Maestro Auction Services
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Maestro Auction Services |
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Silent Auction Bidding Systems
Bid Closing Procedure:
It is imperative that once a specific bid sheet has been closed and the winning bid highlighted, the bid sheet is immediately removed from the bid auction table. Experience has shown that guest will continue to bid below the highlighted winners name assuming that they are the true winner. This always leads to problems in bid processing and collection later on in the evening.
Remove the bid sheet as soon as it is highlighted!
Notes on the Bid Sheet layout:
Please PRINT Name, Phone #, Table #, Bid or Paddle # and Bid Amount.
Indicate any item restrictions and deadlines on the bid sheet, bid display boards and auction booklet. Adequate disclosure of restrictions and deadlines is not usually enough. Restrictions on usage, reservations required, not valid during holidays, expiration dates must be clearly indicated on as many pieces of printed matter as possible. These include auction booklets, bid sheets, bid boards, and on the gift certificate envelopes themselves.
Avoid using a second page on the bid sheet. If you run out of room on the first page, guests tend to cram additional bids on the bottom of the first page and may not look for the second page. If a second page is necessary, it should have the same item # and description as the first and should be placed on top, not underneath the first page.
Auction coordinators should be constantly on the look out for items using or needing a second bid page.
Silent Auction rules must clearly be stated in writing in the auction booklet as well as clearly displayed in the auction area. These rules include:
Auction closing times
Payment methods accepted and expected collection procedures
Distribution of items and expected times
Delivery information of merchandise items if appropriate
Method used to handle contested bids
AVOID THE DISPUTED OR CONTESTED AUCTION CLOSING
The most common problem I find is that guest’s dispute who was the final bidder on a specific auction item
Please make sure that when closing an item, no other guests are hovering around waiting to be the highest bidder
Just one single controversial closing makes your organization look bad and causes no end of problems and bad customer relations for months to come. These formerly happy to donate guests are no longer happy and they can take their donations elsewhere
AVOID THE DISPUTED OR CONTESTED AUCTION CLOSING
IF YOU DO HAVE A DISPUTED BID CLOSING
Your auction rules should clearly state the method to be used to resolve the disputed bid.
A sealed bid bid-off is the suggested method.