General News
17 October, 2024
A chance phone call sets Morrow Motor Group on a 50 year path
How a telephonist played a part in a successful motor dealership
Horsham's Morrow Group celebrates its 50th anniversary on October 18 but the background story of how it began is as much the story as the milestone at the centre of the celebrations this month.
The business was started by Kevin Morrow and his wife Barbara in 1974 in Warracknabeal after a phone call was inadvertently overheard.
Morrow Motor Group is now owned by their three sons, Gavin, Wade and Shannon.
But except for snippets of a conversation overheard by the telephonist at a small manual telephone exchange, a little more than fifty years ago, it may have been a very different story
Kevin was a share farmer. He leased land from others but when the legislation changed and he found himself without a farming future.
He had to find another income source.
With his knowledge of vehicles and machinery learned on the farm he began buying and wrecking trucks to sell parts and then to 'do up' and sell as a going vehicle.
Life changing phone calls
One day he received a phone call, out of the blue, that could change everything for the Morrow family but there was a hitch.
"Dad received a phone call from the Holden Company," said Gavin.
"The Holden Dealership in Warracknabeal owned by Peter Amor was for sale and they offered it to Dad."
"Dad told them he didn't have the money to buy it. They said they could work out an arrangement."
However, Mr Morrow senior wanted full control of the business, he had his own ideas about how any business he owned should be run and he couldn't have that without buying the business outright so he declined the offer of the dealership.
The next phone he received was even more surprising.
Generosity
A farmer from Rainbow phoned Mr Morrow, "I hear you had the offer of the Holden dealership in Warracknabeal, I want to loan you some money so you can buy it."
"I think Dad may have said something like, how the hell did you know that?"
As it turned out the telephonist had told her father about the conversation she'd heard and he was the one making the life changing phone call.
With a little extra from another party they bought the business and fifty years later the brothers say they have been forever grateful for that kindness shown to their father.
"For the rest of that gentleman's life we sold and serviced every car he bought at cost price because we never forgot his generosity," said Gavin.
"Dad would never have been able to buy the business and we wouldn't be here today celebrating the 50 year milestone without his generosity," said Gavin. "We honoured that kindness for about 48 years, right up until he bought his last car."
"When I started work in the business it was my job to pay the interest on that money. We could have paid the loan back much sooner than we did but they didn't want that and in hindsight it was for the best because there were many difficult years in Warracknabeal," Gavin said.
"The drought lasted 12 years and there were many tough times in that first 20 years."
Move to Horsham
Eventually the family moved the business to Horsham, first to Stawell Road and then Dimboola Road, where it is now.
Horsham was not entirely dependent on farming like Warracknabeal was, so the move was the right one for the future sustainability of the business.
Brothers Gavin and Wade say without a doubt the introduction of the hybrid and electric cars has been the biggest change they've seen in the industry.
Morrow Motor Group doesn't stock electric cars, preferring to order on need.
"If someone enquires about one, Wade takes them through the pros and cons, the cost, the battery life, distance between charging and the financial issues some people are facing with battery costs and difficulty trading in," Gavin said.
"They are not popular in regional and rural areas and I don't think the infrastructure is in place to change that yet," he said.
"In saying that, we are guided by the consumer in everything we do so that may change," said Gavin.
"We sell many many cars but we always keep in mind that we need to try to stay grounded and never forget how important that vehicle is to the customer."
Difficult Days
The most challenging time in the business: The Covid-19 pandemic
The most difficult day in the business was the day they told six employees they no longer had a job due to the Covid-19 pandemic
The best day in the business - the day they rang them back a week later to tell them they could come back to work because of the introduction of Job Keeper
"People still needed cars and they needed repairs and servicing and that required some creativity on occasion," Gavin laughed.
"I've been known to load a car on a trailer, drive to Melbourne, unload it and park it on the street, phone the client and hand or toss them the keys and say - ring me if you need anything."
Community
The best part of being in the business without a doubt has been the many people and good friends they have made, that's the standout , they say.
"We are also grateful that we have the opportunity to support many of the clubs and organisations in the district," Gavin said. "We sponsor sporting clubs and charity groups and events and are pleased we can."
The Morrow Motor group donate to the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Centre and have done for over a decade. Gavin is involved in a support group for mental health called Healthy Minds.
"Because we have a public profile through the business, we have the opportunity to support people, putting them in touch with vital help and on occasion, a car," he said.
Sponges and scones
"We are often on the receiving end too," Gavin laughed. "Customers bring us Tim Tams, cream sponges and scones and jam and cream when they pick up their car and we love it. No one here will turn down a sponge cake."
Staff is important to them. They have two staff members that have been with them for over 30 years and others for many years.
"You're only as good as your staff," they agree. "But finding staff is hard and getting harder."
Having family work in the business especially in the early days was a great help.
"Of course, Dad was working in the business for almost 40 years, and my sister Tanya did as well and there were the three of us boys," Gavin said.
The brothers all began work in the family business in their early teens, and learned the business from the ground up and it will be the same for any of the next generation if any of them decide to join.
The three brothers are part owners and principal partners in the business. None receive a commission and that, they believe, helps set the successful benchmark for their business.
"We don't have some of the problems other dealerships say they have, because we are only interested in giving the best service, it's not influenced by commission."
Shannon is the Service Manager and said he is a problem solver. "I love to fix things for people. A customer comes in with a problem with their car and it's a great feeling to know I can make a difference by sorting that out."
First cars
Having a smorgasbord of vehicles to choose from hasn't dimmed the memories of the first cars they each owned.
"My first company car was a VH Commodore," said Gavin.
For me it was a brown JD Camira and there's no photos to prove it," laughed Wade.
Ongoing legacy
As they celebrate the milestone they said, "We just want to take this opportunity thank our loyal customers and staff. It's a great milestone and one that we are very proud of."
The brothers agree their father worked hard. He had definite ideas about how a business should be run and those ideals are still in place 50 years later.