By Jagdeesh Mann
Mata Press Service 
 
It’s meant to be a very practical question but when you are asking the Godfather of car salesmen, it has an almost metaphysical quality.
“Mike, what can you do for me?”
Mike Hothi hears this question a dozen times per day. Working in an industry where every client wants to know they are unique and receive the best service, it’s inevitable.
His response?
The delivery of more than 7,700 cars during a 24-year career -- a staggering clip of more than 300 cars per year.
The car industry is driven by the bottom line and Hothi has been golden throughout his career. He remains -- for 12 years running -- the top volume selling salesperson at Dueck on Marine, the Lower Mainland’s largest facility dealership.
Nationwide, Mike consistently earns General Motors’ prestigious Gold Achievement rewards -- given only to individuals receiving the ultimate levels of sales numbers and customer satisfaction.
But to reduce Mike’s salesmanship to sheer stats and awards diminishes the integrity and sheer hard work by which he has cultivated a client list that today reaches 4,800 people.
Mike has always prided himself on building relationships rather than sales numbers, a trait that has earned him a remarkable track record for repeat business.
“A lot of people are intimidated about buying a car,” explains Mike, a grandfather of four. “It’s understandable. But if you communicate with your client on their terms, all the apprehension falls away and you are able to build a working relationship.
“In the end, when you have a quality team behind you like here at Dueck and you deliver the product to a happy customer, it’s only natural you will gain referrals and future business.”
Mike learned this sense of fair play at a young age when he moved with his family in 1962 from the Punjab, India, to Leamington Spa, England. His family rebuilt their lives from scratch, and became immersed in giving back to their new community. There, Mike learned the electrical trade and developed a lifelong affinity for Manchester United.
Today, Mike still stridently follows Man U, though now with his first love, his family and grandchildren.
Each year, Mike and his wife give back to the community, donating to a variety of causes. More recently, he has helped repair and expand the school in his village of Pabwan in the Punjab.
Underprivileged kids in Pabwan are getting an education but little would they know the journey began with a young man who made his way to England, then to Nanaimo in 1980, found a way into the car sales trade, and learned how to earn the trust of his customers by delivering value.
Mike is unable to hold back a smile as he reflects on his first month in the business.
“The first car I ever sold was a 1985 Ford Mustang. But it wasn’t until I sold my first Chevy Corvette a month later that I was sold,” he laughs.
“This was the job for me.”

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Name: Atma ‘Mike’ Hothi, sales associate, Dueck GM on Marine
 
Number of years in business: 24

Phone: 604-889-7864

Email: mike. hothi@dueckonmarine.com

Mission statement: The car needs to fit the needs of the customer. I help find the best value for my customers.