I will never forget my visit to FUN last year and the experience I had with Jim Rotman (sp) of Ellesmere coins. My dad subscribed to their newsletter "the winning edge" years ago. We stopped by their table but no one was "working it." Jim was there moving boxes but no coins were out as I think the other dealers were all at the auction viewing. My dad started a polite conversation with Jim and told him he used to subscribe to their letter. My dad knows something of the coins he likes but he is a 70 year old who just got back into collecting after years off and so he doesn't know everything he probably should about the kinds of coins he likes to buy. At any rate, Jim took the time to really educate us both about all aspects of coins, the market, morgans, percieved differences with slabbing companies, etc etc. He also really focused on the fact that you have to collect what you like and how fun it is to be looking at coins. He showed us several examples of different types of wear and chatter on morgans. He also looked up prices in greysheet for me for several coins I was wondering about. The bottom line is, he was genuinly enjoying himself and our conversation and took the time to really talk with with a 70 year old guy and his 27 year old son. Long story short, my dad bought a very fairly priced gem common date cc morgan from him 15 minutes later. Did the dealer want a sale when he was talking to us? Sure. Did his genuinly friendly actions make my dad trust him and purchase from him right there? ABSOLUTELY. Ellesmere coins routinely sells big money coins to investors and collectors alike. I'm glad Jim R didn't brush us off as we were obviously not wealthy enough or educated enough to be buying the types of coins that they usually sell. In the end, i'm sure he was glad to! THAT makes a smart, succesful dealer...the williingness to talk and get to know your customer's needs.
I have no idea if this is been said or not, I'm only on page 1.
However. I feel that if both parties treated and acted, to each other as friends, things would be a lot smoother. Collectors generally trust their friends in deals, with out the need to try and lowball them to death, and generally are not left with wondering if you just got screwed or not. Dealers - I'm sure are a lot more giving with knowledge to their friends, and are more apt to just give them price they need for a coin.
So I feel that if dealer and collectors could just treat themselfs like friends it would work a lot better..
Mark, As you well know, interpersonal relationships are based on integrity, empathy, and mutual respect. Out of that comes trust. and the underpinnings of asuccessful relationship. I firmly believe that long term success in any endeavor or business takes hard work and committment. Communication is the media. Communication skills are not universal and some people do not intuitively sense when they are failing in their interaction. Since we have rapidly moved into an internet driven auction driven coin environment. coin dealers have to provide something above and beyond what is available in the 2 feet of catalogue material I receive regularly. I suppose that in the complex interactions between Dealers and Collectors, the client wishes to know that they are getting the best advise and the fairest price. The dealer wants to know that the client is responsible and responsive. Most coin dealers are in a cottage industry; service is important. If the relationship grows the two sides develop a mutual understanding. Consistency is important but not always attainable. All meaningful relationships have their best and lesser days. Admit your mistakes, apologize for indiscretions if they occur, and most of all avoid rationalizing one bad interaction by prior good ones. Many collectors love their collection and anxious to share their thoughts and observations with their dealer(s). Dealers may not be expert in all areas; if they are confronted with a question that is beyond their expertice, they should say so and neither ignore the question or invent an answer. Ideally, the dealer will serve himself by learning about those areas that interest a client. The most effective service is to follow-up by suggesting ways to answer the question and to educate.
Could be the profit the dealer makes but if I were in business I would want to make something too. I just wish dealers wouldn't cover up their raw coins in their cases with crappy PCI slabs. Seems my dealer is getting slab happy. Recently he bought a lot of 1909 VDB cents in MS (very nice) and soon had every one of them slabbed. I wish he would've offered at least a couple raw but it seems his intention is to inflate the price just because it's slabbed. It's gotten so out of hand I'm seriously thinking of not buying from dealers directly anymore but from other collectors instead.
Attitude and Personality play a big role in me... I understand that a dealer is busy, especially at a big show like FUN, but someone who is nice and personable, and will at least take a few minutes to talk with you while you look at coins, that's a plus for me... Heck, I usually sit with Bill Jones for at least 10-15 minutes at the smaller local shows just chatting and looking at cool stuff And, now, I've added Scott of Orlando Rare Coins to that list... both are very nice guys While both are smaller dealers (Though I guess Bill is more a mid-range dealer) they both are extremely nice, and willing to chat and help, and teach Which reminds me, I need to drive up to Winter Park sometime and go to Scott's shop...
Comments
However.
I feel that if both parties treated and acted, to each other as friends, things would be a lot smoother. Collectors generally trust their friends in deals, with out the need to try and lowball them to death, and generally are not left with wondering if you just got screwed or not. Dealers - I'm sure are a lot more giving with knowledge to their friends, and are more apt to just give them price they need for a coin.
So I feel that if dealer and collectors could just treat themselfs like friends it would work a lot better..
As you well know, interpersonal relationships are based on integrity, empathy, and mutual respect. Out of that comes trust. and the underpinnings of asuccessful relationship.
I firmly believe that long term success in any endeavor or business takes hard work and committment.
Communication is the media. Communication skills are not universal and some people do not intuitively sense when they are failing in their interaction.
Since we have rapidly moved into an internet driven auction driven coin environment. coin dealers have to provide something above and beyond what is available in the 2 feet of catalogue material I receive regularly. I suppose that in the complex interactions between Dealers and Collectors, the client wishes to know that they are getting the best advise and the fairest price. The dealer wants to know that the client is responsible and responsive. Most coin dealers are in a cottage industry; service is important. If the relationship grows the two sides develop a mutual understanding. Consistency is important but not always attainable. All meaningful relationships have their best and lesser days. Admit your mistakes, apologize for indiscretions if they occur, and most of all avoid rationalizing one bad interaction by prior good ones. Many collectors love their collection and anxious to share their thoughts and observations with their dealer(s). Dealers may not be expert in all areas; if they are confronted with a question that is beyond their expertice, they should say so and neither ignore the question or invent an answer. Ideally, the dealer will serve himself by learning about those areas that interest a client. The most effective service is to follow-up by suggesting ways to answer the question and to educate.
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