Amidst the world of polished metal, loud roaring engines and the scent of new leather sits the successful Great Southern Motorcycle dealership. Dale and Tom recently sat down with the owners Mick and Sharelle Ball, both visionaries with gasoline in their veins and a sharp business acumen, to discuss what drives the success of this high-octane enterprise.

We started by asking Mick what got him into motorcycles and owning his own dealership?

From a young age, Mick had always been around motorcycles. Mick’s grandad held the speed record from Kalgoorlie to Perth so a connection to motorcycles stems back generations. Mick asked for a pile of dirt for making jumps for his 6th birthday.

At the age of 17 Mick had come to a crossroads with a decision between following in his father’s footsteps down an advertising path or following his passion for motorcycles. Mick explains, he came to the realisation at a young age he was here for a purpose and that he was in for a long working life if he was not going into a field that he wasn’t passionate about and in love with.

So, with that Mick became an apprentice mechanic focussing on motorcycles and embarked on a 6-year working holiday around Australia. This is where Mick met Sharelle in Queensland. When the opportunity to purchase Great Southern Motorcycles came up back in Albany it was a no-brainer for Mick to pursue this opportunity. The first year the shop sold three motorcycles and these days sells over 200 units a year.

Recently you have won 2023 Harley Davidson Dealer of the Year in Australia & New Zealand – What does this award mean for you?

The award itself is based on a variety of factors such as business acumen, customer satisfaction, the levels of training your team are engaging in and how well you represent the Harley brand, just to name a few. It has been a good acknowledgement and a pat on the back for all the hard work we and the team have been putting in. It highlights that the effort we have put into the dealership is being noticed in the Harley community and reinforces our opinion that we are giving our customers a high level of service.

What sets Great Southern Motorcycles apart from its competitors?

We have a huge focus on customer satisfaction. We want the client to have all the information to make an informed decision and don’t want to be pushing people into a hasty choice. We have the attitude that we can always do more for customers and to treat them the way you would like to be treated. The number of repeat customers we have had over the last 25 years tells us we are doing something right and our customers are valuing the service we are providing.

In addition to our focus on customer satisfaction we are in a unique location, so staying up to date with the market trends is of optimal importance. Recently we have started stocking Polaris Side by Side units to service the needs of farmers in the area.

Sharelle adds that, “Mick is a solutions man. No problem is too big for him to find a solution. While others go into a tail spin Mick digs deep and gets to problem solving.”

Has your advertising background helped in business?

Certainly, there has been some information passed on from dad however I have picked up a passion for marketing our dealership and developed strategies that have worked for us over the years. Even from the early days we were frequently using radio, newspaper, and other methods to stay connected with our customer base, promote the brand, and build a strong reputation of quality and reliability. Recently our daughter Jess has started working with us and she has started contributing to the marketing side as she is more up to date with the social media trends and how to best position our product to be seen by more potential customers. This has been an exciting change for us.

What is the biggest lesson you have learnt in business?

Even when you think you have both hands on the handlebars, are in full control of your direction, and know what is going on within your business, one event can put everything into jeopardy. Covid forced us to rapidly knuckle down, do whatever we had to do to weather the storm, and develop our plan of attack to be successful even in uncertainty. It has taught me how to better tackle adversity and come up with solutions. I think small business owners have to have a level of grit and determination to stick at it even when times are tough.

What has been your biggest highlight?

Being part of the Harley Davidson world has allowed me to do a lot of travelling to the USA and be emersed in the Harley culture. The biggest highlight would be getting to meet the Davidson family, the co-founders of Harley Davidson, being able to ride with them, being part of the journey, history and sharing their story. Another big highlight for me has been participating in the annual Sturgis motorcycle rally with over 700,000 riders. It was an experience of a lifetime, you need to see it to believe it.

Quick Fire Questions:

Favourite motorcycle? Harley Davidson Icon El Diablo
Best place to Escape? Albany, we are living in it.
Quote that resonates with you? “If it seems too good to be true it probably is.”

Visit

19/21 Chester Pass Road, Albany
9841 1226
www.gsmc.com.au

Interview by Dale Bloor and Thomas Warner

Mick & Sharelle Ball