COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE
Adversity creates efficiencies
Are some challenges really just a catalyst for needed change?
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ith millions of Americans under stay at home orders for a month of more, businesses have been left with the question of what to do to stay relevant, and sometimes, what to do to stay afloat. The auction industry has been no exception to these effects, particularly if the business typically conducts live, in-person auction events. Megan McCurdy Niedens, CAI, BAS, shared with the NAA what McCurdy Auction LLC has been doing to not only keep their business alive during this season, but to come out better on the other end. McCurdy Niedens said when news hit that everyday life might be changing, the business went into crisis mode. There were a lot of unknowns, but McCurdy Niedens said that the business leaned on a systematic plan to quickly and effectively adapt to the changing times.
Understand your options The first priority, McCurdy Niedens said, is to evaluate a plan for the auctions currently on the books. Because of crowd number restrictions, as well as stay-at-home orders, each auction for their business had to adjust to one of four options: • Simulcast/live stream auction • Online only auction 40
AUCTIONEERS.ORG
• Postponed • Canceled Evaluate the options your business has, and decide which option is best depending on each auction you are responsible for currently.
Implement a plan The next step is to implement a plan for each auction in order to accommodate a new format. 1. Update your listing and contract amendments/addendums. Get a hold of your of sellers and communicate with them what is changing. 2. Convert your current marketing to reflect changes to the auctions. This could mean switching out signs, print ads, digital ads, brochures, etc. 3. Create new messaging across all platforms. Communicate well with buyers so they know what is changing and how they can participate. McCurdy Niedens said to be strategic with communication. You could get lost in the shuffle of all the COVID-19 updates right now. Think about their side of the experience. 4. Figure out the logistics of the new auction format and acquire the right equipment. If your auction is transitioning to online only or live stream, this could mean finding the bidding platform, if you don’t already have
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one. Also, make sure you find the right equipment so that you can carry out your plan well in the new format. Coordinate what staffing you need to carry out your plan, and make sure your staff has what they need to do it well. This may mean setting up your staff remotely or scheduling staff for previews/pick ups. Communicate with your team what you need from them so that you can all be on the same page.
Team communication A great plan includes a great team, no matter the size. But making sure your whole team is on the same page is crucial to maintaining a united front and making sure your business runs smoothly and efficiently— even with big changes happening. McCurdy Niedens encourages putting a system in place so your staff can accomplish what they need with the resources and time they have. Determine if staff will be working remotely, and if so, figure out what tools your team needs to work in a remote setting. McCurdy Niedens said that video conferencing has been a useful tool for her team in this season. She suggests having frequent communication with your core teams. “We are doing daily video conferences with our executive team and management team,”
