Good grief! It's still August and already Barrett-Jackson is encouraging us to sit up and take note of the January 2008 Scottsdale auction. Mind you, it's not the spectators they're trying to reach in their newsletter, it's prospective consignees with cars to sell. That I understand, for an auction cannot succeed without a broad selection of vehicles. "Broad" in Barrett-Jackson's terms means at least 1000 automobiles. But there's something beneath the surface of this item that bears examining. To begin, it seems obvious that Craig Jackson and the City of Scottsdale have patched up their differences, which otherwise could have led to Jackson moving his sale to Las Vegas. Second, the tone of the newsletter suggests some nervousness over reaching the desired quota, probably based on the vast amount of bad publicity following last year's event when Barrett-Jackson and a judge got into counter-lawsuits. The latter had complained about the amount of time given his car on the ramp and its subsequent sale at a price he felt was too low. Third, there's a lengthy item from Barrett-Jackson president Steve Davis wherein he attempts to persuade sellers to sign on early and shows how willing the auction is to accommodate the owners of those cars. All good p.r., of course, and a wise advertising rationale, yet makes me think the folks who run this company have finally concluded that putting the customer first is the key to keeping him happy.