David sat down with long time Member and Preferred Supplier, Rex Goodchild. Rex and his family run business has always been a huge part of the Capricorn community. David and Rex discuss how Goodchild Enterprises became a Member and then a Preferred Supplier, and how they have grown over the years. It’s great to hear that Rex’s grandson is now working in the business, and enjoys working together with Rex and the team at Goodchild Enterprises.
David Fraser: Today I'm really privileged to have Rex Goodchild from Goodchild Enterprises with me. Rex, fair to say, Member for almost 40 years, Supplier for 30 plus years.
Rex Goodchild: Yep. Yeah, absolutely. It's an absolute privilege actually to be a Capricorn supplier. Well, I guess, your first introduction to Capricorn is when you had the service stations and then, of course, a little later, coming on as a battery supplier. We had a fuel business and three service stations and, one of the Capricorn reps, came and saw us, and we joined as a member, and that was all good. And we started buying the Apollo batteries down the track a little bit. Frank came to us one day and said that he has been doing some research in the marketplace, and a lot of the members were saying they were changing over to buy from Goodchild because was the pricing was good and the service was good. And, then he asked me, would I like to become a supplier.
He wanted that family-type business sort of involvement with the members. They were very small days then. The battery business was just a small sideline of our business. But it's grown so big today. And it's unbelievable when, you know, there's a lot of people within Capricorn that have been involved in that, in that growth and, but Frank O'Connor was, he took a punt on us as a very small battery company.
David: I think it's a wonderful story because, if I think about Capricorn and, you know, I guess the visionary founders that started the organisation, they were visionaries. And then, as you just said, for him to be able to sort of, I guess, take a take a punt. Yeah. And invite you into the community. You must have thought; you must have felt very proud at that time.
Rex: We’re so proud where it is today. We never dreamed we'd get to where we are today. We wouldn't have grown where we are today if we hadn't had Capricorn.
David: Oh, that's tremendous to know.
Rex: Opened a lot of doors for us. I think we're a well-respected, business within Capricorn with the Members now, so. Yeah. So, I think, you know, our philosophies are still probably a bit old fashioned, the old fashioned customer service. But we're trying not to lose that. Yeah, we've got good family. I got a good grandson who's magical in sales. Absolutely. Fantastic.
David: There we go, so third generation.
Rex: Yeah.
David: That's excellent.
Rex: Yeah, and he's, you know, he's well educated went to school and he's just got that, just wants to work here with his grandad.
David: Oh, that's fantastic.
Rex: So, it's like one big family really. So, over the whole journey that the Capricorn team’s been very good right from the top. Right down to the reps.
David: It's all about mutual growth. We grow together, don’t we? Because your success is our success.
Rex: No, we get a lot of support from you guys. To Capricorn, thank them and congratulate them on 50 years because I think, you know, what Capricorn’s done is unbelievable from where it's come from ‘till today.
David: And it’s a wonderful story. Capricorn and the Goodchild business growing up together over the last 40 odd years. So thank you very much for being a part of it.
