1-800-Flowers.com Inc. in Westbury, New York, has appointed Jeffry A. Borror as chief technology officer. Borror has more than 20 years of experience in the information technology field. He joins the company from Daiwa Securities America Inc. in New York, where he has held the position of IT director for the past three years.
Boost for Web Banking
First Tennessee National Corp. in Memphis has chosen Westport, Connecticut-based Home Financial Network Inc.'s Total Web Financial System to provide additional services on the Web. The system will let First Tennessee customers conduct online banking and make bill payments. It will also allow it to offer online applications and content.
Online Grocers to Use Cost-Saving SystemSeveral online grocers, including Albertsons.com, GroceryWorks.com, HomeGrocer.com and Streamline.com, have licensed Roadnet Technologies Inc.'s Consumer Direct software and hardware systems. Roadnet is a UPS Logistics Group company in Towson, Maryland, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based United Parcel Service of America Inc. The system was designed to help online grocers maintain order accuracy, meet customers' preferred delivery times and provide cost-saving routes that eliminate the need to charge a delivery fee.
Bonuses Decline
According to a new study by Hewitt Associates LLC in Lincolnshire, Illinois, 12 percent of 268 companies surveyed nationwide discontinued the practice of doling out holiday bonuses last year, while the majority of companies (52 percent) never offered such stipends.
Of the 36 percent of companies that still provide their employees a holiday bonus or gift, 37 percent provide the bonus in cash, and 29% give out food, such as turkeys or hams. A holiday party is hosted by 26 percent, while 24 percent give employees a gift certificate to a local retailer. Some employers provide more than one type of holiday bonus.
Self-Clearing Firm
Web Street Securities Inc., an online brokerage firm and subsidiary of Web Street Inc. in Deerfield, Illinois, has filed with National Association of Securities Dealers Inc. to become a self-clearing brokerage firm. Web Street's self-clearing operations are expected to begin during the second quarter this year. Web Street expects to offer its customers after-hours trading, lower margin rates and increased trading opportunities.
Gifts via Handhelds
PC Flowers and Gifts.com Inc. (http://www.pcflowers.com) in Stamford, Connecticut, and Rovenet.com in Southampton, New York, released QuickGift Wireless, a new wireless flower and gift e-commerce system for owners of Palm VIIs, the handheld from Santa Clara, California-based Palm Computing Inc.
Through Rovenet.com's QuickGift wireless technology application, a Palm VII user can now download the wireless application and link directly with PC Flowers and Gifts.
Staples Upgrades Site
Staples.com in Framingham, Massachusetts, upgraded its e-commerce site (http://www.stapleslink.com) for contract customers, to make it easier for midsize to large businesses to order office supplies online. The Web site now features comprehensive reporting functions to better track and monitor spending, in addition to improved navigation to help users make purchases.