WHAT IS A COMPETITOR

by Deb Weidenhamer

OK, I have to admit that I am baffled about the auction business. Not the whole business of auctions -- just auctioneers. Coming from a professional business background where competition and business are one in the same, I was not prepared for the wrath of my fellow, competing auctioneers.

Just like every other auctioneer, I have worked hard to establish myself in the business as honest and reputable. I built up my organization so that we could successfully bid and conduct government auctions. In the beginning, we lost quite a few contracts -- and when we lost I would call the winning competitor and congratulate them on their success.

When we began winning contracts, my competitors were not so nice. The first group called the government organization that I was to work with and made up stories of incompetence; which we had to run circles around and prove were not true. The second group who lost a contract to my firm sent out notices to their buyers stating that the government agency they were working for would no longer conduct auctions.

After I picked myself up off the floor from the shock, I was forced to wonder why such brutal competition exists. After all, there is enough business to go around and I guarantee you that neither one of my competitors have gone out of business, if anything they seem to be flourishing. I find it difficult to get away from the idea that friendly competitors breed more business and nasty competitors cut each other’s throats where everyone is a loser.

The most unfortunate part of this story is that it made the auction industry look bad. It made all auctioneers look bad. Me, you and the people dishing the dirt. It added to the reputation of the auction industry lacking professionalism. That is not what I want and certainly it is not what you want. So the next time you lose a contract to a fellow auctioneer -- call them up, congratulate them and offer your help. Who knows, you may need help someday and if nothing else you will be seen as the professional that you are.