FTD decon's not working

[BBJ (Big Bad John)]

I'm with Mikey... BUTT

They should be fully automated... it's simple technology....

Get MAS, Mas Direct, FloristWare, FAS... dump the WS technology!!

Um........it's the wire service that wants it so they should make it simple no matter what system of theirs you use.
We use Merc Direct and also run Daisy but the wire services won't let them talk to each other unless you're granfathered in some 8 or 10 years ago.
Using Merc Direct for dcons is a pain as explained earlier. and using delivery manager for a small shop is also not worth the time and effort.

 

[JERRYEIZ]

As an FTD shop that has had cronic buyer's remorse since our Mercury system was installed, I have spent countless hours getting the Delivery Module and Automatic Confirmation feature working. Running Mercury X v1 (the latest and 'greatest'), I discovered that though I did everything correctly according to the software, the confirmation messages were not being sent until I shut down and rebooted my system. Mercury tech support added some code to my system to periodically shutdown and restart the Delivery module and this seems to have fixed the problem.

Until this was installed, all confirmation messages were being queued but not sent.

For florist to florist order confirmation a message template is also needed. MTAC can assist users. Unfortunately, the hold time on the Mercury Technical Support line has been 25-45 minutes.

 

[goldfish]

What's the penalty?

Penalty for sending a false delivery confirmation is not yet officially decided as far as I know. But the penalty for lying that something was done should be more severe than failing to report IMO, because it punishes those who act honestly.

They're trying to make sure florists use up all their excess capacity.

Who are "they"? FTD?

We are not a big sender, but I always wanted to know if our wire-outs are really delivered.

In our area, local florists compete for wire-outs with 1-800-flowers, a Long Island company (we are in LI). I know they (1800) offer a convenient web access, 24/7 ordering, volume discount, and other services for a huge chunk of corporate customers in Long Island.

There are even brokers for these accounts. We've been offered a deal in which we can have a large corporate account in exchange for $600 annual fee. Wire-outs are big businesses.

So, any potential advantage we small guys could have over 1800 would be a huge plus. We offer, for example, dcons with picture proof for all the local deliveries we do with our corporate VIP customers. I do want to offer similar services for wire-outs, too, so that we can compete with 1800. Oh by the way, >90% of our wire-outs are from corporate accounts.

Imagine how damaging it would be, if some stupid florist TOLD us the flowers were delivered, we told our customer their order was delivered, and.... later on, they found that was not true?

I mean, what can we say to the angry customer? Do they even care who lied to whom?

A lie like this could kill our business. Filling florists should just NOT send dcons if they are busy, rather than lying. Why it's so difficult?

 

[BOSS]

Yo Fish.... just so you know, I agree with you "in concept", but it will never ever happen unless florists embrace technology apart from wire services. It's simply a matter that FTD will not allow their technology communicate directly with Teleflora's, nor with the reverse.

I too used to "compete" for wire outs. I advertised in enough YP's to cover 1/3 or more of Michigan, did around 10,000 a year, but I spent huge sums of money to get to that number. Honestly I make more doing less these days.

$600.00/year is not much money, but it would take 60 $50.00 wire out orders to cover it... and I don't think the rebate would cover transmission and membership costs. Not really worth it.

 

[Joe Mioux]

I got this note from my old FSR rep yesterday.

>---- Original Message ----
>From: [email protected]
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: FTD
>Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2009 14:43:09 -0600
>
>>Hi Joe
>>
>>Happy Holidays!
>>
>>Ready to return to FTD?
>>
>>Tom

>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: joe <[email protected]>
>To: xxxx, Tom
>Sent: Tue Dec 08 14:43:00 2009
>Subject: RE: FTD
>
>correct me if i am wrong, but isn't FTD now charging something like
>$2 for Delivery Confirmations?


>---- Original Message ----
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: FTD
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2009 14:46:55 -0600

>Only $1.50 if you confirm delivery by the following night at 10:59pm.
>

----- Original Message -----
From: joe <[email protected]>
To: Spain, Tom
Sent: Wed Dec 09 08:20:11 2009
Subject: Re: FTD


sounds like a revenue generating scheme from FTD.

until FTD gets thinking straight with its members AND starts reducing
fees, below TF and 800, FTD will continue losing membership.

that del con, is a problem with FTD.com and other og's. The industry
never had delivery problems until the online floral businesses came
into existence. For me, to want to re-join FTD now, is foolish.

sorry if this sounds like a rant, but it's important for you and FTD
to know florists' concerns.

merry christmas

joe



Actually we are cheaper in cost than Teleflora. FYI, Teleflora is adding a delivery confirmation program soon...never the leader, always the follower.
Happy Holidays!
(Saw some pointsetias of yours, they were nice)

Tom

and my last response was.

