Posted by Roger Devine
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:09:00 GMT
We’re big advocates of renting hardware (and hardware support) for your event. You aren’t worrying about whether a guest is going to spill a drink into a borrowed computer, you know the computers all have the correct printer drivers installed, you have someone else who needs to crawl under the table if the network has a hiccup. You can worry about the other 1,001 details that need to be managed on event night.
I wanted to give a big recommendation today to the only company we recommend in the Pacific Northwest (the lovely region of America we call home) - NW Auction Support. Jon Bridenbaugh has assembled a top-notch team, and he has provided wonderful service to many Tofino customers in Oregon and Washington. To get a quote, email jon (at) nwauctionsupport (dot) com.
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Posted by Roger Devine
Tue, 20 May 2008 21:43:00 GMT
Roseway Heights is a new K-8 school in northeast Portland formed from the former Rose City Park Elementary and Gregory Heights Middle Schools. This year was Roseway Heights’s first auction, though we have had four previous auctions at Rose City Park. We use the proceeds from these auctions to provide funds for staff positions at our schools through the Portland Schools Foundation.
This is the first year we used Tofino. Our first year was manual (yow!) and after that we switched to Auction Pay. We switched from Auction Pay for several reasons, primarily technical:
(1) We had lots of new folks who wanted to help with the auction, and had lost some of our veteran technology people, so we had lost a lot of our institutional familiarity with Auction Pay.
(2) Team members who had seen Tofino felt that its user interface would be simpler to learn & use.
(3) We felt that its web-based architecture would be easier to use during the pre-auction procurement/data entry/catalog generation phase, when many folks are working from their various homes (compared to Auction Pay’s quasi-web-based data entry interface).
(4) We preferred a system that didn’t require Windows, both for philosophical reasons and practical (we had almost no Windows machines readily available to us for use on site during the auction).
(5) The prospect of saving money, especially in credit card processing fees, was certainly attractive as well.
(6) We like the story of Tofino: a local business run by fellow parent/auction volunteers!
Now, if Tofino was simply an easier to use Auction Pay that saves me money and doesn’t make me use Windows, I’d be pretty happy. But it gave us several other advantages as well. We were able to promote our auction catalog on line in the days leading up to the auction and that really helped generate interest. (In the future we’d like to take advantage of online auctions as well.) Tofino also has a much more flexible approach to the relationship between items, lots, and tables, and that spared us a lot of the tedious software manipulation that we were used to with AuctionPay. On the flip side, now that we’ve learned the software better, I think we’ll be able to approach it next year and use it more effectively, rather than always trying to map concepts to the way Auction Pay does things.
I’d also like to praise the user interface for the night of the auction - that whole part of the software is a real pleasure to use. And the folks in the company are a pleasure to work with and very
responsive!
Ted Slupesky was Technology Chair for the 2008 Roseway Heights auction.
Posted in Testimonials | Tags auction, school, testimonial | no comments
Posted by Roger Devine
Mon, 19 May 2008 21:34:00 GMT
In 2008, the Sunset Cooperative Preschool set out with an ambitious goal: double their fundraising from the previous year, from approximately $9,000 to $18,000. A new chair, a professional auctioneer, and Tofino were all brought in for the first time, to help the team organize and mount a more ambitious fundraising event than they had ever put on. By the end of the evening, the auction team had raised over $28,000 for the school.
What were you using to manage your auction before Tofino? Why did you switch?
2008 was Sunset Preschool’s first large auction. In years past we did not use software because the size of our auction did not need it. Because this year’s auction was larger in terms of guests, items, and volume we needed to replace our manual systems with software, in order for our small team to handle the bigger load.
Why do you prefer Tofino to other options?
We chose Tofino because the system was so user friendly. We had our entire fundraising team using Tofino which made entering users and items much more convenient. Also, there was an added benefit that was absolutely crucial in making this event happen - the Tofino support staff. This was my first experience with running an auction and using a web based system…the folks at Tofino were so very patient in consulting and helping me through this experience. Our event was a huge success and I give a lot of the credit for that to Tofino.
How did using Tofino change the way you manage your auction?
