The last week of each year we hear a great deal of talk about New Year’s Resolutions. Two I remember hearing this past year are to “focus on my passion” and “perform acts of kindness”. The client story I am sharing had a different type of resolution.
I have been asked many times if I am busy during the year-end holiday season. In general, it is a quiet time in the auction business. As a result, my family has often spent time in Vermont or Florida over the years. However, from time-to-time opportunities to help clients do materialize.
The most common inquiry results from when an adult child is visiting and staying with their parents. Mom or Dad sound fine when they talk with them over the phone. However, when staying with them for a few days, there is concern about their parents’ ability to safely live alone. I often hear, “I am afraid of them falling down the stairs” or “I do not trust them cooking!”. In these cases, I generally explain the auction process with them by phone and share how we can help. The follow-up happens after the holiday season.
In my sixteen years in my role at Kamelot Auction House, I can only remember two occasions when the client was urgently asking for help immediately during the holiday week. I shared the first in my Newsletter titled, “A Truly Special Client and a Very Tight Schedule”. The second one I am sharing here.
While in Florida a couple days after Christmas one year, I received a call from a man with items he was not using and he was anxious to sell. He said it was his New Year’s Resolution. He had inherited a pair of mid-century modern chairs, an original piece of art and a few other nice items. He quickly sent pictures and background information. None of the items were exceptionally large or heavy. I talked with him for about 15 minutes about how we can help, the power of auction and how it works.
He called me back two days later and said he was ready to sign the agreement and bring the items to us immediately. We are closed during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day to allow our hardworking staff to have a break. He went in an instant from enthusiastic to extremely disappointed when I shared that information. I was surprised by his abrupt change of demeanor.
“What is wrong with handling this next week?” I asked.
“It is my New Year’s Resolution!” he said.
This still did not make sense to me as he seemed to be on track to complete his resolution quite early in the New Year.
You are probably wondering why he was in such a rush to complete his New Year’s Resolution. I certainly was, so I asked him. He replied, “this is my New Year’s Resolution for this year and there are only two days left!”
I was surprised my client even remembered his resolution almost a year later. I am glad we were able to help him the next week. He told me he remembered his resolution as he had time around his home during the holiday break and again noticed these items he was not using. He had made the resolution during the same week a year earlier!