The Do's and Don'ts to Make Our Customers Happy

The legendary director Cecil B. DeMille, speaking on the subject of his most famous movie said, "You cannot succeed in breaking the Ten Commandments, you will only break yourself upon them." At Roebuck Auctions, we know that in life, if we want to be successful, we'd be wise to follow the Ten Commandments found in Exodus.

We also know that in auctions, we are successful because we follow the "Auctioneer's Ten Commandments":

1. Thou Shalt Honor Thy Buyer & Seller —
   Without sellers and buyers, auctioneers are like that proverbial tree that falls in the deserted forest. Above all, we are grateful to the people who bring merchandise to us to be sold and to the people who purchase that merchandise.
   
   
2. Thou Shalt Provide Good Service —
   Good service is the hallmark of a good auction.  No customer should suffer inconvenience or insufficient service. Our staff works as a team to ensure your satisfaction.
   
   
3. Thou Shalt Advertise Truthfully —
   The auctioneer has a duty to two parties: the seller and the general public. The seller deserves a zealous advertising campaign and the public deserves the truth without any misleading statements. Again, our team together under the direction of our in-house marketing director, creates and plans not only detailed and thorough campaigns but ones that get the job done right.
   
   
4. Thou Shalt Not Lie, Cheat, or Steal —
   A good auctioneer always discloses any conflicts of interest.
   
   
5. Thou Shalt Accurately Represent Thy Merchandise —
   Every mother's wise admonition is applicable here: If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. We believe we must always accurately represent the merchandise we are selling. No buyer should be tricked.
   
   
6. Thou Shalt Treat Absentee Bidders Fairly —
   An absentee bidder should be treated fairly and given special consideration. Absentee bidders should be on even footing with bidders present at the auction.
   
   
7. Thou Shalt Not Bid —
   When an auctioneer bids himself at a sale he is conducting, he is cheating the next highest bidder (see Commandment #4 above). Even though such bidding may be legal, it is certainly not ethical and cannot look good to the public who came to spend their hard-earned money at the auction.
   
   
8. Thou Shalt Conduct an Efficient Sale —
   Auctioneers, bidders, and sellers all have more to do than time to do it in. An efficient bid helps everyone make the most of their time. An auctioneer can guarantee an efficient sale by being well-prepared and well-organized. Our 30 years of experience has taught us how to make things go as smoothly as possible.
   
   
9. Thou Shalt Provide Comfort —
   A comfortable audience is a must for a successful auction. The auctioneer should provide all he can to guarantee the comfort of his audience. People are much more likely to buy if they are relaxed. Whether it is an event in our auction center or on-site, we try to provide comfortable seating, concessions or complimentary hors d'oeuvres. One thing you can be assured of is that at every auction, our friendly staff is ready to answer any questions and alleviate any fears.
   
   
10. Thou Shalt Be Professional —
    A professional auctioneer dresses like a professional and more importantly acts like a professional. The auctioneer should be in control, be respectful of everyone, know his business, and always be honest personally and professionally.
    

Naturally, these commandments are not an exhaustive code of conduct for auctioneers. Sometimes the completion of a successful sale seems like an unending journey. These tenets are just the first step on that journey, but they are a vital step. Every auctioneer should know himself, his staff, and his audience and treat them all with respect and with an eye toward absolute dedication, honesty, and professionalism.