I posted a topic in motor industry AM-Online’s forum about female friendly car manufacturers and franchised dealerships marketing to women.
My personal opinion, based on everday anecdotal evidence, is that very few UK garages and main dealerships know what women drivers want or how to talk to us in workshop and car showroom situations.
The forum feedback remains 100% male to date and some are clearly supporting the status quo which is not good enough for men or women. Whilst I know that others in the trade were trying to be helpful they had not done their homework about my business or me before dashing into print – this is another characteristic difference between the genders – men dash in to sort it out and claim the glory/trophy whereas women take time to do their homework first and then to make the ‘informed’ purchase.
I am also used to the many so called ‘experts’ in the UK motor industry who know I am not a trade person and imply that their findings are the Holy Grail for me (gee thank you guys…) without realising that I might know something more useful for them to find out, to benefit their business.
No surprises there as this is exactly what the male oriented motor industry does – it patronises women drivers, thinks it knows best and carries on as before!!
Rather than waste discussion time with a ‘marketing expert’ (who knows less about marketing to women than me) I’d prefer to move on, to make a real difference to service levels for women who could have a great career in the motor industry and for female customers who often dread visiting garages, dealers and showrooms.
Yes the US is ahead of us in terms of recognising and attempting to address the power of the female purse but their business models aren’t the only way to go as the increasingly popular FOXY Choice and FOXY Lady Drivers Club websites demonstrate.
FOXY Steph
“Why should women have to apply to the head of state for the right to drive a car? Their husbands or brothers should decide.”
Colonel Gaddafi – June 2009 (like so many in the UK motor industry 
, not quite at the cutting edge of feminism yet…)
Steph, I thought I would refer you to http://www.WomenCertified.com, our (American) program to bring better communications skills to salespeople in all businesses and professions, not just automotive. We have well over a thousand car sales professionals that have been through our program with more participating every day. We have also started with a Canadian sales partner and look forward to the day we can make an impact in the UK and elsewhere around the world.
Delia Passi, Founder of WomenCertified
Thank you Delia and for your introduction to your business. We are both doing similar things in the motor trade, albeit in slightly different ways. My interest and involvement began with aftersales and I am now looking at the car dealership side of things. Both service areas can be much better for women. All the very best from
Steph Savill, Founder of FOXY Lady Drivers Club and FOXY Choice