Frequently asked questions about 100% Digital for customers
21 April 2020
By the end of 2020, all transactions on the Royal FloraHolland marketplace will take place digitally. This will help the sector comply fully with stricter EU financial legislation. Moreover, digitisation increases the efficiency and speed of both supply and demand. We are aware that 100% Digital will require a completely different way of working for you as a customer and for the growers with whom you do business. We see that many questions have arisen as a result. We have made a list of frequently asked questions about 100% Digital for customers.
100% Digital - what does this change mean for customers?
For customers, it means that a direct transaction always has to
be initiated by the customer. The customer's order is placed on the
online supply of the grower. As a customer, you will be able to
work in the screens of Floriday, or you can link your software
package to Floriday through the API link, VMP link or by submitting
Florecom orders. You can choose for yourself whether to link from
your own software package or whether to work directly in the
Floriday screens. Of course, you can always contact a Floriday
expert for advice.
In the video below, we explain what 100% Digital means for doing
business.
What are the benefits of 100% Digital for customers?
The greatest benefit of 100% Digital for customers is having
access to real-time information with current prices and a reliable
supply. In this way, the reciprocal exchange of information
(between growers and customers) is improved, the information
becomes more reliable and companies can operate in a more
customer-oriented way.
Extra benefits for customers are:
- There is complete (automatic) matching between purchase/delivery and invoicing, which results in error reduction.
- Thanks to the purchasing dashboard (see here for more information) customers have direct insight into exceptions (orders that do not directly match the supply rules of growers who are in Floriday and therefore cannot immediately be ordered) and alternatives can easily be found.
- Reliable information is available with regards to certification, since the information in Floriday is received from the source (for example: Floricode).
- Track & Trace of orders, so you always know where your order is.
- Your logistics can be made more efficient.
- It offers more options for (logistical) stickers.
How will 100% Digital work for customers and road carriers?
If you have your own software package, you can continue to use it, provided your software supplier establishes a link with Floriday. You can link your software through the API (most future-proof and most extensive option), through VMP and by sending Florecom orders. Please note: the VMP connection will be phased out over time, which is why we recommend the API. With Florecom, you cannot retrieve the supply from Floriday, but only send orders to Floriday. Read more here about the different options.
In addition, we are developing different functionalities to enable customers/road carriers to work 100% digitally. View more information here about these functionalities. Please note: these functionalities are currently under development and thus not yet available.
What does 100% Digital mean for direct trade orders that customers still mostly send to growers using Excel files and WhatsApp?
The direct trade flows will always be initiated by the customer, based on the supply that a grower has made available online. The flow therefore always entails the grower providing an offer and the customer placing an order. These direct flows are facilitated by Floriday and its affiliated sales channels.
This does not mean that Excel files and WhatsApp messages are no longer allowed, but the result of the negotiation will also have to be recorded in Floriday and the order must be placed via this platform. This means you can still call, use WhatsApp or email to contact growers, as long as you make sure that the order is placed digitally.
Will Florecom orders and VMP links be discontinued?
Customers can still submit Florecom orders to Floriday. However, Florecom does not enable you to retrieve supply from Floriday. Where VMP is concerned, customers can place orders with Floriday through the VMP, and Floriday then ensures that the order is received by the grower. However, we are going to recommend the use of the API. Here we have many more communication options, such as adding extra services (cover, label, box, other types of packaging, etc.), submitting complaints, passing on sticker information, etc. and it is therefore more future-proof.
What will happen with EAB, EKT and the Trading Scheme?
- The Connect-EAB will be discontinued: currently Connect-EAB is used to process direct transactions. This method of payment does not comply with the stricter financial legislation. The order must be placed through the system that processes it: via the Royal FloraHolland system, i.e. via Floriday. Therefore, the Connect-EAB will be discontinued.
- EKT will not be discontinued: in the future, we are going to review all reports (such as EKT) to see what can be adapted, replaced or improved.
- The Trading Scheme will not be discontinued: it is intended to be converted to Floriday. The principle behind this scheme - the prevention of double taxation - remains in place. We are currently looking at how both schemes are to be incorporated into Floriday. As soon as more information becomes available, users of these schemes will be informed.
What is the role of Blueroots, and what is the difference between the Blueroots API and the Floriday API?
The role of Blueroots is to create the API that makes the link between Floriday with the software package of Blueroots members. Customers who are not Blueroots members and want to link their software package to Floriday via an API, will be connected to the Floriday API.
The main difference between these two APIs is that the Blueroots API will return more data to the grower than the Floriday API. In addition, these two APIs are the same for supply and orders.
Must a grower be a member of Royal FloraHolland in order to access Floriday?
Access and use of Floriday is free for growers who are members of Royal FloraHolland. Growers who are not Royal FloraHolland members can also access Floriday in the form of 'Light Access'. They have fewer functionalities at their disposal and are shown a limited number of buyers with whom they can do business.
What can I do as a customer/road carrier to be ready for 100% Digital?
Several things are being done to help you progress to 100% Digital trading:
- Would you like to know why we have to trade in a 100% Digital way, and what this will mean for your business? Send us a mail and sign up for one of our (online) buyer sessions about 100% Digital.
- We have made a checklist, which gives customers insight into when they are 100% ready for 100% Digital. It can be found on this page.
- In consultation with customers, we can organise a Floriday workshop for growers with whom much business is conducted, in order to achieve the goal of 100% Digital. One example is the workshop organised together with Waterdrinker .
- In consultation with buyers, we are in discussion with software suppliers to define what needs to be done to link their software package to Floriday using the API.
More information
- Would you like to know more about exactly what 100% Digital means? On this page you will find more information and frequently asked questions.
- Do you have specific questions about 100% Digital? Then please contact the Floriday experts.
