Avanti Slingshot users in Tennessee or Indiana?

[lsynadinos]

We're exploring this system and our CFO will be in these two states later this month and would love to drop in to talk to any users willing to have her for a quick visit.

 

[APena]

We've been using Slingshot for several years now, we are in California but if your CFO wants to have a call I'd be happy to accommodate.

 

[lsynadinos]

Haha! We're in California too, just so happens that she's traveling out of state later this week. which is why I was asking for Indiana and Tennessee.

 

[jwheeler]

APena , what are your overall thoughts on the product and support? We are looking into an MIS, so any feedback is appreciated.

 

[APena]

jwheeler, overall we are happy with the product. if you want to chat offline let me know, my email is apena3300 "at" gmail "dot" com

 

[DavidLunardi]

lsynadinos, did you find an Avanti client in IN or TN to visit? If you're still looking, I may be able to help.

 

[lsynadinos]

David, we never did find someone, and our CFO is long back from her vacation. Avanti Slingshot looks like a very good fit for us, especially with the XMPie, BCC and Great Plains integrations already figured out. Though, we're still going through our due diligence and looking at EFI Pace too.

 

[OffsetStorefront]

David, we never did find someone, and our CFO is long back from her vacation. Avanti Slingshot looks like a very good fit for us, especially with the XMPie, BCC and Great Plains integrations already figured out. Though, we're still going through our due diligence and looking at EFI Pace too.

Current EFI Pace user here. I would strongly suggest not going with EFI Pace unless it contains features you absolutely must have that aren't found in your competing options.

EFI has some great front-line support agents but once a bug or defect is found, it might literally be years before it is fixed unless it is majorly interrupting the workflow of one of their big clients. They recently transitioned to automated testing for their updates which sounds good, except they don't catch bugs that appear during the course of regular human use so a lot of updates recently have had very obvious, painful bugs get through QC. There are lots of weird quirks or limitations that you would never think to ask about until you're using it day-to-day and these are a result of a long legacy of spaghetti code, quick-fixes, and technical debt.

We've found the software package to be pretty overpriced overall. Lots of functionality is separated into various modules that vary from 3-10k in price when quoted to our 50-employee single-facility commercial print shop. The user licenses are pricey as well.

Their API interface is actually pretty comprehensive which is the one aspect I will speak positively about.

Worst part is that owning the EFI MIS makes it really tempting to try and purchase the other software components from EFI that complement it that themselves can be monstrosities, like MarketDirect Storefront (Web-To-Print), Metrix (imposition), Process Shipper, etc...and since the software doesn't play well with 3rd parties, you're kinda stuck in their swampy ecosystem.

If Avanti is looking good, don't even consider Pace.