Unreliable Merc.....

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

so...being a long time FTD member, still remembering the days, when we sent and received orders by way of dialup Telex (modern of it's day), and one of the first to jump onto the Merc "console", and having tried all of the "old technology, from Merc, to Telex, to TerraSys (now Dove) , faxing, online transfer, I am highly "perplexed"!
For over a year and a half now, I've been complaining to FTD Tech support that their supposedly "sophisticated" Merc Direct system. with the built in MTSUA ( online updates) hangs my high end PC when it goes into update mode, and requires either a program restart, or a hard reboot...every single time!!
I've even gone so far as to remove the MTSUA program from my "startup file", and it makes little impact on the operation of the program!!
I've now lost 5 orders, in as many weeks, both incoming, AND outgoing, because the stupid little update program will NOT release my system, to check in with the Merc Host computer, until I manually reboot.
Each time I've complained, I was told "this is NOT a known issue"....
A once very reliable system has become a highly suspiciously UNRELIABLE
system, because a few MBA system programmers, have messed around with the system...I am now doing up followup phone calls because the Merc is "broken", and NOT what it once was!!
Without a reliable Merc.....I have NO NEED FOR FTD at all...it's become an expensive redundancy, that I can and WILL do without!!
I'm now at SIX....IF I reach 10 this year....FTD is TOAST
I've already removed ANY reference to FTD in our shop, our vehicles, our advertising, our work orders, our business cards, and any FTD branded signage!!
It's becoming very ridiculous being a member, paying the dues, and hefty costs of MERC, when it's become unpredictable, and non trustworthy!!
Our customers trust US because we USED to trust MERC!!

 

[Joe Mioux]

Mikey, My last affiliation with FTD ceased 30-April. I don't miss it. I am still TF and one ws is enough.

FTD is now making you and your business look bad in the eyes of your customers.
Joe

 

[BOSS]

I was told "this is NOT a known issue"....

They're in denial

 

[Connie]

A once very reliable system has become a highly suspiciously UNRELIABLE
system,

.....I have NO NEED FOR FTD at all...it's become an expensive redundancy, that I can and WILL do without!!

Yes, exactly the reasons we terminated our membership last year. We've never regreted it.

 

[Rhonda]

Mikey, I have had this same problem along with it just completely freezing up my computer (and mine is old not sophisticated, cleaned up with basic software in it and only running mercdirect). Last month, I had the update problem over and over and over again, and I just called and told them to suspend my merc for the last month I'll be a member. They wouldn't call forward more than 48 hours. So anyone trying to send me an order will get the reject/suspended machine notice. Oh well........done Jul 31st!! Hooray!

 

[CHR]

Is this problem new?

Could it have anything to do with FTD's switch from Oracle to EnterpriseDB?

Are you saying, "We are not a high visibility client so we are treated like anyone else. I didn't get any special customer service - they are indifferent to my account"? Yes, I know that was too easy but I couldn't resist.

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

Is this problem new?

Could it have anything to do with FTD's switch from Oracle to EnterpriseDB?

Are you saying, "We are not a high visibility client so we are treated like anyone else. I didn't get any special customer service - they are indifferent to my account"? Yes, I know that was too easy but I couldn't resist.

Obviously, the server(s) replication was NOT completely successful!!
Geez...how's it feel FTD??

 

[prestonway]

I've even gone so far as to remove the MTSUA program from my "startup file", and it makes little impact on the operation of the program!!
I've now lost 5 orders, in as many weeks, both incoming, AND outgoing, because the stupid little update program will NOT release my system, to check in with the Merc Host computer, until I manually reboot.
Each time I've complained, I was told "this is NOT a known issue"....

Another issue which freezes the system is online orders with illegal characters. There are times when the staff is busy, & fails to catch strange things like square brackets in a card message, which buggers the system.

When it happens, every incoming/outgoing order thereafter is frozen in "pending" mode until support clears it out.

Support has also categorized this as "NOT a known issue", but we were told to re-boot the system to "clear out the cobwebs" first thing each morning.

Has seemed to clear the Merc's brain...along the lines of a cup of coffee to wake it up!

Ain't new(er) technology wonderful!

Good luck, big guy

 

[TOTO]

They've been TOAST for 10 years now!

Hey Mikey? They've been TOAST for over 10 years now, so why wait?

As you know, WEE BEE GONE since the spring of 2002!

Got rid of the other one TOO on May 31st, 2007.

So now, WEE BEE WIRE SERVICE FREE!

