The difference between creating direct delivery through, as opposed to outside of, Floriday
Growers create direct deliveries for orders that come in by phone, whatsapp or email. Here, the grower creates an order for the customer using either their own package or Floriday.
If a grower creates the order outside of Floriday, this is processed and settled using the Connect-EAB. This is the situation on the left in the picture below. If the grower creates the direct order using Floriday (either directly in the screens or through an API link), this is processed and settled using Floriday, as is the case on the right.
In the overview below, you can see that direct delivery using Floriday (in the screens or through the API link) offers a variety of benefits, such as current order status upon payment and delivery, payment guarantee for the grower, being able to work with foreign currencies, automatic invoice check, etc. None of this, however, is possible with settlement through the Connect-EAB.
More trade opportunities
The settlement of direct orders either in or through Floriday presents growers and buyers with more benefits in terms of the way they currently do things. For example, the current order status of payment and delivery is immediately displayed when direct orders are settled using Floriday. It is also possible to fill in and provide information about your custom packages using Floriday. This is not possible with the connect-EAB.
You can also immediately see the current order status of payment and delivery when working with Floriday. Additional services, such as the exchange of stickers, are also possible. The settlement of direct orders also offers a number of future benefits, such as information on the order status (Track & Trace), settlement in other currencies (USD), adjustable payment terms, etc.
In this respect, current Connect-EAB technology is a limitation, and cannot, as such, support these additional benefits. A number of software suppliers currently support the direct delivery module; other software suppliers have indicated that they will be developing one in the future. As a result, all growers will soon be able to handle and settle a direct order using Floriday, with the whole industry subsequently being in a position to enjoy the benefits.
Explanation of current order status/payment
If you handle a direct delivery using Floriday, you always get the current status regarding order and payment. In Floriday, this can be viewed in the overview of sales orders using the icons in the status section.
Read more in the sales orders overview
Payment guarantee for grower
Previously, with the connect-EAB, there was only a payment guarantee on delivery; now, however, if you place the direct order using Floriday, you already have this from the moment the buyer places the order. Direct delivery using Floriday allows for the payment guarantee to be checked earlier.
Acceptance of corrections by grower/buyer
As of late, you can indicate through the trade settings in Floriday whether you wish these to be automated. Here, you can also add exceptions, allowing you to only have this feature open for, say, some, instead of all, customers. As a result, growers have more control over corrections.
Custom packages (information provided)
With the connect-EAB, you can only communicate general VBN packaging codes to the buyer. By entering and settling the delivery using Floriday, growers can manage and insert custom packages. You can use your own packaging codes in the chain with Floriday. These are also displayed in the sales orders, where you have an overall view of, among other things, which packaging you use.
Sticker exchange
When placing an order, buyers can supply a sticker that the grower can subsequently include when handling the delivery. The grower can work with trolley, packaging or product stickers. The benefit here is that, with direct delivery using Floriday, these stickers are incorporated into the logistics process, with growers having immediate access to them. We also make it possible for growers to charge for stickering through additional services.
Logistics (packaging unit) sticker
Floriday is an industry platform, in which we support both the commercial process (supply, orders) and the logistics process with functionalities. Being an industry platform, we serve the entire chain (growers, buyers, agents, etc.). With all these different links in the chain, lots (supply) are moved on several occasions. Ultimately, you want to be able to follow these lots for the purposes of your track and trace. Up until recently, the sticker applied by the grower was often removed by the buyer, who then applied a new one for the next link, such as the end customer. Soon, you will be able to use a single sticker for the entire logistics process to keep track of lots. This will allow growers to follow the entire supply chain and see what’s happening with their products. Floriday supplies the stickers when handling the delivery.
Additional access security for direct delivery
With the connect-EAB, there are no specific user names or passwords for each user. At Floriday, we have added an authorisation layer for the exchange of data, namely the API key. With this API key, the user gives the application permission to do things on their behalf, one of which is creating the direct delivery. If you don't have the API key, you don't have any permissions, and won't be able to create a direct delivery. As such, this is an extra layer of protection.
Future
Transport orders
A grower can commission transport. This provides transporters with an idea of which products need to be transported from A to B, which is input for overall transport planning. When the products and trolleys are prepared by the growers, the transporter is told what is ready. Soon, growers will no longer have to take any further action when creating a delivery in Floriday. In addition, buyers will also be able to create transport orders in the future, if, for example, they want to pick up something from a grower's garden.
Track & trace
Growers will soon be able to view and retrieve the status of the product. The first track and trace status is automatically prepared when you create the direct delivery in Floriday. We are going to be adding even more information to the track and trace section, such as estimated time of arrival etc. Currently, buyers are often contacting growers for them to retrieve the status from the transporter. Soon, however, both buyer and grower will be able to view this information in Floriday.
Differentiated financial services
In the future, it will be possible to incorporate differences in terms of the financial side in Floriday. This is not possible with the connect-EAB, as this is always the standard rate. Since the delivery, or the deal, is created in Floriday, you will soon be able to apply different payment conditions for, say, contract X with buyer A compared to contract Y with buyer B, for example. You have a contract, in which you can make other financial arrangements with respect to regular flows, such as payment terms. It will soon be easy to set this up using Floriday, both at customer and even order level.
What does this mean in practical terms?
In the coming months, we will be providing growers with more information about possibilities and developments in relation to software suppliers. In the near future, for example, software suppliers will be developing the module for direct delivery through the package, and subsequently rolling it out to their users. The software supplier will be notifying growers about this. An up-to-date status overview for each software supplier regarding direct delivery can be found on our website:
https://www.floriday.io/nl/softwareleveranciers
(View column 'Direct delivery)