IFA prefers competitors with FAS systems

[Ken and Patty]

I looked into using IFA as our wire service, but found that they forward incoming orders to local florist that have the FAS (Floral Accounting System) program. This preference turned me off because we have a competitor that has FAS.

As a non-profit organization, you would think it would be totally equal in dividing orders. I guess if you're a fully profitable software company that has board members in a non-profit organization, they can sort of "weight" things in favor of the customers that are paying board members indirectly.

I do not like that. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I've written my own floral POS system (I'm a programmer) and it is FASt. Why would I want to pay $4-$5K + to get preference on orders?

 

[Connie]

I do have the FAS system, but, when wiring out an order, I choose any florist that I want to use.

 

[BOSS]

I looked into using IFA as our wire service, but found that they forward incoming orders to local florist that have the FAS (Floral Accounting System) program. This preference turned me off because we have a competitor that has FAS.

Everyone knows I would never defend FAS and IFA for that matter, but Ken, if there is a member/user that has IFA in a community and no other florist does, then it only makes sense that the orders go that way...works the same way this TFTD et al.

Until there are multiple members there is no way to divide the orders up...

As to your POS system....does it intergrate with any sending platforms?

 

[Ken and Patty]

I apologize, but was misinformed about IFA and how they allocate orders. IFA is a wonderful organization. Thank you, k

 

[bloomz]

They built the system...and their resources run it a AFAIK so I guess it belongs to them

but

opinions vary...

 

[Ken and Patty]

Afaict ?

What does AFAICT mean?

Also, what I thought I understood about IFA was that if 2 florists in the same town have IFA and only one of them have FAS, IFA would automatically send the order to the FAS florist. That's what this thread was about. I was wrong though.

As for the POS I am writing, yes, I am working on integrating it with a wire service. I just need to decide which one(s). See my last post (# 30) under "Least expensive outgoing wire service".

Cheers, k

 

[CHR]

What does AFAICT mean?

As Far As I Can Tell.

As for the POS I am writing, yes, I am working on integrating it with a wire service. I just need to decide which one(s).

The largest floral companies generally prefer to keep their interfaces strictly proprietary.

It's a profit center. The biggest relay companies have actually drawn their circles smaller in the last couple years.

 

[BOSS]

The biggest relay companies have actually drawn their circles smaller in the last couple years.

Yep...they are very short sighted