One Less Wires Service

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CHR said:
Thank goodness I'm not quite the raging feminist I used to be 'cuz thirty years ago I'd have burned my bra and decked you for a comment like that. :>:
I'd pay money to see that!
 
Awe, shucks.

Thank goodness I'm not quite the raging feminist I used to be 'cuz thirty years ago I'd have burned my bra and decked you for a comment like that. :

Ummmmmmmmmm now that certainly would add some spice to flower chat lol :musical:
 
ok now help me here we have a florist blog with many of us listed and if you click on a florist that is listed it brings you to their web site. That seems to work pretty well.

As for marketing that is the other piece of the puzzle this group should be a marketing group and we should be arrangeing buys with rebates being paid to the group from vendors to help underwrite the cost. This does not mean you have to have high over head to make this work
 
Infinite said:
Who has capital, a marketing team, access to florists, and a web IT department?
Amazon.com? Froogle?

But first participating florists would have to pretty much agree that buying direct from the delivering florist is better for their customers than acting as an intermediary on their behalf. That's a tall order for an industry with a WS mindset.
steve said:
Ummmmmmmmmm now that certainly would add some spice to flower chat.
Not anymore. *searches for geezerette icon* LOL
 
I'm still waiting for an answer to the Question..

Griff said:
Then, can you give us some idea how jumping from one company's proprietary machine to another company's proprietary machine gains anything in the long run?

??? anyone???
 
Tough question

It really is a tough question. These systems can't or are unable to talk to each other. Several can talk within the confines of a WS system or to a "same system" machine, but the language or platform barriers can't be overcome. At least that is what I have been told so you can't have a machine that speaks a universal language.

So all 22,000 plus florists have to agree to use ONE SYSTEM MACHINE which makes any conversion to alternative programs impossible because a major part of the current hang up is many florists are really "attached" to their current system and aren't willing to change. They want any new system to be compatiable with their system and the WS and independent providers have already made sure that can't happen.

The only system that is truely compatible as a sending system is our own computers. They allow us to send e-mail messages and Faxs to any other person who has another computer. Our computers are not hybrids. The secret seems to be in how they can be harnessed to gether. No they don't allow POS without help, but even POS systems have the ability to send theri orders by telephone lines to another florist as long as the first computer has the address of the second. Anyone got any problems with that??
 
It's funny, we are Bloomin Highway members and this is the first I've heard of them closing. I signed up because we had nothing to lose. They waived the membership fee and made reconciling/sending/receiving a breeze. They sent us some very good orders but they were few and far between. I'm amazed they didn't contact us about this yet though..
 
Griff said:
The secret seems to be in how they can be harnessed to gether. No they don't allow POS without help, but even POS systems have the ability to send theri orders by telephone lines to another florist as long as the first computer has the address of the second. Anyone got any problems with that??
Yes I'm sorry I do !!! telephone lines are a thing of the past, you need a system that can have access to live data 24/7.. Your customer deserves that...That is the only way you can have a competitive edge over the 29.95 orders.You need your labor to be tight and effective.You need your costs of goods to be in line and you need to have this data at a moments notice. If your system can do this for you Hurray I'm glad you are one step ahead of the rest.. Now take that info and do something with it... Thats the problem florists are faced with today, what do they do with the tools provided. Some don't do this... Every day I talk with our users and say time for some marketing... So many are caught up in the whats my competition doing and not doing anything to grow there own... Now your issue about propriety machines... Why in my right mind would we provide another machine with our technology... Better yet are you willing to pay thousands of dollars to be able to use it ? You have made your choice whats best for your business, all we can do is promote what we think is the right thing for florists who can do the right thing for their customer. I hope this addressed your issue about proprietary machines. You don't have to switch stay with fax machines and excess labor...If it works for you cheers. we are just trying to help the current situation in todays floral world. The 2 big ws have clogged the arteries of todays florist and they know no difference. If IFA is your choice over ETFA thats fine you have made a committment to make your business better with the tools available. being a former florist for 25 years I have seen the times change drastically over the past 10... Now is the time you make your change from being stagnant.. If its not broken, break it now before its too late. Make a firm committment to allow yourself real choices rather than choices that are smoke and mirrors.
Hal
 
Since BOC asked...

Griff said:
Then, can you give us some idea how jumping from one company's proprietary machine to another company's proprietary machine gains anything in the long run?

It depends some on YOUR definition of "Proprietary"....

It's obvious that in a perfect world some here invision a platform that would accept and interpret OTD (other technology data), however if anyone cared to give enuf thought to this, they would realize and understand that it would require agreement from all of the various providers sharing their coding information and access to each platforms delicate back ends.....something that is never going to happen.

No one commented on my reference to Microsoft and the proprietary nature of WindoZ, but you can compare the "proprietary" question to MS and Apple working together...something thats not going to happen.

