Forty years of growth for Morrell Motors
Morrell Motors is marking 40 years of being one of Taupō ’s premier automotive dealerships. To celebrate, they held a customer evening last week with a trip down memory lane, showcasing a wide range of classic and exotic vehicles, right up the newly-released Subaru Solterra EV.
Customers enjoyed live music, drinks, nibbles and speeches from Mark and Garry Morrell, while some walked away with spot prizes on the night, including the major prize of a weekend away at Craggy Range.
The business’s humble beginnings as Junction Automotive in 1983 saw Garry and Robyn Morrell open a small two-man workshop on the corner of the Napier-Taupō Road and State Highway 1.
Beginning with just one additional member of staff, the operation gradually grew and expanded, moving first to Oruanui Street, where sales entered the picture.
After one more move to the corner of Roberts Street and Tuwharetoa Street, the business settled in its current home on Waikato Street.
General manager Mark Morrell said a lot has changed in the day-to-day work, too.
“From a business perspective, the whole operation is different; no more handwritten invoices and adjusting points on vehicles as everything is digital and the vehicles so much more advanced, with multiple electronic components et cetera.
“Propulsion has moved from just petrol and diesel vehicles to hybrid and EV, while the humble sedan has made way for mainly SUVs.
“One thing does remain the sameour catchphrase ‘Automotive Excellence- People doing business with people’”
Today, they deal with parts and services for vehicles that would’ve been unheard of on Taupō ’s streets in the eighties; Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Alfa Romeo, RAM, Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge.
The services on offer have developed a lot since then, too, with the dealership selling new Subarus and premium used cars, servicing vehicles and motorhomes, and even selling roof racks, accessories and tents for the more adventurous.
Servicing and repairing vehicles looks extremely different these days,
with large amounts of specialist diagnostic equipment required for working on cars, motorhomes and light commercial vehicles.
Along the way, the business also became Morrell Motors, reflecting the family behind the work, said Mark.
“[It was] to create a legacy. Morrell Motors encompasses the family nameif you are prepared to hang that above
your business you will always go above and beyond for your customers.”
The team working behind the scenes is also significantly changed, from three staff members to 20.
Every one of those has an important part to play, said Morrell.
“The team now consists of 20, from administration, sales, parts, service,
technicians and valet.
“While the roles vary, they all share a real passion for all things automotive.
“Our longest-serving team member has been with the company for more than 22 years, while Garry and Robyn Morrell are still active in the business today.
“Culture plays an important part at Morrell Motors and we strive to have an active social club and many team events throughout the year to ensure we challenge ourselves and build fun relationships with our colleagues.”
What has stayed the same over the last 40 years is how much people value high-quality local service from a family business, said Morrell.
“Over these four decades, we've
built strong relationships with all our customers and have become an integral part of the community.
“We have loyal customers from 1983 that have stuck by us, many of whom we are looking after the second or third generation, while others who have moved out of Taupō still stop by the dealership to say hello and enjoy some original hospitality when in town.
“Our focus has not waivered and we strive to have our team know our customers by name when they enter the dealership, and take a genuine interest in our customers’ lives and motoring experiences.
“Trust is not given, it is earned, and our reputation is one we are incredibly proud of.”