In the world of marketing, public relations and advertising, staying ahead of the game at Mike’s Auto Body is paramount. With 17 locations, we need to spread a fairly wide net in order to get our message of Quality Counts to car owners and our insurance partners throughout the East Bay.

To succeed when it comes to getting out the word and communicating with the public digitally in an effective and cost-conscious manner, Mike’s has been working with WSI Connect in, CA since 2014.

Led by its Managing Director Luke Middendorf, WSI Connect helps Mike’s with its digital marketing, including email newsletters that cater to insurance partners as well as providing social media consulting and branding services.

Known as a leading expert on digital marketing, Middendorf teaches a workshop titled, “Effective Web Design & Online Lead Generation” designed to help business owners and entrepreneurs gain a basic understanding of digital marketing so that they can leverage it to help grow their business.

A Bay Area native, Luke founded WSI Connect in 2012 and is passionate about helping his clients increase their lead generation and conversion rates. At WSI Connect Luke oversees sales, marketing, and business development, as well as client strategy. He holds a degree in Business Economics from the University of San Diego and possesses a wide range of digital marketing certifications. WSI Connect is a family business, with Luke’s wife Tabitha also working for the company as their Creative Director.

“One of the first things we did was to re-do Mike’s web site and then we did it again recently,” Luke said. “We’ve helped them to improve their online reputation and have worked with them on their social media. Whenever Mike’s acquires a new location, we need to build a new page and make certain they are set up correctly with Google and GPS sites. Our email newsletters get a response rate almost three times the national average and the company’s website gets better and better traffic all the time.”

To keep the Mike’s marketing machine running along, Middendorf and his team meet quarterly with our team to discuss what is working and how to change if needed. “We sit down and look at our monthly reports and make sure we are aligned with Mike’s business needs and then make certain that we are on the right path.”

“Working with Luke and his team have made us a better company,” Mike’s Director of Marketing Dane Dearlove said. “From database management to Internet solutions, he has been an invaluable resource. “Based on results and its ongoing success, Mike’s Auto Body is headed in the right direction when it comes to marketing and much of that is owed to Luke Middendorf at WSI Connect!

Luke and his team helped the Mike’s Auto Body team bring consistency across the internet.  Before we engaged with WSI Connect, I felt I was constantly trying to update one website or another with our correct location addresses, phone numbers, etc.  Luke and his team helped us change that.

“Up until we hired Luke, we had a homemade website,” Mike’s IT Director Rick Rehm said. “It worked well with a PC browser but not so much with a smartphone browser.  Luke taught us the importance of have a responsive website and helped us build a modern page.  Luke and his team took the time to help us build our webpage and starting us down a path of increasing our organic pages with his unique approach to SEO. Luke and his team are a valuable part of our online presence.  He is up to date with current trends and brings to the table a different set of eyes to help us focus on our core business while assuring our brand is relevant in today’s market.”

 

 

Over the last 19 years, Mike’s Auto Body has presented a total of 88 cars to deserving families and non-profit organizations, and on July 16, vehicle #89 (a 2015 fully-loaded KIA Sedona) to United States Coast Guard Yeoman Petty Officer Second-Class Eladia Minton and her family at a ceremony at the U.S.S. Hornet in Alameda, CA.

This year’s presentation was held in the shadows of an enormous carrier, also celebrated the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the Coast Guard Chiefs of Alameda by presenting a “new” used car to a deserving Coast Guard family. It also marked Mike’s Auto Body’s 20th Anniversary participating in the Benevolence program.

Everything is always donated, including the cars, parts, paint, mechanical inspections, tires, and one full year of insurance. The body and paint technicians donate their time and talents.

“We are grateful this year to have Liberty Mutual/Safeco Insurance donate a “written off” vehicle that will be presented to a deserving Coastie family,” Sal Contreras from Mike’s Auto Body said. “During these uncertain times, it’s wonderful that we can continue our Benevolence Program and still be safe by following all regulations.

Due to the COVID-19 and all its restrictions, Mike’s Auto Body was not able to hold their “normal” presentation, so roughly 40 people were in attendance, including Coast Guard representatives, Mike’s employees (especially the technicians who worked on the Benevolence car), business partners and the local press. The Benevolence vehicle was covered and adorned with red, white, and blue bows and looked stunning with the U.S.S. Hornet in the background.

