A Tale of Two Auctions Houses (The GOOD and the BAD)

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by SteveVerkman

Your wife DID NOT speak to me, she spoke to the other Steve in our office.

An auction house owner should always hire someone with their same first name, so as to have a convenient scapegoat when something goes sour and the customer gets upset.

Brian Parker

[GregMitch34]

Last year I accidentally bid on a lot at giant Heritage--if you can believe it, this was a real accident, not simply a change of heart, really--and ended up winning it. I called them but it was a weekend. On the Monday a woman called and said they'd contact the under bidder, no problem, and then the next day said I was off the hook (presumably they took a slight hit on this). Adding, if it happens again in the next year they will take away my bidding privileges, certainly fair.

Is this the usual experience people have had?

[Wite3]

Does it really matter who Rhys spoke to at Clean Sweep...it still falls on the boss to train employees in good customer service. I think it is actually worse...if Steve wants to look good, he just would have come on, said he made a mistake and said he will take care of it...not throw one of his employees under the bus. Just my opinion.

Joshua

[Orioles1954]

Originally Posted by Wite3

Does it really matter who Rhys spoke to at Clean Sweep...it still falls on the boss to train employees in good customer service. I think it is actually worse...if Steve wants to look good, he just would have come on, said he made a mistake and said he will take care of it...not throw one of his employees under the bus. Just my opinion.

Joshua

+1

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Wite3

Does it really matter who Rhys spoke to at Clean Sweep...it still falls on the boss to train employees in good customer service. I think it is actually worse...if Steve wants to look good, he just would have come on, said he made a mistake and said he will take care of it...not throw one of his employees under the bus. Just my opinion.

Joshua

I'd agree on the training.

But....If someone is a shipper receiver and isn't new at the job and tries to Fedex or UPS something to a PO box they deserve a bit of time under the bus.


Steve B

[Paul S]

Originally Posted by brianp-beme

An auction house owner should always hire someone with their same first name, so as to have a convenient scapegoat when something goes sour and the customer gets upset.

Brian Parker

I do this all the time when the ex calls me

[ibuysportsephemera]

I won't rehash my negative experiences with Steve Verkman and CSA.
But, I will say that Steve acts a certain way (not in the positive) and then changes his tune when a person calls him out in public. My opinion is that customer service is not their strong point. I would never bid with them, but I will give them credit for posting the estimated shipping costs in their auctions.

Jeff

[prewarsports]

I apologize to Steve V. as I had no idea there was another Steve working there. My wife asked to speak to "Steve" and that is who they handed the phone to. It does not change the fact that the person I spoke to was pretty rude and told her that my items would sit at their office until I sent them another $25, but I do apologize that I thought that was the owner of the company acting this way and not a new employee (that does make a difference).

So, I apologize for calling out the real Steve and moving forward...

On another note, Steve Verkman did apologize to me for how my wife was treated and I accept the apology as it was much appreciated!

My post was not intended to have people boycott Steve or Clean Sweep, but just relay an experience I had in which my wife was treated badly over the phone because of a very small amount of money. Mistakes happen and I am sure in the future they will be better about treating people with dignity when situations like this happen. This is the only bad experience I have had with them and I will let it go. Its all about people at the end of the day.

Happy Collecting.

[kmac32]

have bought from Clean Sweep before with absolutely no issues. Not big purchased but items shipped quickly and professionally.

[ksabet]

I am of the opinion that if you work in retail or customer service there is only one unforgivable sin...a bad attitude.

I think some dealers forget this. If you want to be grumpy and/or rude you picked the wrong line of work. People enjoy this hobby and you signed up for their stupid, repetitive and sometimes ignorant questions and conversations.

I have spoken to Verkman twice in my life and both times he never looked up, was very short and pretty much assured me that I would never bid in his auctions. That young 20-something that asked a simple question about T206's only to have the above attitude thrown back at him has taken his business to many AH's but never purchased anything from Clean Sweep.

You never know who the person you find annoying might grow up to be.

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by brianp-beme

An auction house owner should always hire someone with their same first name, so as to have a convenient scapegoat when something goes sour and the customer gets upset.

Brian Parker

Based on my personal experience, there is another "Steve" in Clean Sweep's office in the accounting department, whom I have actually spoken to. I can only reiterate several decades of very positive experience with Steve Verkman and Clean Sweep.

Highest regards,

Larry

[DerekMichael]

I have only won one card from Clean Sweep, but my experience with their customer service was extremely poor. Upon getting someone on the phone after trying several times, I was rudely greeted with: "How did you get this number?!", to which I replied: "It is on your website". Not the end of the world for me, but unfortunately those kinds of experiences can really sour your taste for a certain auction house.

With that being said, I did receive my item in a timely manner so in that regard everything was perfectly fine.


Derek

[Buythatcard]

I have been dealing with Clean Sweep for years. Have always had positive experiences with Steve.

Had a minor problem with an order several years ago. Steve took care of it with no questions asked.

Leave the good guys alone. There are other AH's out there that I have plenty to say about.

[ibuysportsephemera]

Originally Posted by Buythatcard

I have been dealing with Clean Sweep for years. Have always had positive experiences with Steve.

Had a minor problem with an order several years ago. Steve took care of it with no questions asked.

Leave the good guys alone. There are other AH's out there that I have plenty to say about.

Howard,

He might be a good guy to you, but to some of us he is NOT! My story (which I would share privately if anyone wants to hear it) involves a situation that I almost needed an attorney to resolve. I am not the only one who has had a problem with CSA and I won't be the last.

Jeff

[supraman84]

Originally Posted by ibuysportsephemera

Howard,

He might be a good guy to you, but to some of us he is NOT! My story (which I would share privately if anyone wants to hear it) involves a situation that I almost needed an attorney to resolve. I am not the only one who has had a problem with CSA and I won't be the last.

Jeff

Love to hear if it's similar to mine but I d not know how to private message!

[timn1]

Mr. Patterson,

this is the third separate thread you have resurrected about Clean Sweep Auctions -- from as many as 12 years ago= Enough already!

You have made your point about the Auction/LOA business and if Steve is smart he'll make his listings clearer so there is no ambiguity about what type of LOA buyers are getting.

But the more you beat this drum the more likely people are going to believe Steve when he says you're unreasonable - you seem bent on some kind of vendetta against him.

Like many I have dealt with Steve for many years with no real issues. He is not the warmest guy in the world but he's running an honest business. Mistakes and less-than-ideal descriptions happen even with the best-run businesses. It's not like he sold you a bunch of forgeries.

IOW, give it a rest, please, and let some other threads occupy the front page for a while-

Your friend,
Tim