I would rather belong to the ws that follows the other with fee increases rather than belong to the leader of fee increases.



any truth to TF charging for dcons?

 

[CHERYL BAKIN]

Joe:
Supposedly, Tf has Dcons in testing....but has not established a fee or penalty structure yet, that I am aware of. I susspect that it is coming soon.

Since we cover a county-wide area, and are part of a delivery pool, this is a problem for us.

Cheryl

 

[Rhonda]

Methinks I just pulled the plug on Merc Direct for good, especially considering the last 3 orders for out of town, there was no coverage by FTD... so I googled, consulted the old TF directory and called direct.

Hmm, as always, I wonder how many FTD shops actually know about this decon penalty/credit....??

 

[georgeb]

Don't forget unless I am really surprised, everyone of FTD filling florist will also have to take the EXTRA time to determine 1) should they get the 50cent's back and 2) did they in fact get the money back. Add all the above to the cost of "properly" sending a dcon and it becomes more attractive to up your delivery fees on incomings. For those that cry FOUL remember the filling florists are the ones who are being mandated to do all the additional work involved with this program and are on the paying end of filling at what appears to be ever increasing discounts/costs.


George

 

[Knife's Wife]

Joe, Enjoyed your emails.

I certainly hope that TF is reading and taking notes about the problems that are occurring with these Dcons, and the unhappy florist that it is creating in several ways, and before they launch their dcon program that they have a clear and precise way to implement, and one that does not further erode the percentage the filling florist makes on an order. Sorry that is quite the run on sentence.

The sad part is many florist will just deduct this fee from the order before filling it and not worry about doing it, or they will send auto dcons whether they have true knowledge or not.

I would like to here how TF suggest I dcon all my orders that I fill and send through the delivery pool as no one has been able to come up with a viable solution for that yet. The idea of 13 shops that I have giving deliveries to having to contact me and then me in turn having to contact the shops that I made delivery for, each and everyday is just mind boggling.

Why do we continually try to fix the things that are not broken but fail to see the obvious things that are.

I would think a penalty to the florist that failed to contact a florist when they did not get a delivery made would be a much better option. Fine me the entire amount of the order if I fail to contact sending florist when there is a problem. That would certainly hold florist accountable for their orders and relaying messages. The florist can then notify their customer right away that there is a delay and what is being done.

Joan

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

Yo Fish.... just so you know, I agree with you "in concept", but it will never ever happen unless florists embrace technology apart from wire services. It's simply a matter that FTD will not allow their technology communicate directly with Teleflora's, nor with the reverse.

I too used to "compete" for wire outs. I advertised in enough YP's to cover 1/3 or more of Michigan, did around 10,000 a year, but I spent huge sums of money to get to that number. Honestly I make more doing less these days.

$600.00/year is not much money, but it would take 60 $50.00 wire out orders to cover it... and I don't think the rebate would cover transmission and membership costs. Not really worth it.

wasn't that far back that FTD was THE ONLY "open ended" wire service that had NO problem interfacing with EVERYBODY'S platforms, until Teleflora bought up Redbook's network interface, and turned it into Dove, AND turned IT's back on open communications!!
This is ONE situation, where TELEFLORA is THE gorilla, but, that aside,
I've sent out 15 dcons this week so far, and gotten back ONLY 2...what does THAT tell you about what florists are "thinking"??
Joan has got something here.....it WASN'T "broken"......so they "fixed" it, and NOW, the ship is TRULY sinking!!
Oh how greed belittles even the mighty......

 

[BOSS]

Warning: Rant

Silly isn't it... "they" build in a new cash cow and we debate it's merits and problems, rather than just saying NO!
[youtube]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MotNtq41NDw&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MotNtq41NDw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]
Nope, we just sit back and continue to allow them to dictate to us what they want to do to increase their cash flow. Mikey's example shows a couple things. One is, florists do not readily comply, and I would be willing to bet the majority of "unconnected" florists do not even know this is happening to them in the first place.

