order process as simple, quick and effective as possible for our customers.

15.   Will the Maxol Direct phone number still be in operation in the future?

Yes. You can still call us on our Main Sales telephone numbers: Belfast – 028 90848586, Enniskillen – 028 66326608 and North West – 028 71361136.

 

16.   Will I still be able to use my Pay Point card?

 

Yes. You can still use your Maxol Direct Pay Point Card at your local Pay Point agent and you money will be transferred to you Maxol Direct account as before.

 

Price Questions 

Why is online ordering with Maxol Direct so much cheaper? 

You make it cheaper - When you order and pay for your heating oil online, you are actually processing a secure order straight through to our back office server and we only need to schedule your order for delivery. In effect, you are cutting through the normal sales and accounting processes and so reducing the cost of processing your order. These savings are passed on to you in the form of lower cost heating oil.

Why do home heating oil prices rise & fall so often?

The retail price of home heating oil is based on the cost, demand and availability of refined product. Refined products are traded in international markets in US Dollars, so the exchange rate between Sterling and the US Dollar is also a major factor.  As a distributor, we will only ever pass on increases or reductions as dictated by the international market and have no control over wholesale costs.

Why do heating oil prices not rise & fall at the same time as Crude oil?

While crude oil price movements can be a broad indicator of trends there is no direct correlation between crude oil & retail price of heating oil. In effect they are two separate trading commodities.

Is heating oil competitive in Northern Ireland?

Recent figures from independent researcher Sutherland Associates, published in October 08, shows that consumers in Northern Ireland buy their home heating oil product at 4% below the UK average and almost 10% lower than the Rep of Ireland. This proves the competitive market local distributors including Maxol Direct operate in.

Why do you charge for the “additional services”? 

Maxol Directs’ online prices are extremely competitive and are partly based on customers allowing us maximum flexibility in terms of our delivery scheduling. When you apply delivery restrictions to your online order such as: time; date; truck or even through house access, these impact on our flexibility to schedule your delivery. By default your order will not include these additional services but if you do require them then simply select from the options available.

Ordering online     

Can I place an order to ‘fill’ the tank online? 

Yes, to do this, simply order the maximum quantity you think your tank will take. Your final payment will automatically be adjusted down to reflect any lower quantity delivered.

How can I save money when ordering home heating oil?

It’s simple, ordering on our website reduces our administrative costs, which enables us to pass these savings onto you the customer. 

Why do I have to enter my card details when placing a heating oil order online?

We can only offer these lower prices on the web if our costs are kept to an absolute minimum. This means that payment has to be made at time of order. Please note that your card will be pre-authorised at the time of order and your account will be debited a few days after delivery.

Are my card details safe?

Yes all your details are safe with us. All transactions are performed on a secure web server. All information you provide is encrypted using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology so that when you submit an order online nothing can be read as it travels down the secure line.                                                             

Delivery Questions

 How far can the tank be from the tanker?

The oil tank should be no further than 150 feet from the position where the delivery tanker is expected to park. This is a maximum distance and must be in a straight line. If the course of the delivery hose is bent, or has to go round a number of corners, e.g. the side of a house, then the maximum distance is reduced. Maxol Direct drivers will always attempt to make a delivery, and will often consider a number of options to get as close to the tank as possible.

Do I need to be at home when my oil is delivered?

No, as long as the driver can access your oil tank easily. When you place your order you should inform the operator the location of your tank and advise of any special delivery requirements. 

How do I know how much oil has been delivered?

All our oil deliveries are made through the meter on the lorry. This meter stamps the start volume and the finish volume. The difference is what has passed to your tank. All meters are set, sealed, and checked by Trading Standards.

I live in a narrow street, do you have smaller tankers?

Yes unlike other competitors we have a number of “mini tankers” that are small enough to access alleys and narrow streets.

When can I expect my delivery?

Our standard delivery is within 4 working days – working days are Monday – Saturday, excluding public holidays, (New Years Day, Easter Monday & Tuesday, May Day, 12th 13th July and Christmas and Boxing Days) You may well receive your order before the 4^th working days.

Can you deliver through my house?

Yes – but only if it is absolutely necessary and only at the specific request of the customer. This is a chargeable service. Customers should note that the delivery hose is not particularly flexible, as it has to contain oil at pressure. It must also be of sufficient resilience to withstand damage caused by the various surfaces over which it passes during use. A hose can suffer internal damage that is not visible to the driver and which, on very rare occasions, can result in the hose leaking during delivery.

Additionally, the hose is open to the elements in travel and deliveries are made to households, construction sites, farms and industrial premises so it is not necessarily clean. 

Payment Questions

Can I pay for my home heating oil by Direct Debt?

Our Diamond Account works online and is a straight forward and secure way of paying your fuel bills by monthly direct debit and saving you money. As a Diamond Account customer you can enjoy some of the following benefits:- 

1.     Low Online Prices

2.     Full Discounts on all Orders

3.     Pay a flexible monthly budget amount

4.     Regular statements keep you informed

5.     Priority delivery

6.     £15 credit on your account when your first Direct Debit is made.

        What happens if I prepay by card at the time of order but my tank does not take the full amount?

        You only pay for the Quantity delivered. We automatically reduce the Quantity delivered and make a pro-rata adjustment to your invoice total before payment is taken.

How long will it take for my payment to be debited from my bank account?

Your payment is pre-authorised when you place your order, which means the money is reserved on your account pending our request for settlement.  From the point of order (pre-authorisation), we can request settlement from 0 - 28 days depending on your credit card company. Typically our settlement request is amde within several days of your delivery date. 

Are my Credit Card Details safe?

Yes – Maxol Direct only stores the details are that required to complete your delivery: name, invoice/delivery address and contact details etc. All payments are processed on a secure web server. All payment information you provide is encrypted using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology so that when you submit an order online nothing can be read as it travels down the secure line. We only see the last 4 digits of your card number which we use for authentication with you in the event of a query.

Can I order online and pay using my Paypoint credit?

Not yet!  Currently our online ordering is only activated for Payment by Credit/Debit Card, or for Diamond Account holders (Budget Payment by Direct Debit). If the customer demand is sufficient we may develop other payment methods, including Paypoint, in the future.

Can I pay for a delivery that I have already received?

No – please contact our Accounts Dept: 028 90848586, Option 3 and a member of staff will be happy to process your card payment by telephone. We would however encourage you to order and pay for your next delivery online via our website. - Our best prices are always available online.

eVoucher Questions 

What is an eVoucher? 

An eVoucher is an online discount code that we sometimes issue as part of a promotion.

How do I get an eVoucher?

These are generally issued as an e-mail promotion but sometimes they may appear on our website home page. Get registered and we’ll keep you up-to-date with all our promotions.  

How do I use an eVoucher?

If you have received an eVoucher code simply enter it in the appropriate field on the first page of the order form. When you proceed to the next page you will see the value of the discount being calculated and deducted from the standard price.

Can I use more than one eVoucher per order?

No.  - As with most discount offers only one offer (or eVoucher) can be used per order placed. You can