Custom Development Success Story
UFA
With over 106,000 members, UFA is one of Canada's oldest and largest agricultural
organizations. UFA operates 34 farm supply stores and over 120 petroleum outlets
throughout Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Since those early days in
1909, UFA has grown with its customers by responding to their needs. Today,
UFA's farm supply stores and petroleum outlets provide goods and services not
only for the agricultural industry but also for homes, businesses and commercial
enterprises.
Challenge
UFA operates petroleum outlets throughout the three western provinces.
Previously, their card-lock sites only authenticated major credit cards and CFN
cards via real-time communication, and the sales were only transferred to UFA once
a day. This caused difficulties to both customers and staff as the delay increased
misunderstandings involving accounts and consequently, there were a great
number of calls to customer service representatives. Ideaca’s challenge was to
develop a card authorization process which centralized positive card authorization,
allowed members to manage their cards via the internet and positioned the UFA to
expand its accepted card base in the future.
Solution
Three major system components were built for the PACE II solution; centralized
authorization, self-service card management web application (card link) and data
synchronization between three applications. The system validates purchase
requests and the card link web application allows customers and UFA staff to
manage their card details and produces a history report. In addition to being able to
manage card details, users can view and download their invoice information via the
card link. A synchronization process runs at regular intervals to transfer completed
sales from the host back to UFA’s accounting systems. This updates card details to
ensure accuracy and current information.
UFA is now able to ensure that purchases are authorized against real-time data to
avoid the incorrect allowance of fuel purchases with card controls that are easily
accessible via the internet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Customers and UFA
have greater control over fuel purchases with the online management of existing
card controls and the addition of several new controls. Customers have greater
visibility into their fleet purchases because card activity can be viewed and
monitored via the card link.
The addition of the Pace II solution saves UFA time and money in keeping their
records up to date and accurate, and ensures their customers’ satisfaction with their
accounts.