The Human Side of Auction Business: When We Fall Short

At Joe Ollis Real Estate & Auction, LLC, we pride ourselves on customer service and helping people navigate the world of online auctions. But recently, we received feedback that made us pause and reflect. A gentleman left a review describing how he walked in and felt ignored when looking for information about our online auction process.

First, we want to acknowledge this experience. It happened, it wasn't positive, and we're genuinely sorry. While we can't recall the specific interaction (which actually bothers us because we usually remember our visitors), the fact remains that someone left our place feeling unhelped and unheard.

Online auctions might seem straightforward to those of us who work with them daily, but for newcomers, the process can be overwhelming. The basics are simple: register online, browse items, place bids or set maximum bids. Yet there's much more to consider—auction location, preview opportunities, pick up logistics, payment methods, and whether that beautiful birdbath you just won will actually fit in your Prius (spoiler alert: probably not).

We love explaining these details. Honestly, we do. Helping people navigate their first auction, seeing their excitement when they win something special, and building relationships with repeat bidders is why we're in this business. But we're also human, with good days and challenging ones.

Was it during a hectic pick up day? Were we in the middle of unloading a truck full of items? Was one of our team members working solo during an especially busy time? These aren't excuses—just context. We should be able to pause, even briefly, to welcome visitors and provide basic information or schedule a better time to talk.

It's worth noting that during pick up days, we're focused on helping customers collect their won items. When we pause this process to answer questions from walk-ins, it creates delays for the buyers who are waiting for their purchases. Many of these customers have tight schedules or have traveled significant distances, and they understandably get frustrated when their pick up is interrupted. It's a delicate balancing act we work to maintain every day.

Our team has different strengths. It's not that Kristen and I find it easier to stop what we're doing - we have ADD, which means we're actually more easily distracted from our tasks. Jay has an incredible attention span and can seamlessly transition between tasks. Margaret and Scott are devoted to providing assistance even while setting up auctions. But collectively, we failed in this instance.

This review serves as an important reminder. In the auction business, we're not just selling items—we're providing experiences and building trust. When someone walks through our door, they deserve acknowledgment at minimum, and ideally, the information they came seeking.

We've taken steps to address this. We've reviewed our procedures for handling walk-ins, especially during busy periods. We've discussed how to better communicate when we're truly unable to assist immediately. And we've recommitted to remembering that for many people, stepping into an auction house is intimidating—they're entering our world, not the other way around.

To the gentleman who left the review: we responded with assistance about online auctions, but we also want to extend a more personal invitation. Come back, ask for any of us by name, and we promise to sit down and walk you through the entire process, answer every question, and perhaps even find something special that catches your eye.

For everyone else reading: we value transparency. We don't pretend to be perfect. We have off days, moments when we drop the ball, and times when we could do better. But we learn, we adjust, and we grow.

Online auctions are our business, but people are our purpose. Sometimes we need a reminder of that—even if it comes through a review that initially stung. Because ultimately, that sting means we care, and caring is the foundation of everything we do at Joe Ollis Real Estate & Auction, LLC.

So stop by. We'll make time. And if you're planning to haul that garden fountain on your motorcycle... well, we'll have that conversation too.

Happy Bidding,
Kara C. Belcher-Miller
Auctioneer