In the world of owner relations (OR), no one calls in to thank an oil & gas company for the mailbox money. Most owners call in because they’ve:
- Inherited royalties and are struggling to understand what the next steps are
- Are dividing property and need to make an ownership change
- Are moving and need to update their mailing address
Prompting these calls are the top three most stressful events in life: the death of a loved one, a divorce, and moving. For land and accounting professionals on the front line of owner relations, interacting with owners all too often begins from a place of confusion, tension, and even anger, underscoring the need for the right customer service strategies and tools.
Let's explore a few best practices that can set your team up to better manage owner relations with less stress and distraction.
Lead with Empathy
Oil & gas teams have abundant support and tools at their disposal to inform how they behave, operate, and interact with owners through multiple energy industry professional associations. On the land side, this includes guidelines from the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL), the National Association of Lease & Title Analysts (NALTA), and the National Association of Division Order Analysts (NADOA). On the accounting side, we have the Council of Petroleum Accountants Societies (COPAS) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
As landmen, lease and division order analysts, and accountants, we should always strive for the highest level of professionalism by adhering to our legal and industry codes of conduct. We should also have the discipline to deal with both the good and the sometimes very challenging aspects of our work with the same moral compass. Equally important to ethics is empathy. Smiles are not only seen but also heard. In doing so, you’ll proactively set the tone for better outcomes.
Borrow a Chapter from Chick-fil-A ®
The best customer service models emphasize a "the customer is always right" approach. I like Chick-fil-A's service model, which encourages employees to always respond with "my pleasure" when a customer says thanks.
Getting to an authentic moment where you can honestly feel like interacting with owners is a pleasure starts before you walk in the office door. By setting aside whatever is stressing or distracting in our own lives we can be better poised with the right mindset to efficiently manage owner calls and defuse situations that might otherwise escalate.
Diffusing a Stressed Caller
If you've ever worked in owner relations, an occasional call from an exceedingly agitated or angry owner is just part of the job. As human beings with our own feelings, it can be a natural reflex to defend your team and push back when unfounded allegations are raised, or harsh words are used over the phone. Always fall back on your professional and personal ethics, and when the caller lets you get a word in edgewise, simply suggest with empathy that you understand their concerns and offer to find a solution together.
Don't let your caller ramble on forever. Listen for a pause as they take a breath, then share your offer to find a solution and either resolve the issue over the phone or leave the owner with a clear expectation of when you will respond.
Never Promise What You Can't Deliver
Those involved in owner relations can sometimes be too much of a people pleaser for their own good. It’s okay to tell an owner you don't know something but will connect them with the right person to solve their issue.
Never commit to tracking down information or following up with an owner within a specified time frame if you can't meet that obligation. If you’re still looking for a resolution by the time you’ve promised to follow up, call them to provide an update on where things stand and share a new timeline for an anticipated resolution. Communication is key.
Adhere to Multistep Authentication
Providing responsible owner relations services is not just about resolving issues. We also have a responsibility to help protect their interests. We live in a dangerous time of increasing attempts to steal personally identifiable information and defraud companies for money. This includes deep fakes of a person's face and voice, underscoring the need to always verify who is actually calling in.
Adhere to your organization's multistep authentication procedures, such as verifying the owner's social security number and mailing address. If you don't use multistep authentication, start today. Remember, even family members calling to inquire about the size of their sister's royalty check aren't entitled to that information.
Owner Relations as a Public Relations Opportunity
Social media and smartphones can instantly generate negative opinions following an owner relations interaction, which can swiftly damage a company's reputation. The best PR a company can get is Superior Customer Service. No one cares if your name is on a billboard or an arena.
People care that you take care of their neighbors, parents, and grandparents. A good reputation can also be a competitive advantage, attracting investors and partners who value corporate responsibility.
Give Your Team the Support They Need
Limited or no dedicated staff was the #1 challenge for owner relations, according to a poll during a recent webinar hosted by PakEnergy and attended by nearly 100 energy professionals. This reflects the pervasive tendency at most oil & gas companies to saddle land and accounting teams with the additional responsibility of taking phone calls from owners. So, a lease analyst in the middle of a special payment fire drill or an accountant finalizing the monthly revenue distribution might be constantly pulled away from their primary job, distracting and compounding the negative impact on actually getting owners paid.
Consider hiring dedicated owner relations resources or completely outsourcing your owner relations function to a trusted partner like PakEnergy. Our dedicated owner relations experts will field calls, resolve issues, and minimize escalations, backed by our leading Pak Landowner relations CRM (customer relationship management). This makes for happier owners and a better bottom line.
Improve Internal Customer Service
Beyond a customer-centric approach to interacting with owners, owner relations should also view management and other departments as customers to serve. After all, escalations can reach out to disrupt your entire team, so by putting the procedures and tools in place to capture and communicate owner interactions, you'll set everyone up to succeed. This should include a detailed recap of the call, the problem, and the assignment of the task to the correct person or department for fast resolution.
Again, PakEnergy's land management software provides a solution with a structured and integrated CRM that puts owner address, revenue history, well interest, and well DOIs at your fingertips. Plus, by creating a defensible audit trail complete with audio recordings of phone calls, your team can document touchpoints that reset dormancy for unclaimed property tracking and filing.
Want more strategies to further elevate your team's owner relations? Check out our recent webinar, and you’ll also receive a complimentary copy of our “Ethical Practices in Owner Relations” fact sheet.
Amy Hopmann, CPLTA serves as Vice President of Customer Success & Land Outsourcing at PakEnergy. With over 25 years of experience in Land Management and Administration, Amy has deep expertise in land and lease management and best-in-class owner relations practices. Her passion for elevating the customer experience and optimizing their operations has been key to her success in the oil and gas industry. Amy is a respected and engaged leader and enjoys mentoring and developing her teams to deliver outstanding consultative services and support to both internal and external stakeholders. A Certified Professional Lease & Title Analyst, Amy is a frequent speaker at industry events and served as President of NALTA (National Association of Land Title Analysts) from 2016-2017. Reach out to her at Amy.Hopmann@PakEnergy.com.
