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- Can vendors determine the balance of a card BEFORE processing the transaction?
No, vendors cannot determine balances. The FastPay solution is just like a credit card. If they have funds in their account, the transaction will be approved just like a credit card. Customers will be able to determine their balance at the public readers in the Moffitt Café and the Millberry Union dining areas. In addition, they will be able to go online and find out their balance at any time.
- Will the Fast Pay card have a picture, name and/or number to identify (especially in case the systems are down)?
The FastPay pre-paid cards are actually the UCSF ID so it should be easy to tell if the person making the purchase is the person on the ID. The voucher cards such as those for the resident and clinical fellow meal program will not be able to have a picture. However, we designing the cards so that can easily be clipped with the ID. We have had virtually no incidents or lost cards with the previous program. We also will develop a mechanism for lost voucher cards to be reported as lost and will be able to deactivate lost cards in approximately 24 hours.
- What is the response time for each transaction? How long does each transaction take?
As long as the Internet connection is established, the response time should be similar to a credit card transaction. A declined transaction will indicated very rapidly.
- What is the “System Down Procedure”?
If the readers lose the Internet connection, the readers can store up to 250 transactions which will be transmitted to FreedomPay immediately upon connection. We do need to determine with FreedomPay how transactions where there were insufficient funds will be reconciled. If the reader malfunctions, Nutrition & Food Services (NFS) will have extra readers on-hands to quickly replace them. The mechanism to contact NFS will be spelled out in writing.
- Why can’t Voucher AND Prepaid cards be the same?
FastPay accounts are set up with FreedomPay as a transaction between the end user and FreedomPay with their funds from the bank account, credit card, or debit card. Voucher cards are between UCSF and the end user utilizing a separate FreedomPay system. Since the systems are separate, they cannot be combined.
- How quickly will vendors receive their funds?
Prepaid sales will be reconciled in the merchants account at the end of the business day. Voucher will be reconciled monthly. Voucher funds are internal transfers that ultimately must be reconciled between NFS, the department that is being charged, and the vendor. NFS is working with Campus Life Services (CLS) to determine if there is an electronic system to process payments to vendors in a timelier manner.
- Is FreedomPay a bank (i.e., is it bonded, who is responsible for fraud)?
FreedomPay is not a bank. They are a third party company who is attempting to offer an alternative to credit and bank cards. In the event that there is fraud with a card, it becomes a police matter just like a stolen credit card.
- For non-integrated systems, can there be a printer attached to the reader for end-of-day reporting when internet access isn’t possible?
We are not aware of a configuration where a printer can be attached to the reader for end-of-day reconciliation in the event there is not POS or POS integration isn’t possible. The system is designed to give instant access through the web site. The information on the web site for vendors is read-only and cannot be altered. We may need additional information about this question to see if there are other solutions.
- How do you correct mistakes on-the-spot? Call tech support? Via keypad?
We will need to investigate the appropriate procedure for mistakes. We’re led to believe that funds could be put back into an account through a typical refund process using a POS and reader. We don’t’ know whether or not funds can be added back or corrected with just a reader.
- Why can’t Voucher transactions be settled in the same manner as prepaid transactions, linking the Voucher accounts to a UCSF account?
As previously mentioned, we’re exploring whether or not NFS can reconcile voucher program sales in a UCSF account. If a UCSF account is established for food vendors, there should be a way that NFS can process a funds transfer in a timelier manner. We are still exploring this option with CLS.
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