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The updated Auction function in Floriday went live in the autumn of 2021. With this new function, you can easily and quickly create and send an auction letter. Tulip growers, currently in mid-season, let us know what they think.
Erwin de Wit: “Floriday uses simple, understandable language when helping you out”
Tulip forcer Erwin de Wit of CoasTulip-Dolf de Wit uses Floriday on a daily basis. CoasTulip is a collaboration between 5 companies in Heemskerk. With 5 growers, they supply exclusive tulip varieties under one brand name: CoasTulip. All year round, this involves in the region of 13 to 14 million tulips, with 95% of these supplied through Auction. Erwin: “We market our tulips under one brand name - always at the same time and consecutively on the Aalsmeer and Rijnsburg auction clocks.”
“Up until last year, we supplied to Auction through AntEAB. This programme was working well for us, but when AntEAB decided to stop we had to look for something else. Then Floriday came along, and to be honest, we weren't happy with it at first. It was difficult to add photos, and I couldn’t make any corrections if I’d created the wrong receipt. Fortunately, much has improved. Recent changes to the creation of auction letters have made life easier. For example, we can quickly adjust characteristics, add new photos if a tulip is more or less mature and delete letters. This is ideal!”
“I do understand, however, that growers around me find it difficult to use Floriday. It is certainly new, but it is also an opportunity. In addition, innovating should be part of your job. I wish Floriday could visit all these growers personally. With the simple, understandable language Floriday uses, everyone should be able to understand it. Even I’ve mastered it!”
Sander Litjens: “All supply in the same programme”
Litjens Tulpen in Creil (Noordoostpolder) breeds 3 million tulips in water, with the bulbs that it grows on land intended for the company's own forcing and for export. Kwekerij Litjens supplies everything to Auction. Sander Litjens: “We supply half to Rijnsburg, and in recent years we have been supplying more and more to Veiling Rhein Maas (VRM). We’ve had to invest in our name there. A number of trolleys also go to Eelde. We spread this out as much as possible to distribute our fairly new assortment. Half of what we supply to Auction is also available for Auction Presales. Sales have been going better and better lately.”
“We supply everything through Floriday. The programme has become simpler and simpler over time. We had to supply separately for our Auction Presales supply to VRM. However, now it's all the same programme. A clear monitor and the possibility of entering Auction Presales immediately. We were thrown in at the deep end when AntEater decided to stop. So we started working with Floriday, and if we couldn't figure something out we could always call their support department. Last year, we gave up using the old function for Auction supply, and started using the improved function in December. The only suggestion we still have is in relation to the order in which we have to now enter height, weight and maturity. This should be brought in line with how the auction letter is printed.”
“As far as we’re concerned, Floriday is fine the way it is. It’s free and why would you want to set up another system alongside the one you have? I also understand the concerns of other growers; but don't be afraid to just try it. You can always call the support team, and by investing some time in it I got the hang of how it works.”