Tofino is still helping me manage the auction even months after the event! It helped track all sales, by user, donor, category, etc. When I receive calls to track sign-up parties I can pull the report and send it to the host (very easy). The system did everything. I can’t say it changed the way we managed our action because we did not manage it before. It taught us how a real auction should be managed.
Any tips or tricks for other customers?
An auction planner should choose Tofino over other options based on system, price, and people. Double check all your information has been entered correctly into Tofino before the event…it will go much smoother.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Tofino was a life saver for our auction, and I would recommend it to any organization looking to successfully execute an auction.
Nancy Freeman was the Auction Chair for the 2008 Sunset Cooperative Preschool auction.
Posted in Case Studies | Tags auction, case, preschool, study | no comments
Posted by Roger Devine
Fri, 09 May 2008 11:55:00 GMT
I have been working on the Buckman Elementary School Auction for about 7 years. I began working on the silent auction set up and was hooked after the first one. It is a great way to work with people. Everyone does a part and when it comes together the feelings are grand and the experience is too.
Using auction software can be a great tool. It not only saves time, it can create consistency in your auction from year to year. Three years ago I organized and ran the data base for our school auction. It was my goal to diversify the job so that several volunteers could work on the data entry. I used a program the PTA had purchased. We used that software for five years and spent a lot of money. I worked with it for the last two years of our contract and then this year, the team chose a new program.
When we began to evaluate other programs, we knew we wanted to be able to do several things we couldn’t do previously: access our data base from many different locations, have several volunteers work on the data entry at the same time, and have our information viewed by anyone who could access the internet.
We began our journey with Tofino in 2007. We will be working with you for many years to come!
What were you using to manage your auction before Tofino? Why did you switch?
We were using AuctionPay. We had worked with them for 5 years. My number one complaint, no consistent customer service. I never talked to the same person.
We switched because of cost. We saved $1,050 in the first year alone by using Tofino instead of our old software, and we got a web based program.This allowed us to get answers right away while working on the data base. We spent less time later correcting entries and revising descriptions. Also, we needed a user friendly program.
Why do you prefer Tofino to other options?
First off we are supporting parents in the same district and neighborhoods as ours. Second, it is very cost effective. Third, it is pleasing to the eye on the screen. Fourth, excellent customer service. Fifth, would be having the information available on the web. It allowed a lot of folks to view our auction before that night. Sixth, it made data entry much easier being able to access it from almost anywhere.
How did using Tofino change the way you manage your auction?
We used to have one may be two volunteers enter all the data necessary before the auction. It would get very time consuming for those two people the days leading up to the auction. Using Tofino completely changed the way data entry was set up this year. We were able to have as many people entering data as needed. A very large volunteer job was broken down in to smaller more manageable parts so that many people could participate.
We had fewer committee meetings. We would all get on to Tofino in the evening and add data. We could e-mail and/or instant message each other while working. This allowed us to get answers while working on the data base.
Volunteers felt more comfortable the night of because they were familiar with the program from entering data.
It took us to the next level of technology. It also helped to create more consistency with the placards for the silent auction.
Any tips or tricks for other customers?
Actually look at each of the reports and how they are different. You can usually find one that will give you the information you need. If you don’t please tell Tofino so that they can create a way for you to see that information.
Talk with others who have used the software. Find lots of ideas and use the ones that fit your auction. Find out what worked well and what did not. Learn from others and their mistakes.
Pamela Kreutz was Technology Chair for the 2008 Buckman Elementary School Auction
Posted in Case Studies | no comments
Posted by Roger Devine
Fri, 09 May 2008 11:35:00 GMT
" We are a small Montessori School in Corvallis with aroud 100 kids. We had always done small fundraisers but this 2008 year we decided to do a big event. The first thing we decided to do was get a professional auctioneer and they recommended Tofino’s software to us. The event turned out to be a big success
Our goal was 15,000, and we made a net profit of 39,000! We could not have done it without Tofino. Having the items online gave our guests the oppurtunity to come prepared for what they were going to bid on. Some of them missed the appetizers as they were busy finding their items. We had people calling from Portland wanting to bid on items. Roger and his crew were there to assist us on the day of the event, everything went so smoothly. We will be using Tofino for all our auctions. I could not imagine doing an event without the software."
