IMI Magazine

Customer service

The female market matters because women increasingly have more disposable income to use at their discretion. If they aren't buying cars or garage services for themselves, they're likely to be informing and influencing their family and friends. So how come so many motor retailers have yet to cotton on to the value of their business? Could it be that the motor industry, with its 80% male workforce, is simply too set in its male-oriented ways to listen and react to what she expects from them?

At ease in High Street shops and supermarkets, today's typical woman is a professional shopper who knows what she wants and will jump ship if she doesn't get it. She's likely to come across a whole range of garages, car dealers and franchised dealerships as her finances, life style and motoring needs change. Where there are two cars in the household, she's often the one driving the older model, ferrying children around, doing community chores and fitting in work. When it comes to shopping for cars, garage services and motor insurance, she knows to do her homework online in advance, to compare notes with friends and to look out for the best deals. Chances are she has saved money on household bills by using cheaper brands during the recession and she might be planning to do the same with her motoring bills in future.

Given this background, recent research from Diamond Insurance reveals that 52% of young women find their garage trips 'intimidating' and 31% would prefer a 'women only' garage. Most of us have heard tales of vulnerable females being overcharged or patronised at some stage of their dealings in our industry. Like it or not, this is an all too common perception - and it has two possible side effects. One is that her car may not be as well maintained as it should be. The other is that in seeking to counteract that feeling of being patronised, she becomes over-assertive.

So how can these negatives be turned into positives for garages that would genuinely welcome more female customers?

1.  Make sure your business is listed as 'female friendly' by leading search engines.
You can check which businesses are by searching for 'female friendly garage' in your postal town.

2. Tell her if you service and repair all car makes.
Many motorists think that franchised dealerships only service and repair the car brands they represent.

3. Make sure your website 'talks' to her when she visits it.
Think of her needs - there's little point in listing the site as female friendly if all she then finds is mechanical jargon and pictures of expensive diagnostic equipment.

4. Reassure her about your quality.
Remember she's a suspicious shopper so tell her about any ATA, BSI or OFT credentials, as well as any business awards or recent investment in customer facilities.

5. Convince her you're on her side.

She's probably in a hurry, her car is worrying her and she may need it to collect her children from school or to get her to work. That's stress! Listen to what she says, see her side of things and politely suggest ways you can help her save time and worry.

6. Tell her how much it'll cost before she asks.
If she's doing her shopping homework online she wants to compare your prices before she'll book her car in. If you don't include a fixed price menu but a competitor does, she may choose them and save her shopping time.

7. Suggest she talks to a female.
If you are female or employ women in customer-facing roles, make sure customers know there is a choice of contacts in case she'd prefer to talk to a female at any stage.

8. Keep in touch with her.
Seasonal offers by email are a great way to remind customers of your value for money services. Make sure all offers are up to date at your website, be sure to check that she wants to hear from you by email and tell her about any blog, Twitter or Facebook pages she might be interested in.

Gone are the days when male dominated garages can thrive unless they are prepared to go that extra mile to please their female customers. The rewards can be well worth the trouble because a genuinely female friendly garage can gain her trust, win her business and benefit from her referrals. She may even buy a new car from you when the time is right. MIM

Steph Savill MIMI founded the Foxy Lady Drivers' Club, part of a marketing service of the same name, with her husband in 2005. She says the idea was prompted by a "bad garage experience" of her student daughter when she left home. For further information, visit:
www.foxychoice.com or contact: steph@foxychoice.com