Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. What kinds of products do you fulfill?
Since launching IFS in 1998, we have managed many different products for clients in a variety of industries. The system we have in place allows us to manage different products in a similar manner. Examples include apparel, nutritional products, books, DVDs and CDs, mirrors, non-frozen foods, golf clubs, camping equipment, literature and marketing materials, and a wide variety of other products.

 

2. How quickly do you ship an order after it is received?
We ship over 98% of the "good to go" orders the same day they are received and we guarantee that 100% of the orders will ship within the next business day.

 

3. What is your shipping accuracy rate?
Because accurate deliveries are so critically important to your customers, we track and measure our accuracy on a monthly basis specific to each client. We maintain an accuracy rate of over 99.997%.

 

4. We're an e-commerce company, so how would you handle the credit card processing part of our business?
We are PCI Compliant to handle and manage credit cards.
Because customers do not like to be charged before their orders ship, or for products that may be on back-order, we allow the order to "hit inventory" and validate that the product is available before we process the credit card. This insures customers are only charged at the time of shipment for what they will receive. Once a customer's order has been filled, we process the credit card payment to your IFS account.

 

5. Can you help me manage our inventory with daily reports?
Through our state-of-the-art inventory system, reports can be updated at any time. Plus, your Account Manager will alert you to any spikes in order volume that may affect your inventory.

 

6. How do you charge for your fulfillment services?
We create a custom pricing proposal, specific to the services you choose, which will accurately reflect your business model. Our costs will always be competitive and within industry standards.

 

7. Can you help us put an Auto-Ship Program in place?
Yes, we are well-versed in Auto-Ship (Continuity) Programs and support them for many of our clients.

 

8. We occasionally need in-bound phone support for our customers. Can you assist us with that?
"High touch" customer service is one of our core competencies and a key reason why many clients choose IFS. Our Call Center professionals have a passion for providing quality and compassionate service to your customers.

 

9. What shipping companies do you use?
Because of our extensive client base, we ship by all carriers on a daily basis, i.e., FedEx, UPS and USPS. Because of the volume of our daily shipments, we offer bulk rates for clients that have higher or qualifying volumes.

 

10. How will your Kansas City location impact my shipments to either coast?
This is a very important consideration to include in your selection process. Because of our central business location - Kansas City is about 100 miles from the geographical center of the country and the closest major city to the center - we can get a package to anywhere in the U.S. within three business days by ground delivery and at a far lower cost than shipping from other locations. This will not only save you money but it may impact whether or not a customer purchases from you at all. As it gets close to a holiday shipping deadline, the customer may not want to pay a higher cost to have the product arrive on time.

 

11. Can you help me manage my customer database?
Because many of our clients use a direct-to-consumer business model, we have a full-time Data Administrator to manage data mining. This enables us to provide you with accurate information about your customers' purchasing history and habits.

 

12. We regularly supply product samples to our nationwide sales force. Can you keep a supply on-hand and ship to them on an as-needed basis?
Absolutely! We have extensive experience in sample fulfillment and can provide you with a web site interface for this express purpose. You can be assured that we will have the samples to your sales staff in advance of when they are needed, no exceptions!

 

13. Can we talk to some of your clients for references about your services?
We are fortunate to have many satisfied clients who will be happy to speak with you as you make your decision on a fulfillment provider.

 

14. All we are really looking for is a company that will put our products in a cardboard box and ship them out the door. We don't need a lot of additional services. Can that help us keep our costs down?
We customize our services specific to our clients' individual needs. Often there are many more factors involved in the customer satisfaction experience than meets the eye, but we will be pleased to discuss the entire process with you as you evaluate our services.

 

15. My products need to be housed in a temperature-controlled environment. Can you accommodate that at your facility?
Yes, we provide climate-controlled and monitored warehouse space for temperature-sensitive products.

 

16. We're expecting sizable growth for our company in the coming years. Can you provide us with the flexibility to expand when necessary?
Experiencing exponential growth is a wonderful thing but it can also cause a business to suffer when space and/or personnel become maxed out. That's where IFS comes in…we offer our clients significant expansion capacity without having to add people or space. Through on-going communication with our clients about their marketing activities and future plans for expansion, we provide them with a smooth transition for growth and increased business.

 

17. We are looking for a fulfillment provider that is thorough, experienced and provides superior customer service. What can you tell me about your customer service philosophy?
The backbone of any organization is its people. We are fortunate to have outstanding people - all of whom have that good, old-fashioned Midwestern work ethic. We are very proud of our people and our culture.
It is important to find a fulfillment company that you are comfortable with since you will be working closely with its personnel. Be sure to explore the level of detailed information they can provide you. If they do not fully understand your needs before you begin - and if they cannot ensure you that a system is in place to address those needs - chances are you will not be satisfied with their services and your business will suffer. Avoid companies that "hip shoot" pricing since it can lead to misunderstandings later.
At IFS, we take the time to fully understand your needs before customizing our pricing and services specifically for you. Our formula clearly works! Please see what some of our current clients say about our services.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. What kinds of products do you fulfill?
Since launching IFS in 1998, we have managed many different products for clients in a variety of industries. The system we have in place allows us to manage different products in a similar manner. Examples include apparel, nutritional products, books, DVDs and CDs, mirrors, non-frozen foods, golf clubs, camping equipment, literature and marketing materials, and a wide variety of other products.

