Has anyone tried IFA wire service? I have heard nothing but great reviews from fellow florists. I am so tired of TF. It has been a nightmare much like my nightmare with FTD. Out of the big 2, I think FTD was much better, but I can't afford either one. I am dropping TF and trying IFA at the end of the month. Any comments, experiences, etc.??
IFA - Independent Florist's Assoc ???
- Thread starter sweetp
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we've been IFA for I think almost two years. I have had very few problems with them.
I do not have the FAS system so we just log on the internet and use the on line order entry site. Of that I have only one complaint and that they do not have a line for special instructions.
Over all being wire service free has been painless. I sure don't mind not paying those $$$$ out for dues etc.
One other thought. We do also have a data base of florists we tend to use regularly in geographic location. These shops we tend to fax our orders. I have a form that we just fill in the blanks and send directly from the computer. Very quick and easy
I do not have the FAS system so we just log on the internet and use the on line order entry site. Of that I have only one complaint and that they do not have a line for special instructions.
Over all being wire service free has been painless. I sure don't mind not paying those $$$$ out for dues etc.
One other thought. We do also have a data base of florists we tend to use regularly in geographic location. These shops we tend to fax our orders. I have a form that we just fill in the blanks and send directly from the computer. Very quick and easy
First of All - Thanks so much for the willing spirits of helpfulness! I have been reading through the posts and came across this one.
Could someone please tell me where to find out more about the IFA? My boss is adamant about not becoming part of a wire service but I feel she is doing herself and the business a great disfavor by not being a part of something. We get a LOT of wire outs and I currently have to call direct to complete them. I have put my foot down about requesting the 20% discount and I was glad to see my thoughts were not far off from those I was reading about in other posts!
Thanks again!
D
Could someone please tell me where to find out more about the IFA? My boss is adamant about not becoming part of a wire service but I feel she is doing herself and the business a great disfavor by not being a part of something. We get a LOT of wire outs and I currently have to call direct to complete them. I have put my foot down about requesting the 20% discount and I was glad to see my thoughts were not far off from those I was reading about in other posts!
Thanks again!
D
We've been IFA only since mid-Dec. We also use the IFA site to send our orders. We send out on average 50 orders a month, with no problems. You can probably get more info at www.myifa.org.
we decided against using any wire services. It took several months to get out of Teleflora. The June book is the first publication not listing us. For the past several months we simply have direct billed with Florists or used their credit card. It has been very painless. I'm sure we will miss calls since we are no longer in TF book. We will continue to monitor it and possibly join IFA to increase orders. Frankly, because we were not on the Dove system, we didn't get many TF orders anyway. The ones we did get were in remote areas where other florists didn't want to deliver. We are a small shop in a small town. The only other florists that serve our areas are listed under also served by. I already get the local business as I am the only shop here. So, having said all of that...we are still in "wait and see" mode as for wire service. I do not miss TF or FTD. It has actually been nice to deal directly with customers and other shops.
Why any WS?
Hate to butt in, but based on everything you have said, why would you or your boss ever think about going back to any WS?
As you are the only florist in town, you still can call out any orders directly for your customers and any of the also serves that are still listed for the WS will have to travel further to delivery in your area and have to charge more to do it.
If anyone wants to send YOU orders, you can accept them at full value and payment by CC only. Joining ANY WS in the future gets you back to accepting discounted business. You are now in the "driver's seat". Why would anyone want to give up that advantage??
Hate to butt in, but based on everything you have said, why would you or your boss ever think about going back to any WS?
As you are the only florist in town, you still can call out any orders directly for your customers and any of the also serves that are still listed for the WS will have to travel further to delivery in your area and have to charge more to do it.
If anyone wants to send YOU orders, you can accept them at full value and payment by CC only. Joining ANY WS in the future gets you back to accepting discounted business. You are now in the "driver's seat". Why would anyone want to give up that advantage??
I agree with Griff, which I did pretty much the same thing here with FTD and I am in the driver seat and enjoying it alot.
They will find you if they need a florist there.
It may be wise to get a web page area for your town up with your information. THat would be better than re-joining a wire service.
Luc
They will find you if they need a florist there.
It may be wise to get a web page area for your town up with your information. THat would be better than re-joining a wire service.
Luc
I agree with the web site idea and have been researching options there. We have a web site for our city I can link to at no charge to me. However, I would appreciate any suggestions on web hosting, etc. so that I get the most exposure from a common search for a florist in my town.
Not having a wire service has been GREAT so far! I have complete control over what I am charged, etc. and know what my credit card bill will reflect for my business each month. That in itself is a huge relief as I don't dread getting a TF statement each month with some HUGE balance that I am not expecting.
If you will notice, I orginally posted this thread in March so I have had 3 months to test drive the no wire service option. No complaints so far.
Not having a wire service has been GREAT so far! I have complete control over what I am charged, etc. and know what my credit card bill will reflect for my business each month. That in itself is a huge relief as I don't dread getting a TF statement each month with some HUGE balance that I am not expecting.
If you will notice, I orginally posted this thread in March so I have had 3 months to test drive the no wire service option. No complaints so far.
Yes, putting the money back into the company
Yes, Luc, any florist today will be better off to put their money back into their company into either local advertising or a website. Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against any of these "independent" WS. The people that run them seem to be all honest people with the best intentsions. The problem is there is no new ideas. They are all 20-80 programs and they bring nothing new to the table. They can only advertise that they are cheaper. They can't help your business grow.
It is rapidly becoming a silly industry. Sad silly. I found out yesterday that there is now a third florist board and the topics are almost identical to this board's. However there is one noteable difference. There is NO wire service category. Instead they have a FTD members only section and a TF members only section. Kind of brings back the old days of smoke filled back room politicals doesn't it? I guess some florists don't like the idea of other florists leaving the WS and then telling others all the reason why.
Just my opinion before coffee. Have a profitable day!
Yes, Luc, any florist today will be better off to put their money back into their company into either local advertising or a website. Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against any of these "independent" WS. The people that run them seem to be all honest people with the best intentsions. The problem is there is no new ideas. They are all 20-80 programs and they bring nothing new to the table. They can only advertise that they are cheaper. They can't help your business grow.
It is rapidly becoming a silly industry. Sad silly. I found out yesterday that there is now a third florist board and the topics are almost identical to this board's. However there is one noteable difference. There is NO wire service category. Instead they have a FTD members only section and a TF members only section. Kind of brings back the old days of smoke filled back room politicals doesn't it? I guess some florists don't like the idea of other florists leaving the WS and then telling others all the reason why.
Just my opinion before coffee. Have a profitable day!
sweetp said:
For web hosting, I highly suggest www.asmallorange.com. The service is excellent, and very affordable. Unlike other low-cost providers they have low server loads and more than 1 person on staff!
I will be honest and upfront - I do receive a benefit from refering people. Every new signup referred from FlowerChat earns a free month of hosting FOR FlowerChat. But, even without that incentinve, I would still suggest them... and if the service was poor I wouldn't endorse them for all the incentives in the world.
I will be doing more web site development in the near future, but at the moment I don't have enough time to commit to it at present.
Ryan
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
I can relate to that... Hope I get home to do some laundry soon...Infinite said:
Um...Ryan... will you run over and cut my grass???
Thanks...
Why do you think I live in a condo, Bro?BOSS said:
No shoveling, mowing, paving ... it's ALL good. I was on the board until the travel got in the way of attending the meetings.
Besides ... JB might be more interested in your grass than I would
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