As that old commercial used to say to Mikey: TRY IT! YOU'LL LIKE IT!

Besides, how many times can any of us BEAT A DEAD HORSE?

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

Another issue which freezes the system is online orders with illegal characters. There are times when the staff is busy, & fails to catch strange things like square brackets in a card message, which buggers the system.

When it happens, every incoming/outgoing order thereafter is frozen in "pending" mode until support clears it out.

Support has also categorized this as "NOT a known issue", but we were told to re-boot the system to "clear out the cobwebs" first thing each morning.

Has seemed to clear the Merc's brain...along the lines of a cup of coffee to wake it up!

Ain't new(er) technology wonderful!
Good luck, big guy

OK...here goes.....
I "dug" into the Merc tech support dept. and got this tidbit of info....
Bring up your Merc "control panel", the one with the comm log at the bottom........
"PRESS SHIFT-ESCAPE simultaneously, and the message should read "User Disabled automatic check for updates", and then minimize the control panel, and let me know if the "freezing issue" ceases...please be vigilant about this, AND, if for whatever reason you need to reboot your Merc Direct pc....you MUST do the "shift-escape" thing again!!
This action disables the MTSUA program that's the root of the problem in Merc Direct!!

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

Besides, how many times can any of us BEAT A DEAD HORSE?

Hey...I've been married to "my leash" for 35 years now...I've been "beaten" many times...and come back for mo':hug:

 

[sfox]

There is a word for that

Mickey, there is a word for that type of behavior

 

[TOTO]

Good Point MIKEY!

Hey...I've been married to "my leash" for 35 years now...I've been "beaten" many times...and come back for mo':hug:

I understand your point MIKEY!

However, the difference between the TWO is the RECIPROCAL UNION in which, both parties agree to " YOU DOO FORE (to) MEE and then, I'LL DO FORE (to) YOU! "

I've often said that, if it wasn't for that SPECIAL GIFT our women have, wee man would have nothing to do with them.

Left on our own, wee men would be happy to live in a cave, drink beer all day, and DOO NOTHING, other than the occasional BURPING and FLATULENCE which is the direct result of drinking all that beer. :beer

 

[BOSS]

I've often said that, if it wasn't for that SPECIAL GIFT our women have, wee man would have nothing to do with them.

Be a lonely world....

I am blessed

 

[TOTO]

Aren't WEE ALL MARK!

Be a lonely world....

I am blessed

Yes, AREN'T WEE ALL Mark! Viva Le Difference!

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

I understand your point MIKEY!

Left on our own, wee men would be happy to live in a cave, drink beer all day, and DOO NOTHING, other than the occasional BURPING and FLATULENCE which is the direct result of drinking all that beer. :beer

and chase wild boars.....ig:

 

[danaboo2000]

so...being a long time FTD member, still remembering the days, when we sent and received orders by way of dialup Telex (modern of it's day), and one of the first to jump onto the Merc "console", and having tried all of the "old technology, from Merc, to Telex, to TerraSys (now Dove) , faxing, online transfer, I am highly "perplexed"!
For over a year and a half now, I've been complaining to FTD Tech support that their supposedly "sophisticated" Merc Direct system. with the built in MTSUA ( online updates) hangs my high end PC when it goes into update mode, and requires either a program restart, or a hard reboot...every single time!!
I've even gone so far as to remove the MTSUA program from my "startup file", and it makes little impact on the operation of the program!!
I've now lost 5 orders, in as many weeks, both incoming, AND outgoing, because the stupid little update program will NOT release my system, to check in with the Merc Host computer, until I manually reboot.
Each time I've complained, I was told "this is NOT a known issue"....
A once very reliable system has become a highly suspiciously UNRELIABLE
system, because a few MBA system programmers, have messed around with the system...I am now doing up followup phone calls because the Merc is "broken", and NOT what it once was!!
Without a reliable Merc.....I have NO NEED FOR FTD at all...it's become an expensive redundancy, that I can and WILL do without!!
I'm now at SIX....IF I reach 10 this year....FTD is TOAST
I've already removed ANY reference to FTD in our shop, our vehicles, our advertising, our work orders, our business cards, and any FTD branded signage!!
It's becoming very ridiculous being a member, paying the dues, and hefty costs of MERC, when it's become unpredictable, and non trustworthy!!
Our customers trust US because we USED to trust MERC!!

I had started a remark on the Merc system, and was too tired to type it all out...You said it all for me. Updates for confusion is what they should call it!

Dana Cooper