Those in the market for a used car prize one feature above all others: trust. If a seller is trustworthy, then any worries surrounding the quality or history of the vehicle are immediately quelled.

 

Just ask John Hughes, the man behind Western Australia’s most trusted car dealer group and one of the largest retailers of its kind in the country. Made up of more than 500 staff, the John Hughes Group spreads its commitment to excellence across retail and wholesale sales.

 

Every month, the Group sells approximately 1,700 cars at retail, with another 450 vehicles sold wholesale to other dealers. That’s made possible by one man’s passion, focus and drive, attributes that have helped the John Hughes Group expand into insurance, financing, tires, batteries, mobile service, roadside assistance and warranty protection.

 

“I walk my talk and lead by example,” Hughes, the Group’s Founder and Managing Director, tells The CEO Magazine. “I never go out for lunch and always eat at my desk. You have to be there, be available to staff and customers, be very hands-on and never lose sight of what keeps you in the business.

I ended up doing national service at Puckapunyal, just outside Melbourne. I went in a boy and came out a man,” he says.

 

Along with his early education at Christian Brothers College in Fremantle, Hughes’ time in the army instilled within the young man a strong sense of discipline.

 

“I’ve applied that discipline to myself and all of my staff ever since,” he says.

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