MAS as Ryan said, can deal with data from FTD, TF, Bloomlink, and the best part F2F orders that so many of you say you want...all the while giving YOU and YOUR customer real time data as to whats going on with that order in the other shop all without ever talking to that other shop...it's the only system that automatically informs your customer when a florist in another twon completes the delivery on their end...it's something that NONE of the BIG players can do, noe of them, it's a standard that can set Real Florists apart from the non-florists....

I understand the proprietary question...but it seems some here equate it to being bad...it's not a hardware issue, it's a platform thing...as long as you have a WindoZ box running XP Pro you can run MAS in your store....many have asked why can't there be a platform that can interpret data from anyone going to anyone....if ya'll want to pony up the funds...I'm sure I know someone that could build the monster...but then everyone would poo poo that because of cost...
 
BOSS said:
No one commented on my reference to Microsoft and the proprietary nature of WindoZ, but you can compare the "proprietary" question to MS and Apple working together...something thats not going to happen.
The Mac lovers of Microsoft
They DO work togther. Mac users can even purchase their own version of MSOffice products.

Between the marketplace and the US Justice Department, these companies have seen the need (or been forced to see it) to separate the operating systems from the applications/functionalities. Both license their proprietary OS to other companies - not because they're 'good guys' but because users want it and to completely withhold it would bring a cheerful visit from the DOJ.

On the other hand, the wire services have taken POS platforms, which are primarily designed and sold to provide operational data for indepently owned stores, and tied them to proprietary products for the sole purpose of sending and receiving of wire service orders (a far more secondary function), refusing to grant access to third parties for the development of enhanced applications. The effect (surely intended) is to limit the POS purchaser's choice of WS affiliation.

One of the newest twists, the requiring of credit card clearings by TF across all their POS platforms, goes even further to tie functions that have nothing to do with the primariy use - managing your local flower shop business - to WS membership. The effect is to require puchasers to remain members as long as they want the systems to work despite anything TF, as the wire service, does to change their rules to members. It has also allowed them deduct the overdue monies owed them for clearinghouse services from these CC funds, unfettered. To me, this is scary.

Ask florists that own an FTD POS systems how they feel about the Walmart deal and many admit they'd quit were it not for the fact that they are reliant on the compnay to keep their shop management systems running. They believe they cannot simply walk away from their investment and lack funds for the purchase of a new system.

Mac and MS users like, even love, their systems for what then can do for them. IMO, most WS POS system users loathe them for what they won't do for them and fear what they might do to them.
 
I was talking about a website.... that any member florist could access.. It is my understanding that Advantage can upload from websites other than FTD's FOL// so if you have your own website you can configure Advantage to import orders from your stand-alone website into the program and print out the appropriate data where it belongs on the invoice and have that data processed into bookkeeping... so I ASSUME Mas and others can do the same thing


I understand the Mas is great...my gosh in a matter of minutes there were 5-6 replys from Mas employees about just how great and why we should all trash our present technology and buy yours...but you guys are in the for the money.. .you are not giving it away, nor should you, but please don't think we are that stupid to believe you are only in this business to help the florists.
Hopefully you really do care and are also looking out for your customer's interests & profits.. but you are a FOR PROFIT BUSINESS.. to make money selling a product & it's service.

And buying into your technology locks us into your group just as tight as it locks us into Tel or FTd.. and the only reason you can use Mas to transmit over merc or the other wire services is because the owners of these wire services allowed you propriety information to let your technology access and transport over their network... so now you could do the same thing... or do you not also believe that there should be a choice??
Yeah I know that within minutes there will be 10,000 defenders of Mas.. but as Mark Smith says "think outside the box" .. there has to be a better way for all of us.. a realistic way.. that doesn;'t have to start & stop with Mas
 
No, it definitely doesn't start & stop with MAS ... sorry if anyone implied that it did. What we did say was that MAS provides a viable option for florists who choose to belong to a WS or not. MAS Direct provides the highest level of customer service.

In it for the money? Sure, that's a factor, just like it's a factor when I'm selling flowers. But, just like my flower shop, I work with MAS out of a love for the job, the product and the customers (florists) and the industry. Money alone doesn't make any job worthwhile.

The MAS team is made up of florists - starting with Bruce McShan, and florist born & raised. The direction of the program and development is very much geared towards supporting the florist and providing the best and widest range of options. Hopefully, if we do that well, we'll make enough $$ to live on, and continue the project as well.

I have yet to see anyone other that MAS people offer a real, viable solution to the question posed. The "one-uber-website-for-all" idea is a real sweet utopia that barely finds a single leg to stand on.

Ryan
 
carol said:
I was talking about a website.... that any member florist could access.. It is my understanding that Advantage can upload from websites other than FTD's FOL// so if you have your own website you can configure Advantage to import orders from your stand-alone website into the program and print out the appropriate data where it belongs on the invoice and have that data processed into bookkeeping... so I ASSUME Mas and others can do the same thing

Carol...sorry, I was simply trying to point out, that MAS is a system that allows for transmission of orders outside of any wire service. Simple as that.

