Autospark is one of the leading auto electrical service names in Perth and regions. Recently, as one of the states most trusted names, it recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. Having been around so long could beg the question, were did it come from ?
Graeme Hooley, director and founding member of the Autospark Auto Electrical franchise, has always been a highly motivated, forward thinker. From leaving school, car-obsessed at just 14. he began an apprenticeship long ago to ultimately overseeing the day-to-day running of one of the largest auto electrical businesses in Western Australia.
As an ambitious forward thinker, post apprenticeship, he purchased a block of land in Greenwood at a time when the northern suburbs were still mostly bushland. Typical area such as Osborne Park or Balcatta for a workshop where too expensive. So it was off to the outer, and more affordable, fringe areas.
Hooley Auto Electrics first opened its doors in September 1975 in Greenwood, at this time the northern suburbs were still mostly bushland. This is hard to consider nowadays with the growth we’ve had in Perth since then. Even somewhere like Sorrento was considered a caravan spot once upon a time.
From Small Things…
There were other players in the field at that time, but the seed for the Autospark business model had been germinating with him for some time. With close ties to several fellow auto electrical business owners, they floated the idea in the mid-1980s of bulk buying from suppliers as a cooperative in order to benefit from the lower overall costs such an approach would bring.
A Gentleman’s Agreement
It was initially set up as a gentleman’s agreement with 10 independent businesses involved as this cooperative, and while they all kept their individual identities, the purchasing power that this model gave us (Autospark) a very successful enterprise.
A few years later, the franchise was duly incorporated a few years later. Fast forward to the mid-1990s and Graeme convinced the franchisees to bring the stores under the one Autospark name, while also beginning to build what would become the headquarters for the brand. Repeating the idea of purchasing a location in the outer reaches, Graeme looked to the outskirts of the metropolitan area and bought a parcel of bushland in this previously unknown suburb of Joondalup. This became (and still is) the Autpsark Headquarters and the Autospark Joondalup service location.
The new building in Joondalup, with its large workshop, showroom and upstairs offices and boardroom, lifted Autospark to the next level because it demonstrated to all our staff – and the broader industry – that we were a highly professional industry leader with a strong culture of growth.
Growing and Caring
A strong part of Autospark is mentoring apprentices in order to provide the opportunity for them to own and run their own Autospark store. The only way of keeping these good people in the business was to give them the opportunity to buy and run their own store as franchisees. Over and above just learning a trade, we taught business and customer service skills and as they grew with the system, the desire to become a part of it was really strong as they could see an excellent future.
All those people have become really great business owners and Graeme, still fillig the role of Managing Director is particularly proud of everyone involved and what we have achieved. The young people we mentored are basically what Autospark is all about now, run by former apprentices or qualified mechanics.
What’s in a Name?
For us, it is everything. Our beginnings, our heritage and our contribution to the industry are all things all of our franchises are proud of. Like any business, we have had our share of ups and downs, but fortunately the ups far outweigh the downs.
Now celebrating 40 years as Autospark the Franchise, the original ideas behind the business still ring true. Knowledge, skill and customer care is still at the forefront. Add a culture of having and keeping talented Apprentices who may go on to become a franchise owner like many others, the spirit of Autospark and its success continues hopefully into another four decades.
