EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 Rising gas prices are putting new pressure on small businesses across El Paso, forcing some owners to rethink pricing, scheduling, and daily operations just to keep up with soaring fuel costs.<\/p>\n
For Angel Perez, owner of Liberty Plumbing, every trip to the gas station is becoming harder to absorb.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re definitely taking a hit before, on average, our fuel cost was half of what we\u2019re spending now,\u201d Perez said.<\/p>\n
Perez said the company’s operating costs have nearly doubled in recent weeks, creating tough decisions for the business.<\/p>\n
Just a month ago, it cost roughly $1,000 to fill up the company\u2019s service vehicles; now it is closer to $2,000 a week compared with last month.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s something that we\u2019re having to learn how to budget more and just come up with ways of saving on fuel,\u201d Perez said. He added, \u201cAt the beginning of the year, fuel costs weren\u2019t necessarily noticeable when it comes to us paying more for fuel. In the past 3 weeks, in the past month, the increase in fuel has jumped really high.<\/p>\n
Due to the spike in fuel prices, the company is being forced to make difficult decisions. <\/p>\n
In order to help offset the added expense, Liberty Plumbing recently added a $20 service call fee while continuing to offer free estimates to customers. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s going to help us to recover from fuel prices. However, we still offer free estimates,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Perez said the added charge does not fully cover the increase.<\/p>\n
KFOX<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
RELATED: Borderland BBQ and meat shops face weekly beef hikes, making menu pricing a gamble<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s going to help us bottom line. That being said, the $20 rate increase on service calls isn\u2019t necessarily covering the total of the fuel rates that were paid,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n \u201cI would say we\u2019re averaging about 50\/50 on the rate increase of fuel, were not charging necessarily the customer the fuel rate increase, we as a business are also taking a hit.\u201d<\/p>\n Perez also said the company is changing how it schedules jobs to reduce driving, including partnering with a local supplier to deliver large bulk orders directly to the business to reduce supply trips.<\/p>\n \u201cRather than traveling from one side of town to the other, on one day we will focus on one side of town and then the next,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Perez adds, \u201cOne thing we are doing, for example, instead of pulling out to purchase one water heater at a time, we actually partnered with a local supply house that does double packaging,\u201d Perez said. \u201cSo they will actually deliver for us a mass order of water heaters. That\u2019s going to help us with fuel costs.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite the rising expenses, Perez says he hopes to continue offering discounts and free estimates for as long as possible while waiting for relief at the pump.<\/p>\n For many small businesses in El Paso, the rising cost of fuel is becoming more than an inconvenience, it\u2019s reshaping the way they operate day to day.<\/p>\n For now, Perez said he plans to continue offering discounts and free estimates, hoping for relief at the pump before having to pass additional costs on to customers.<\/p>\n RELATED: Rising gas prices nearly double costs for local towing company, forcing tough choices<\/a><\/p>\n