 

2. How quickly do you ship an order after it is received?
We ship over 98% of the "good to go" orders the same day they are received and we guarantee that 100% of the orders will ship within the next business day.

 

3. What is your shipping accuracy rate?
Because accurate deliveries are so critically important to your customers, we track and measure our accuracy on a monthly basis specific to each client. We maintain an accuracy rate of over 99.997%.

 

4. We're an e-commerce company, so how would you handle the credit card processing part of our business?
We are PCI Compliant to handle and manage credit cards.
Because customers do not like to be charged before their orders ship, or for products that may be on back-order, we allow the order to "hit inventory" and validate that the product is available before we process the credit card. This insures customers are only charged at the time of shipment for what they will receive. Once a customer's order has been filled, we process the credit card payment to your IFS account.

 

5. Can you help me manage our inventory with daily reports?
Through our state-of-the-art inventory system, reports can be updated at any time. Plus, your Account Manager will alert you to any spikes in order volume that may affect your inventory.

 

6. How do you charge for your fulfillment services?
We create a custom pricing proposal, specific to the services you choose, which will accurately reflect your business model. Our costs will always be competitive and within industry standards.

 

7. Can you help us put an Auto-Ship Program in place?
Yes, we are well-versed in Auto-Ship (Continuity) Programs and support them for many of our clients.

 

8. We occasionally need in-bound phone support for our customers. Can you assist us with that?
"High touch" customer service is one of our core competencies and a key reason why many clients choose IFS. Our Call Center professionals have a passion for providing quality and compassionate service to your customers.

 

9. What shipping companies do you use?
Because of our extensive client base, we ship by all carriers on a daily basis, i.e., FedEx, UPS and USPS. Because of the volume of our daily shipments, we offer bulk rates for clients that have higher or qualifying volumes.

 

10. How will your Kansas City location impact my shipments to either coast?
This is a very important consideration to include in your selection process. Because of our central business location - Kansas City is about 100 miles from the geographical center of the country and the closest major city to the center - we can get a package to anywhere in the U.S. within three business days by ground delivery and at a far lower cost than shipping from other locations. This will not only save you money but it may impact whether or not a customer purchases from you at all. As it gets close to a holiday shipping deadline, the customer may not want to pay a higher cost to have the product arrive on time.

 

11. Can you help me manage my customer database?
Because many of our clients use a direct-to-consumer business model, we have a full-time Data Administrator to manage data mining. This enables us to provide you with accurate information about your customers' purchasing history and habits.

 

12. We regularly supply product samples to our nationwide sales force. Can you keep a supply on-hand and ship to them on an as-needed basis?
Absolutely! We have extensive experience in sample fulfillment and can provide you with a web site interface for this express purpose. You can be assured that we will have the samples to your sales staff in advance of when they are needed, no exceptions!

 

13. Can we talk to some of your clients for references about your services?
We are fortunate to have many satisfied clients who will be happy to speak with you as you make your decision on a fulfillment provider.

 

14. All we are really looking for is a company that will put our products in a cardboard box and ship them out the door. We don't need a lot of additional services. Can that help us keep our costs down?
We customize our services specific to our clients' individual needs. Often there are many more factors involved in the customer satisfaction experience than meets the eye, but we will be pleased to discuss the entire process with you as you evaluate our services.

 

15. My products need to be housed in a temperature-controlled environment. Can you accommodate that at your facility?
Yes, we provide climate-controlled and monitored warehouse space for temperature-sensitive products.

 

16. We're expecting sizable growth for our company in the coming years. Can you provide us with the flexibility to expand when necessary?
Experiencing exponential growth is a wonderful thing but it can also cause a business to suffer when space and/or personnel become maxed out. That's where IFS comes in…we offer our clients significant expansion capacity without having to add people or space. Through on-going communication with our clients about their marketing activities and future plans for expansion, we provide them with a smooth transition for growth and increased business.

 

17. We are looking for a fulfillment provider that is thorough, experienced and provides superior customer service. What can you tell me about your customer service philosophy?
The backbone of any organization is its people. We are fortunate to have outstanding people - all of whom have that good, old-fashioned Midwestern work ethic. We are very proud of our people and our culture.
It is important to find a fulfillment company that you are comfortable with since you will be working closely with its personnel. Be sure to explore the level of detailed information they can provide you. If they do not fully understand your needs before you begin - and if they cannot ensure you that a system is in place to address those needs - chances are you will not be satisfied with their services and your business will suffer. Avoid companies that "hip shoot" pricing since it can lead to misunderstandings later.
At IFS, we take the time to fully understand your needs before customizing our pricing and services specifically for you. Our formula clearly works! Please see what some of our current clients say about our services.