Data Parts has recently celebrated a milestone: Adrian Jones, co-owner of the computer repair business, has marked four decades with the business.
Mr Jones began his professional journey in the early 1980s.
“I was looking for work. So I applied for the job here in sales and I didn’t know if they were going to take me,” he said.
His humble start in sales set the foundation for his later triumph.
Through his determination, hard work and innate understanding of the business, Mr Jones transitioned into ownership in 1991.
“We bought the previous ownership out in ’91,” he said.
“Back then, it was myself and Rick Goudie.
“The company that owned the business at the time was having issues, and they had a number of branches.
“They overcommitted, so we had the opportunity to buy them out. And that’s what we did.”
This marked the beginning of a new era for Data Parts.
Despite the trials that come with technological advancements and the constant shift in customer requirements, Mr Jones navigated Data Parts through the industry’s ever-evolving landscape.
“There’s always challenges, technology changes, suppliers come and go. It’s just one of those things,” he said.
Mr Jones also highlighted that in his earlier years in the business, competition was scarce.
“There weren’t really any chain stores back then,” he said.
But as the business world evolved, so did Data Parts.
“What we did 40 years ago is quite different — the computers, what they can do, of course, has changed so much over the years,” he said.
“It’s just part of what it is. And you just got to go with the flow.”
One of Mr Jones’s proudest moments was incorporating Apple products into Data Parts’ portfolio.
“Apple was basically something that came in probably around 2000,” he said.
“It was all PC-based back then — IBM or IBM compatibles were the in thing.
“And those have all gone by the wayside.”
This bold move solidified Data Parts’ status in the market.
Reflecting on his years with the company, Mr Jones attributed his success to understanding customer needs and delivering on them, as well as a reliable team.
“Good staff make the business, at the end of the day,” he said.
“That’s really what it’s all about.”
Today, Mr Jones stands alongside Sebastian Mangiameli, his current business partner, steering the ship of Data Parts towards continued success.