[AGA-mcm] Fwd: AGA Convention

[Ghazanfar Ghori <ghorig@gmail.com>]

The red dragon speaks....


Actually, his suggestions are comprehensive - some being downright
logical!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: redragon40@aol.com <redragon40@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 16:28:37 EST
Subject: Re: AGA Convention
To: ghorig@gmail.com
Cc: redragon40@aol.com


Dear Mr. Ghori:

Overall, the convention went very well and I enjoyed it immensely.  I
just have a few things I would like to address.

Having been involved in a significant number of auctions, I have the
following suggestions.

1. Have a set of backup sheets for the runners for emergencies when
the computer system malfunctions (as I have seen a number of times).

2. Have the scribes behind the auctioneers,  so they can hear the lot
numbers and see the bidder numbers,  Also with the scribes behind the
auctioneer, they are less likely to be bothered by folks coming over
to them and asking them questions.

3.  Have the bidder numbers start at one, but have the lot numbers
begin, say, in the 500's.  That way the bidder number can not be
confused with the lot number.  Or, in one club, the seller number
begins the lot number for the same reason.  Thus, a lot number is
always hyphenated.  Then lot number 12-406 means seller number 12, and
lot number 406.

4.  Have a priority system for sellers, so the lots are fairly spaced
out.  For example, seller #1  has only two things to sell.  He gets a
red sticker and a blue sticker to put on the bags.  Let's say that red
is first priority.  Seller # 2  has 20 things to sell.  He gets 4
reds, 4 blues, 4 greens, 4 yellows and 4 whites.  Seller #3 has 8
things to sell.  He gets 2 reds, 2 blues, 2 greens, 1 yellow, and 1
white.  Then, all the reds are auctioned first, then all the blues,
etc.

5.  Have a "push" policy, where a bidder can request to have a lot
pushed up ahead of the remaining lots for a fee of, say $2.

6.  It would have been nice to have a short break before sign out
deadline so people didn't have to miss part of the auction to sign
out.

7.  Last, but definitely NOT least,  do not tolerate the kind of
behavior exhibited by the boy who was a runner.  He was rude,
distracting, kept bending the microphone supports back and forth, and
was handling the plant bags so roughly by swinging, bending and
squeezing , that he almost certainly damaged some of them.  He should
have been told " thank you for volunteering to help, but we need
people who can control their actions in a more grown up manner. 
Please either act in a more mannerly way, or we will have to have you
sit with your parents".  Incidentally, many problems with children can
be headed off at the pass by making a statement first such as, " We
would like to have some runners.  The rules are that the runners stand
quietly in line, handle the bags carefully, etc (whatever you want the
rules to be).  Then when you have to eliminate someone as a runner or
helper, there isn't any question of their not knowing how they were
expected to behave.
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