Expertise in Tyres & Wheels at JAXQuickfit Ballina |
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They say it takes two to tango, and it’s probably a good idea to operate a business the same way. That’s the thinking behind the partnership at JAXQuickfit Tyres at Ballina, on the NSW North Coast, with former colleagues Craig Wallace and John Porritt joining forces to manage the franchise, which is part of a 70-store chain stretching from Cairns to Tasmania. Craig was born and bred in Taree but spent many of his growing years moving around with a father who was in the police force. For the last 25 years he has called Ballina ‘home’, and he has just recently joined the JAXQuickfit chain and is really looking forward to working with this progressive and modern retailer. |
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“I started my working life as a detailer straight after school and then moved into the tyre industry. Initially, I have to admit it was just a job, but then I found I really enjoyed it. I like the contact with people and the fact you’re always busy.” Craig had about eight years with a previous tyre retailer, which is where he met John Porritt, before taking a break and working at a tile retailer. Then he came back to the industry, making the jump to JAXQuickfit Tyres. “I like this company. I like the fact that it’s all-Australian and I think the customers like it too. I think they like the fact they’re dealing with a local company run by locals, familiar faces, rather than a big multi-national run by someone they don’t know. “It’s probably a country thing. It does take a long time to be accepted as a local, if you haven’t been in the area for a while. People like dealing with people they know and obviously people around here have known John and me for a long time.” Craig’s ‘partner-in-crime’ is not exactly a local, although he has now been around town long enough to ‘qualify’. He was born and bred in Melbourne but moved to Canberra during his school years. John started his working life in Canberra, training in steering and suspension with Centrepoint Suspension before moving to Sydney – very briefly. Both John and Craig agree there is only one way to build a profile and a good solid business, and that’s by service. “Service is the big difference – positive experiences,” John says. “Lots of people forget that service is what builds your business. We have good products, premium products, and they sell themselves, so the big difference is the service people get when they walk in here. Customers come to us and they’ll find us having a good time while we’re working, but they also know we know what we’re doing and they will get good service and the right advice.” With the store open from 8am-5pm weekdays and 8am to 11.30am on Saturdays, there isn’t a great deal of spare time. Both men are married with young daughters and love spending time with their families. If they have time to themselves, you’ll find John involved in football, fishing or camping, while Craig describes himself as a ‘water boy’. He loves to surf and wakeboard but also enjoys V8 Supercars, and has a more intimate knowledge of the sport than most fans. “Through my previous connections with Dunlop, I had the opportunity to meet a lot of the drivers and I would work at the track fitting tyres. It was really hard work, but great to be up close to the action, and it was a privilege to meet some of the great guys in the sport.” As a result of his years in the industry, and his life on the edge of the fast lane, there is nothing about tyres and alloy wheels that Craig doesn’t know, a fact that has not gone unnoticed by the young guns of Ballina. JAXQuickfit Tyres Ballina offers a variety of mechanical services such as brakes, suspension and pink and blue slips as well as supplying and fitting the world’s leading tyre brands including BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Dunlop, Falken, Goodyear, Michelin, and Pirelli, and a wide range of top-line alloy and steel wheels. Customers who buy two tyres and a wheel alignment at JAXQuickfit Tyres are eligible for membership of the Gold Club Tyre Maintenance Plan, which offers huge savings on new tyres, tyre maintenance and servicing as well as a range of special offers. |
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