Did Heritage get any reserves correct?

dbldie55

While down at the shop today my local dealer called one of his dealer friends. It seems that Heritage is trying to get a hold of him because he sent them a 5 figure bill to cover the cost between the reserves that Heritage forgot to set and the prices hammered (and lots paid for and taken by the buyers).

I mentioned that this seems to be a theme this year, and he said they messed his up too, but he caught them before the floor sales.

Really makes you wonder.

zzzz

Yes, ALL my reseves were in place and right and listed when they were supposed to be. I've never had any problems in that department. The only time I did (??) was when I was on vacation and had no use of a computer. Which was my fault. When I did contact with my reserves (which were late) they let me bid without any buy back commission.

I had consignments in the HWCA, Signature, CAA, Internet CAA this January ALL had reserves.

I'm blessed to have someone at heritage that I can contact that puts the reserves into the system. Of course I know Greg, Sam, Alan and talk to them at shows.

What I do fax in my reserves. A couple days later I email my wonderful person to make sure they arrived. (One time the fax machine messed up and all the reserves never made it) I email because they are busy and I let the person get back to me at their convenience. In the email I again list the auctions I have consignments and the different lot reserves if any. Most of the time they are already in the sytem to come up at the appropriet date. Should there be a discrepancy I am contacted back ussually within a few hours and it's handled.

Post Auction:
Should I buy anything I just let them take it out of the consignments total. Again I email this person reminding her which lots have zero commision and zero buy buy backs and which lots are subject to commisions and buy backs. When I get my preliminary invoice I look it over and if there is any discrepancies I again email my contact, again who is marvelous and is highly under paid, with the wrong information and she gets it cleared up.

Bottom Line:
Be proactive and stay with your consignments
Get to know the "little" people who really run the auctions
Be friendly when contacting them.
Be couteous
Be apprecitive for what they CAN do for you

Mistakes will happen .. Mistakes do happen
Try and get a relationship with a person that can help you not necisarily with a big title. After all they will just contact the Little guy below them.

You can have a pleasurable auction just be on top of things and don't rely on anyone else but you.

KentuckyJ

zzzz, thanks for the info and advice. Nice post

KJ