The program began with opening remarks by Sal Contreras, who has been emceeing Mike’s Benevolence presentations for two decades. This was followed by an invocation by Coast Guard Chaplain Matthew Harris; remarks from Mike’s Auto Body’s Director of Marketing Dane Dearlove; Captain Jose Pena, Commanding Officer of CG Base Alameda; President of the GG Chapter of the CPOA, Senior Chief Sain-R “SKE”; Senior Chief Rick Paauwe, CPOA Past President; CMC Ryan Goodman, Command Master Chief of CG Master Base; Senior Repair Network Specialist Manny Perrotta from Liberty Mutual/Safeco Insurance and finally a moving thank you from recipient YN2 Eladia Amelia Minton herself.

Just like at every Benevolence event since day one, Mike’s Auto Body’s Sal Contreras made a few welcoming and closing remarks. “It has been so rewarding over the last 19 years presenting the cars to deserving individuals and organizations who are working to improve their skills and become independent. We are excited to be part of our recipient’s life-changing experience and doing it in this amazing location next to these ships makes it even more significant.”

Mike’s Auto Body Benevolence program is a “community give-back program” whose mission is to present cars to deserving individuals or organizations year-round. Everything is donated, including the cars, parts, paint, mechanical inspections, tires and one full year of insurance. The body and paint technicians at Mike’s Auto Body donate their time and skills to turn these cars into pristine “new” used vehicles.

Special thanks go out to the Coast Guard, the people from the U.S. Hornet, the employees from Mike’s Auto Body’s location in Alameda, including Managers Kim Eubanks and Lester Branson; Technicians Ismael Acosta Gama, Orfil Najera, Alan Rasmussen, Gilberto Mendez, Dylan Ornelas-Shipman. John L. Sullivan Kia Parts, Wheel Service, Napa Auto Parts, Bay Area Mobile Detail, European Auto Care, 1701 Auto Care, and Big Discount Tire Pros donated time and products. CMC Ryan Goodman wrote a nomination letter for Minton with the hopes of her becoming a Mike’s Auto Body Benevolent Program Recipient.

Owner Mike Rose was very pleased to be able to hold the presentation during the COVID-19. “We never get tired of giving vehicles to deserving people in the military and being able to do it during the pandemic—that’s huge,” Rose said “By providing these recipients with cars, we’re giving them the gift of transportation that offers them independence and a chance to improve their lives. We call this a hand up rather than a handout because we have seen many of these vehicles have enabled people to do great things in their lives.”

Mike’s Auto Body’s Director of Marketing Dane Dearlove capsulized the day’s activities adroitly and with panache. “It was a perfect day,” he exclaimed. “Between the amazing weather; the boats; the incredible views of San Francisco—it all came together beautifully. Then, when you throw in the fact that we were giving a vehicle to a very deserving member of the Coast Guard—it definitely was a perfect storm.”

Q: How long have you been with Mike’s Auto Body?

A: 7 ½ Years

Q: How many years of industry experience do you have?

A: 7 ½ years

Q: Favorite part of the job?

A: The challenge of the many tasks needed to complete the jobs and being able to find a balance through it resulting in another happy customer.

Q: What do you do when you’re not working at Mike’s Auto Body?

A: Hanging out with my wife, the rest of my family, and my 2 dogs.

Q: Major interests?

A: Cars are always fun to work on.

Q: What is one thing you want to do in your life (Bucket List?)

A: Travel to Japan on vacation

Q: What sports teams do you follow and what are your favorite teams?

A: SF Giants and SJ Sharks

Q: What was the title of the last book you read?

A: Permanent Record by Edward Snowden

Q: Favorite movies?

A: Star Wars movies, V for Vendetta

Q: Favorite TV Shows?

A: Designated Survivor, The Office, How I met your Mother

Q: Pets and their names?

A: Ronnie and Bailey

Q: Favorite outdoor activities?

A: Golfing, Bodyboarding, Snowboarding

Q: Magazines or newspapers you read?

A: Golf Digest

Q: If you could have any kind of car, what would you get and why?

A: 73 Nissan Skyline. Just a fun and great looking classic Japanese car

Q: If you could have lunch with anyone (dead or alive) who would it be?

A: My dad, would be nice to have one more lunch.

 Q: What are some of the customer service things you’re proud of at Mike’s Auto Body and describe your view of what exceptional customer service is?

A: Proud of doing everything in my control to keep the customers aware of what is going on and making sure they are happy throughout the repairs and after repairs are complete.

Q: What are some of the changes you’ve seen in this industry over the years and how has Mike’s Auto Body reacted to these?

A: As new technological features keep changing and progressing in the industry it is important for shops to ensure that we can adapt and learn how to appropriately repair vehicles and Mike’s Auto Body continuously makes sure that we are updated and have the resources to get the right info for each repair we complete.