Sharna Prasad chaired the 2008 Corvallis Montessori School Auction
Posted in Testimonials | Tags auction, montessori | no comments
Posted by Roger Devine
Fri, 09 May 2008 11:07:00 GMT
The annual Red Ball is one of the largest public school fundraisers in Oregon. Through this event, the Ainsworth Foundation helps fund teaching positions and programs like art, library, music, physical education, reading support, and a school counselor both at their school and at other Portland Public Schools, through contributions to the Portland Schools Foundation. In 2008, the Red Ball team used Tofino to manage all elements of their event.
What were you using to manage your auction before Tofino? Why did you switch?
We had been using Auctionpay prior to switching to Tofino. The biggest limitation we were experiencing with Auctionpay was the item entry. The item database must be maintained on one computer at a time, effectively requireing that one individual be responsible for entering, reviewing, and editing all items. Tofino’s web-based design enabled us to have multiple procurement volunteers enter and review items.
Why do you prefer Tofino to other options?
Prior to choosing Tofino we reviewed a number of other online auction solutions, but chose Tofino because of the local support they were able to offer.
How did using Tofino change the way you manage your auction?
Tofino allowed us to distribute the management as previously mentioned. We were not dependant on one individual for the data entry. In addition, the auction chairs were able to easily run reports from their own computers, Windows or Mac. The "database" member of the auction team becomes more of an admisistrator, creating usernames, helping people with the system, and reviewing the data being entered by others.
Any tips or tricks for other customers?
Tofino provides a simple way to produce reports and pull the results into Excel with the click of a button. This is a fantastic feature that will provide your auction team with virtually unlimted analysis and review of the data in Tofino.
Steve Pearson was the Technology Chair for the 2008 Red Ball.
Posted in Case Studies | Tags auction, case, elementary, school, study | no comments
Posted by Roger Devine
Mon, 05 May 2008 14:07:00 GMT
In 1966, Heartland Humane Society was founded by a group of concerned Benton County citizens with a mission to build a more compassionate community by teaching humane messages to our youth, caring for homeless animals, and strengthening the human-animal bond. The organization provides an open door animal shelter where they care for 2,500 - 3,200 animals each year. Programs include a spay/neuter program, an affordable adoption program, a foster care program, a humane education program, a pet food bank, behavior counseling referrals, and services for low-income pet owners.
Wine & Whiskers is Heartland’s signature event. It began four years ago when a local gallery offered to auction a piece of artwork on behalf of Heartland. The Executive Director asked if Heartland could bring a few more silent auction items, hors d’oeuvres, and wine. Wine & Whiskers was born! This year, Wine & Whiskers featured a live auction, silent auction, dinner, dessert, wine, and a live band with dancing. More than 200 guests attended and revenue more than doubled from the 2007 event. Knowing the event would be much larger, the planning and committee and staff worked hard to ensure the organizational infrastructure behind the event would be solid.
What were you using to manage your auction before Tofino?
Previous events used no auction software. Tickets were sold and when the guests arrived, they filled out a form for their bid number. Everything was handwritten.
Why do you prefer Tofino to other options?
I prefer Tofino because it manages all aspects of the event — ticket sales, seating, donors, winning bids, payments, and sponsors. Once the data is entered, reports and mailing lists can be generated. However, the special thing about Tofino is the staff. Initially, I thought it was just a faceless software program. I was very wrong! The folks at Tofino bent over backwards with their customer service! They even attended the event to ensure the software and process ran smoothly.
How did using Tofino change the way you manage your auction?
We are now able to grow the event without causing grief and lines for the guests. The software also allows us to have electronic information we can use year after year.
Any tips or tricks for other customers?
If you have any questions or concerns, call or email your Tofino representative - they will help you promptly! (It took me 3 weeks to realize this!)
Andrea Thornberry is the Executive Director of the Heartland Humane Society.
Posted in Case Studies | Tags auction, case, humane, oregon, society, study | no comments
