With a just celebrated jubilee, online auction company Industrial Auctions has already made significant progress in its ten years of existence.
Focusing on the food and beverage industry, the company organises auctions throughout Europe and sells its range worldwide. While the auctions take place one after another and with a constant and wide range, the company values transparency greatly. Therefore, an introduction with the project leaders should not be missed, providing an insight into the dynamic world of online auctioning.
Planned from A to Z
The project leaders at Industrial Auctions are happy to provide insight into their daily activities and what not just motivates them, but above all makes them enthusiastic. First and foremost, when organizing an auction, everything must be arranged down to the last detail for both buyer and client. Loose ends? Not at Industrial Auctions as they leave no stone unturned.
A strict schedule is used for every auction. Numbering and describing the lots takes one or more days at location, to be able to define everything from A to Z. An auction at Industrial Auctions quickly varies from 100 to 2,000 lots. Convenience serves people and that is reflected in the amount of knowledge available from the project leaders. Machines that initially cannot be traced back to a certain type are never a mystery to them.
The inventory of the machines at location involves not just analyzing how the machine lines run through the factory and what types of machines are there, but also having an eye for detail while doing that. Machines are carefully and extensively described and photographed from all angles, with the inside also being captured. This way a buyer – who cannot or does not want to visit the viewing day – actually knows what he is buying. No misleading photos, lacking knowledge or incomplete descriptions. Fair trade is what makes Industrial Auctions stand out.
1,2 .. let’s go
The required work has to be done in a short time frame. Knowing that an auction will be online for about 3 weeks before closing, the lots are nevertheless inventoried with the required precision. Impression photos will be forwarded to colleagues and the auction will be announced on the website the same day. The lots are uploaded on the Industrial Auctions website and immediately checked. This involves more than just a spelling check since all lots should be classified in the correct subcategories.
Everything is set up for perfect online navigation for the customer; both in the search bar and in the category listing at the auction page. Adjustments are processed immediately and questions from potential buyers are tracked and checked with the contractor rapidly.
From beginning to bidding
The viewing days are organized for each auction in consultation with the contractor, this contributes to transparency. An invitation with an impression of the lots will be sent by means of a newsletter well before the viewing day. Signage is placed in the area and on the parking lot of the location for good findability. On a viewing day, you will get to know the team behind Industrial Auctions and the sobriety that the team radiates. No attitude but a friendly face, a warm welcome, no-nonsense mentality and above all, a lot of knowledge that is shared by the team.
Upon arrival, buyers are asked if they would like to be accompanied through the factory while having a look at the machines, or if they prefer to do this by themselves. Despite the online world in which the company operates, the customers’ needs are met with a free printed catalogue they can consult in the meantime. In case of questions, the team is available all day long and in case of missing information, the contractor is contacted to find out the answer.
The buyer is offered the opportunity to view the machines on this viewing day and, in this way, to take away any uncertainties and to make room for trust. Of course, this day also includes a valuable interaction: not only the buyers get to know the company, but the team also gets to know the buyers. This is a top priority within Industrial Auctions; a good relationship with the contractors as well as the buyers.
Finally, it is all about the countdown until the closing day of the auction. The auction starts with the closing in the afternoon, the most convenient time world-wide for auctioning. What follows is an exciting afternoon, where the bids continue to come in and increase. The original promise made in advance is fulfilled: satisfied buyers and a satisfied client.
Never-ending services
After the auction, the first move is to award the lots to the highest bidders. The project manager contacts every buyer to support them where needed and possible. This could include organizing transport to the location of the buyer or to Industrial Auction’s own storage in Eindhoven. Here, machines are – by exception – put in storage by the logistics team for some customers. An example given by one of the project managers is; “When a buyer from Uruguay bought machines at four auctions in a short time and conceivably would like to see everything shipped at once, instead of four.” The logistics team then loads one full container for the buyer instead of shipping a small number of machines several times. Of course, this is also more sustainable.
The Industrial Auctions team is happy to think along with their customers to achieve the best – and thus the most cost-saving – results. Of course, there are also buyers who would like to pick up their purchased machines at the location itself. A specially organized collection day with the assistance of the project leader and the logistics team ensures this runs smoothly. Good to know, there is always a forklift available so that the logistics team can load the machines for the customers easily and (with a few exceptions) free of charge.
Standing still is going backwards
The online auction world has certainly proven to be an ever-changing and challenging environment. The work of the project leaders also inspires enthusiasm and provides a special insight into a job that is not learned in schools. During the time an auction is online, the project manager is already in contact with a new client somewhere in the world regarding a new online auction. We will certainly keep an eye on all the developments in the fast-growing and proven professional Industrial Auctions.