Regarding Advantage (and any other platform) and websites...this is the precise problem. Yes Advantage and other platforms can upload from other than FTD websites, HOWEVER, it is the website that must be modified and not the system recieving the data. Hence a website that works with MAS will not work with Advantage and a web site that works with Advantage will not work with RTI. This is the problem with building a site that would work for every florist...it would have to be able to know what technology you and I have, and then send the data in the various formats...something no web site I know of is capable of doing.
 
Boss said:
it would have to be able to know what technology you and I have, and then send the data in the various formats...something no web site I know of is capable of doing.

Oh, it could be done ... with various levels of success, considering each platform has different fields to populate ... so the programming would not be cheap.

Once again, I'm happy to work in exchange for winning lotto tickets :)
 
BOSS said:
No one commented on my reference to Microsoft and the proprietary nature of WindoZ, but you can compare the "proprietary" question to MS and Apple working together...something thats not going to happen.
Have to disagree with you there, MAS Mark!

Apple has made QuickTime avail. for wintel machines. MS has made Office avail. for Macs - to the point where an Office doc. created on a Mac can be read by a Wintel machine and the other way around. Office 2004 even has a compatability checker that will let you know if something created in your doc will be viewed differently on another platform/version of Office/etc.

I do agree, though, MS and Apple are and always will be out to better the other. Just to THINK of the technology Gates swiped from Apple, and how he built on it and developed a good product...all the while Apple couldn't get a good foothold on the tech market - until just recently.

I believe cross platform technology is in the "seedling" stage...and will grow as more powerful machines come to be manufactured....

- H.
 
BOSS} Regarding Advantage (and any other platform) and websites...this is the precise problem. Yes Advantage and other platforms can upload from other than FTD websites said:
Mark, isn't this exactly what the whole point is about. Florists who have done all the right things, invested in advanced equipment either from the WS or equipemt developed to work with the WS, developed websites with the WS and have obtained advantages within their company because of their investments now find it almost impossible to change course because what they have invested in the past, now allows them no options. Every POS system has been created to work first and foremost in conjuction a WS system. If these same independent companies are now faced with trying to find ways to communicate with everything else, either there isn't sufficient number of florists using systems d, e, f, & g to make it worth anyones time to make it possible for them to communicate with each other or the pure fact is the systems are too far different to ever make it work.

I know Ryan doesn't want me to talk about telephone lines, but in many parts of the country, that IS the only dependable avenue and all current systems today employee telephone lines to communicate in one form or another. I don't know which is worse, WS companies who have sold florists on the positive concepts of the bundling of proprietary equipment, software and hosted websites or the fact that now many florists are looking for ways to exit but are unable to find any companies that can provide everything they are looking for as a straight up exchange. Or maybe part of the problem is placing some of the blame on independent companies who had place such a high value on selling POS and have forgotten that probably 60-75% of the florist market today is really just looking for an inexpensive way to send and receive orders and possible include website assistance.
 
Telephone lines...

Griff I believe it was HAL who mentioned the phone line equation into his answer to your comments. I'm laughing because it appears that we don't need Telephone Technology to slow us down in our POS world shops today yet everyone, is on CELL PHONES which is nothing more than a portable Telephone Technology system without wires to conduct business.

One thing that is easy about F2F orders is it only takes a Wireless Phone if one chooses or the Wired one on the wall and Human Contact with a VOICE! WOW! This Industry talks about how everthing is an Art or a Special Touch or the so called 'taking back the industry world' yet most of these folks are missing out on Talking to these shops who were sending our 100% orders to.

Telephone was the greatest invention in the USA. It still brings people together.
 
BOSS said:
Regarding Advantage (and any other platform) and websites...this is the precise problem. Yes Advantage and other platforms can upload from other than FTD websites, HOWEVER, it is the website that must be modified and not the system recieving the data. Hence a website that works with MAS will not work with Advantage and a web site that works with Advantage will not work with RTI. This is the problem with building a site that would work for every florist...it would have to be able to know what technology you and I have, and then send the data in the various formats...something no web site I know of is capable of doing.

Mark I am under the impression that it is the Advantage program that is configured to accept the order from the other website (I program my Advantage system to put bits and pieces from the shopping cart of my website into my system..) not re-programing the stand-alone website to fit Advantage or what ever program you are using.
so my suggestion is not to make a website fit all POS programs.. just allow the propriety info to be given to all the POS programers and let them make their programs work with this website.. of course these POS programers are going to charge for their work TO THEIR CUSTOMERS .. either in a new module to be purchased or with all their high maintenance fees.

This way the webiste is avail to all users.. they just have to make their system work with it..not rocket scientist stuff.. maybe this is when we go back to florist co-op ownership of a wire transfer system
 
PhillyPhlorist said:
Apple has made QuickTime avail. for wintel machines. MS has made Office avail. for Macs - to the point where an Office doc. created on a Mac can be read by a Wintel machine and the other way around. Office 2004 even has a compatability checker that will let you know if something created in your doc will be viewed differently on another platform/version of Office/etc.

- H.

I agree, but the point is it's still 2 **different** programs...one for MAC and one for WindoZ...they work the same, they display the same data but they are not interchangable platform to platform...
 
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