By pursuing the best training in the industry and approaching life with a positive “can do” approach, our new manager in Richmond Duane McGarry is fulfilling his dreams. He has been chosen to develop our new location by assembling a strong team and fostering a positive attitude during these uncertain times.

Duane joined the Mike’s Auto Body team 5 years ago, but has a total of 20-plus years of industry experience, and is more than capable of handling our collision facility in Richmond, CA. By focusing on the details and being 100% in it to win it for his shop and crew, Duane is going for the gold. Leading a staff of highly-skilled I-CAR trained body and paint technicians and an experienced front office staff, everyone at Mike’s Auto Body is pleased to have Duane at the helm in Richmond, one of our newest locations.

Duane moved up the ladder within the collision repair industry while working at other Bay Area shops before joining our team in 2015. “I started out as a porter, first cleaning up and then polishing vehicles,” he said. “At that time, I wanted to be a painter, but getting booth time was limited. At one point I told myself, I need to start finding a job that is less physically challenging if I want to have a long career in this business.”

So, Duane found a new role and jumped right in without hesitation or trepidation. “I became a Parts Manager for six months and then I started looking around to work for a larger company offering more opportunity,” he said. “So, I interviewed with Mike’s Auto Body and three days later I was hired as the company’s Parts Manager at our Pittsburg, CA location.”

By working hand-in-hand with estimators and technicians, Duane thrived in the job by leveraging his parts knowledge and problem-solving attitude. “I encouraged the techs and estimators to use their cell phones and take photos if they had any questions about any part. When it comes to both OE and aftermarket parts, fit and quality are important, and at Mike’s we always use the best parts available.”

Soon, Duane received a promotion and became the Production Manager at our Fremont Street location, and eight months later he was transferred to VDM in Concord to run production. “I started writing estimates at that time and that helped me even more because I had some excellent teachers here at Mike’s. Estimators handle a repair from start to finish and I liked that part of it.”

Currently, Duane holds the coveted I-CAR Gold Certification based on in-depth instruction and testing and is working toward the ultimate—the Platinum Certification from I-CAR that only the best-of-the-best in this industry can attain.

As Duane’s career was on the rise, things were instantly put on pause when he and his wife Danielle encountered a life-changing series of events when the doctor gave them some bad news about their son. “We found out that Kevin had cancer of the brain,” he said. “It was November 12, 2018 when they found a tumor and our lives changed dramatically from that day on.”

Kevin spent his second birthday in the hospital as the entire family went into “fight mode,” he said. “We began learning as much as we possibly could about a rare form of cancer that only 178 people contracted last year. After 8-9 hours of brain surgery followed by 33 rounds of radiation, Kevin saw gradual progress with a clean MRI.”

On January 4, 2019, Kevin was released from the hospital after a 54-day stay there. It was a difficult period of time, but the Rose family and the people at Mike’s were so supportive it made things less stressful if possible. “I needed some time off and the Roses were so amazing, it was unbelievable. They came to the hospital several times, including Kevin’s birthday and Christmas. They treated us like family and I will always be grateful for what they did for us and my son. They stood by us the entire time and today Kevin is doing well—the doctors said they got 100 percent of the tumor and the surrounding areas.”

Congratulations Duane for being an integral part of our management team!

At Mike’s Auto Body, It’s Not “Slow” Time…It’s Go Time! While many “essential” businesses are closing their doors and furloughing or laying off many of their employees, Mike’s Auto Body is using this time to “re-build, re-energize and refresh” in several areas to become a better company as a result.

When the pandemic passes (and if you know the exact date, please let us know) Mike’s will be in a prime position to continue at a high level without missing a beat by aggressively pursuing training for its estimators, technicians and painters, as well as some managers and other front office personnel.

Mike’s Director of Marketing Dane Dearlove is playing an integral role in the training piece of the plan along with Region Manager Jason Toner. “We will be a better and stronger company across the board after this whole thing is in our rearview mirror,” Dearlove said emphatically. “A lot of our people are going to be able to focus on OE training and other forms of education to enrich themselves during this period. So, we have decided as a team to pursue things with a focus on improving processes and training is one of the best ways to achieve that. If we want the team to be better, we need to keep all of the players together, like we always say, ‘One Team, One Mission.’”

Mike’s Director of Training Lupe Algood is taking the panic out of the pandemic for his apprentices and mentors by keeping them busy and productive while enabling them to enhance their skills. “We are upgrading, servicing, and painting a lot of our equipment,” he said. “That way, we will be ready when we get back to our normal production schedules. Our students and techs are focusing on getting better and are using this unique opportunity to get it done.”