For me this is an automated function, I assume that our automatic "not home" messages derail the charge, we'll see at the EOM, but it would appear that every florist in a delivery pool has a serious issue. Herb and I and a couple other folks began working on a system called Delivery Pool Technologies a couple years ago...I still have the notes and after Christmas will lay out the gist of it.

I welcome FTD's and Teleflora's move into demanding more from their members while at the same time charging them more...it's the one thing that will get folks to just say no and drop them so we can move on and build the "Next Generation Network" that will take B&M florist communications to the next level and eliminate the BIG3 and dOG's at the same time.

/rant

 

[PhillyPhlorist]

Boy - Am I glad I am no longer an FTD money giver...

Can you imagine how Valentines is going to go with this?? Y'all have FUN now! LY

V-day not worried about, as not a big wire holiday. It's M-day I'm worried about. Actually, not worried as I have a Plan B ready if Merx won't be ready by then. Been told something will be out in April.

- H.

 

[RussSchmitt]

I could be missing something here but why on earth would you be willing to pay a $1.50 to send a delivery confirmation on a discount order. Are you making that much money that you can afford to give up the $1.50 This may be the time to cut your loses and stop filling everything but real florists orders. I for sure wouldn't want to make an order gatherer look good!

 

[BOSS]

BOSS's Quote of the day!

I for sure wouldn't want to make an order gatherer look good!

I could not agree more.

 

[wgeertgens]

I'm with you. I've been going through my list of FTD in orders to confirm. It is a long process because the list isn't the most efficient even when you use the correct search date, all the other dates for the week show up too. Real pain. Would be nice to get that streamlined. I too am not looking forward to Christmas week

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

OK...I'm now on the "other" side of delcon's as presently set up!!
This is TRULY gonna be a nightmare...got TWO orders to a funeral home, dated Sunday Dec 13th, for delivery on the 13th, but, when contacting the FH, the visitation is ONE HOUR, on Wednesday Dec 16th, and doing a delcon after delivery automatically puts us on the "fine" list!!
I'm fully aware of the procedure necessary, to stop this, BUT, this antiquated Merc system has now officially got my goat.
I've sent an "ask" to the sending shop, and messaged them that I would be "pre-confirming" the deliveries because of this stupid system...absolutely STUPID!!
Mikey is NOT amused.....

 

[BOSS]

Does MercuryX have a DCON message format?

If not, how does FTD know if any ASK message is or is not a DCON?

On the few orders we are sending out, we're getting about 20% return on DCONS. Told ya it was a cash cow for FTD!

 

[BBJ (Big Bad John)]

OK...I'm now on the "other" side of delcon's as presently set up!!
This is TRULY gonna be a nightmare...got TWO orders to a funeral home, dated Sunday Dec 13th, for delivery on the 13th, but, when contacting the FH, the visitation is ONE HOUR, on Wednesday Dec 16th, and doing a delcon after delivery automatically puts us on the "fine" list!!
I'm fully aware of the procedure necessary, to stop this, BUT, this antiquated Merc system has now officially got my goat.
I've sent an "ask" to the sending shop, and messaged them that I would be "pre-confirming" the deliveries because of this stupid system...absolutely STUPID!!
Mikey is NOT amused.....

That's one of the biggest problems, and it really sucks when your busy and have to handle a bunch of ask/ans messages.............I think that's why most florists are just eating the extra fee and saying the h*ll with the DCON Bull Poop

Does MercuryX have a DCON message format?

If not, how does FTD know if any ASK message is or is not a DCON?

On the few orders we are sending out, we're getting about 20% return on DCONS. Told ya it was a cash cow for FTD!

Ya, there's a DCON message but it does go through as an ANSWER message. It's a pain to use as finding an order is like looking for a needle in a haystack.....it brings up all incomings in the order they were received...not by delivey date, and it does not delete the ones you have already sent DCON's on!!!

 

[David]

Does MercuryX have a DCON message format?

If not, how does FTD know if any ASK message is or is not a DCON?

If the florist is using mercury delivery it's automatic. Otherwise on the main menu the florist should go to mercury message and select delivery confirmation and fill out. It's an answer message. Not sure why a florist would have mercury and not use mercury delivery.

 

[BOSS]

It's a pain to use as finding an order is like looking for a needle in a haystack.....it brings up all incomings in the order they were received...not by delivey date, and it does not delete the ones you have already sent DCON's on!!!

Sounds like normal FTD technology....Bass Ackwards!