HiQ Celebrates 30th Anniversary with Glittering Gala Event

HiQ Tyres & Autocare, the Goodyear-backed national network of independent franchise businesses offering reliable and trustworthy tyre and autocare, celebrated its 30^th anniversary with a dazzling conference and gala dinner at the prestigious Belfry Hotel and Spa in Warwickshire.

Attended by over 125 delegates, including franchisees and suppliers alongside members of Goodyear’s UK and Retail EMEA teams, the event was attended by a surprise guest speaker, David Coulthard.

The conference commenced with a summary of HiQ’s innovative and ever-evolving franchise proposition and continued programme of growth.

New initiatives and innovations contributed to shaping the conference’s overall theme of #ShapeTheFuture. The event’s programme had been designed to ensure business partners in the retail automotive industry are fully prepared for, and are able to adapt to, opportunities across the industry. These include increases in the use of electric and hybrid vehicles that are subsequently driving a rise in demand for specialist technicians.

Presentations detailing the benefits and development of HiQ’s partnerships over the 30-year period revealed the perfect recipe for success to any entrepreneur with the desire to run their own business.

Details of the HiQ franchise model, which delivers strong branding, training and development plans, and marketing strategies, in addition to a nationwide network of experts to all HiQ branches proceeded the introduction to 2022’s Annual HiQ Pride Awards.

Celebrating the success of existing HiQ franchisees, the Annual HiQ Pride Awards covered 11 categories, which included Customer Service, Community Service, and Fleet Partner of the Year. Award winners were recognised with a coveted trophy and £15,000 in training vouchers. The 2022 winners were…

• HiQ Customer Service Award – HiQ Tyres & Autocare Lanark
• HiQ Community Service Award – HiQ Tyres & Autocare Belvedere
• HiQ Goodyear Brand Ambassador Award – Gary Upton HiQ Tyres & Autocare Rushden
• HiQ eCommerce Award – HiQ Tyres & Autocare Whitely
• HiQ Brand Ambassador Award – Paul Evans HiQ Tyres & Autocare Rushden
• HiQ Innovation Partner Award – Jason Harding – HiQ Belvedere
• HiQ Social Media Award – HiQ Tyres & Autocare Preston
• HiQ Fleet Partner Award – New Bridgegate Tyres – HiQ Gateshead & HiQ Newton Aycliffe
• HiQ Marketing Award – HiQ Tyres & Autocare Plymouth
• HiQ Standards Award – HiQ Tyres & Autocare Havant
• HiQ Centre of the Year 2022 Award – HiQ Tyres & Autocare Hedge End

23 new franchisees who recently joined the HiQ network were formally welcomed, alongside five ’25 Club’ legends, including Paul Evans, Simon Bennett, Trevor Cooper, Andrew Bradshaw and Anthony Brooks, who were honored for their 25 years’ of successful partnerships with HiQ.

Craig Sprigmore, Goodyear’s Retail director for UK & Ireland and host of the HiQ National Franchise Conference 2022, said: “It was truly amazing to finally be able to get together and celebrate the achievement of 30 years of HiQ partnerships. Delivering first class customer service and expert tyre and autocare, which all helps to keep our roads, motorways, and drivers safe.

“Our #ShapeTheFuture conference was a great opportunity to celebrate existing accomplishments, and to showcase ways of enhancing future progress with innovations across digital, eCommerce, training. It was also of great benefit to share preparations that can help our franchisees adapt to an ever-evolving automotive environment.”

The conference continued into the evening with a gala Pink Tie Dinner, which contributed to raising £3,700 towards this year’s HiQ Tyres and Autocare corporate charity, Breast Cancer Now.