AUTOINC. ONLINE - Shop Profile

While visiting California in 1980, Rick and Diane Reiss made a decision that would change their lives. The two were in such awe of California's beauty and climate, that they decided they wanted to live and work there. So they retired from their jobs and moved from Philadelphia to California.

Diane's brother, George Faulkner, was the one who convinced the two to make the move. Rick and George thought it would be a good business decision to open their own business. The two have been best friends since grade school. "I met Rick because of George's friendship with him," said Diane. Rick had worked in the manufacturing industry for more than 20 years and before moving to California, he served as president of a manufacturing company in Pennsylvania.

In 1981, the Reisses purchased an existing body shop in Mission Viejo, Calif., and began Auto Body Unlimited with Rick serving as CEO, as well as overseeing the day-to-day operations.

Auto Body Unlimited is located in the southern part of Orange County, Calif., and is the oldest body shop in the town. According to Diane, they had to deal with plenty of existing problems left from the previous owners. The original owners had unfortunately made a bad name for themselves and the Reisses were unaware of this until dissatisfied customers began coming back with complaints.

This setback did not discourage the Reisses. They simply explained to the customers the situation of the new ownership and that they would do all they could to satisfy customers. Diane remembers this being a struggle but nothing that their own desires for success couldn't overcome.

The road to turning the shop's reputation around was tough and took a while, but the professionalism of these two individuals rose to the occasion. Since the purchase of the shop 15 years ago, the Reisses have made Auto Body Unlimited a success.

When the Reisses opened the shop, Rick was unfamiliar with industry, but he did not let this slow him down. He learned all he could about the collision repair industry by taking advantage of several industry resources, including the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) and the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). He has earned his ASE collision estimating certification, and numerous I-CAR certificates, as well as achieving certification in MIG welding.

Along with training, Rick immersed himself into the industry completely to learn all he could. He joined trade associations at the national and state levels, including the Automotive Service Assocation (ASA), which he joined in 1991. "We joined ASA because the organization has rapidly grown into a strong entity that has enough impact to influence major changes that will give members a better chance of dealing with the changes we all face in this industry. We will continue to be involved and maintain our membership for these very reasons," said Rick. He has served on the California Auto Body Association chapter board of directors for three years, is an active participant in the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) and currently serves on the ASA Collision Division operations committee, as well as the Mitchell advisory board.

Auto Body Unlimited began with eight employees and due to increased work and a growing customer base, it now employs 20. "We currently produce between 180 and 200 repairs each month," said Rick. The Reisses have always focused on customer service and quality, as well as providing employees with the most current education available in the industry. "Our communication efforts with our employees help to promote a smooth production transition and the timely delivery of our work product," said Diane. To continue this successful growth, the shop employs a part-time sales representative who calls on current business partners on a monthly basis. The representative also develops new business relationships on an ongoing basis.

In addition to building business relationships, the shop recently went through an expansion. It currently has 16,500 square feet that is divided between two buildings. One building houses office space, a waiting area and a metal work area. The second building is where the larger metal work area, paint department, mixing room and spray booths are located. The expansion allowed Rick to enlarge the paint shop, add the mixing room and add a third booth. The Reisses are true believers in providing employees with the best equipment available. "We feel that combining quality and service, and striving to constantly improve our processing and efficiency, will help us stay on the leading edge and contribute to our success," said Rick.

The Reisses built their business as a team. "Diane and I work together on a daily basis; on rare occasions this is difficult, but in general it works extremely well," Rick said. "Diane does most of the accounting work and is the strength of our customer relations and marketing efforts. Being your own boss can be very rewarding."

Future plans for Auto Body Unlimited are to maintain growth, maximize its ability to perform and continue building a strong company for customers and employees, while maintaining a profit for reinvesting.

Shop Stats

Name: Auto Body Unlimited
Location: Mission Viejo, Calif.
Business philosophy:“Our business philosophy from the very beginning has been to perform quality repairs, try to exceed customer expectations and to operate our business with honesty and integrity.” On the industry:“We strongly believe in being involved in the industry to stay informed and having the ability to give input.”

Husband and Wife Build Successful Business

Shop Stats