Mike’s is offering a wide range of different training programs to its employees and trainees, led by Dearlove, Toner and Algood. “We are doing all of our I-CAR Gold training right now, so that all of our people will maintain their certifications,” Dearlove said. “At Mike’s, we pride ourselves on maintaining an I-CAR Gold status at all of our 17 locations. In today’s world of collision repair where cars and processes evolve rapidly, we need to stay on top of it so that we can continue to serve our customers and maintain our status with I-CAR.”

Region Manager Jason Toner also sees significant value in pushing training during these uncertain times. “We are meeting with all of our estimators (wearing face masks and sitting six feet away, of course) and focusing on what all of our insurance partners require,” Toner said. “We are always working on enhancing our estimating processes so that we can continually get high KPI scores. We want all of our estimators to be the most knowledgeable in the industry and that requires intense ongoing training to achieve that.”

Other training that Mike’s Auto Body is facilitating for its employees includes Air Conditioning EPA Section 609 Certification. The Section 609 of the Federal Clean Air Act requires technicians who service motor vehicle air conditioning “MVAC” systems or handle freon to be certified. This includes repairing, leak testing, and topping off of air conditioning systems low on refrigerant as well as any other repair to that requires the dismantling any part of the air conditioner.

In addition, Mike’s is providing PPG training for technicians who want to master the proper use of all PPG color tools, color theory and its practical application in matching and tinting if necessary. Hands-on exercises provide the technician with practical tinting experience. Certified technicians are recertified to the next level for which they are eligible upon successfully completing this program.

“We provide this training for both our painters and our preppers and it covers a lot,” Dearlove said. They learn about things like color perception, color theory, color plotting, understanding the formula, types and methods of color adjustment as well as hands-on tinting and blending exercises. There are so many new products out there now like colored clearcoats, pearls and more three-stage systems, we need to continually learn about all of them and how we can use them to provide a superior finished product.”

Another series of training classes that our technicians and estimators will take during this slow period will be Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) seminars provided by TechZone, a diagnostics company located in Concord, CA has been providing technical services for Mike’s Auto Body for the past 14 years. fastest-growing automotive electronics segments in the world.

ADAS refers to a combination of electrical systems that are focused on automating and improving all of the vehicle’s other systems to ensure better, safer driving. It includes a mix of 12 technologies that primarily work using three types of sensors: RADAR, LiDAR, and CAMERA

TechZone President Matt Patterson and his team of experts will conduct the training. “As automotive technology changes all the time, we need to move quickly to stay ahead of the curve and ongoing ADAS is the most important technology out there right now,” he said. “By staying on the cutting-edge and learning as much as they can when it comes to airbags and ADAS, the techs and Mike’s are positioned to ongoing success.”

As the pandemic clears and peoples’ lives slowly return back to normalcy, Mike’s Auto Body will be in a very good place, with a business that is pristine from top to bottom and with some of the best-trained people on the planet.

 

 

Q: How Long Have You Been with Mike’s Auto Body?

A: Five years

 

Q: How Many Years of Industry Experience Do You Have?

A: 20 years

 

Q: Favorite Part of The Job?

A: Exceeding customers’ expectations

 

Q: What Do You Do When You’re Not Working at Mike’s Auto Body?

A: Go to the gym and anything my crazy kids want to do.

 

Q: What Sports Teams Do You Follow?

A: San Francisco Giants

 

Q: Favorite Movies?

A: Casino, Kill the Irishman

 

Q: Pets?

A: Cat named Lucy

 

Q: Favorite Outdoor Activities?

A: Hiking and taking my kids on walks

 

Q: If You Could Have Any Kind of Car, What Would You Get and Why?

A: 1966 hardtop Impala

 

Q: If You Could Have Lunch with Anyone Who Would It Be?

A: Bill Murray

 

Q: What Are Some of The Customer Service Things You’re Proud of At Mike’s Auto Body and Describe Your View of What Exceptional Customer Service Is?

A: Exceeding the customers’ expectations is #1 and we pursue it relentlessly. When a customer brings their vehicle here, the initial interaction is right after something bad happened, so it is our job to make the process seamless for the customer.

 

Q: What Are Some of The Changes You’ve Seen in This Industry Over The Years And How Has Mike’s Auto Body Reacted To These?

A: The use of technology to repair vehicles is by far the biggest change. At Mike’s, we stay on the cutting-edge with O.E. repair procedures and methods. With our pre and post diagnosis and updated equipment, we are taking multiple steps to put vehicles safely back on the road.