WHAT'S ON HER MIND . . . HER POINT OF VIEW:
Women Find Little Satisfaction When Buying A Car

Buying a car is still a hassle for women, according to a poll conducted by CarMax, which reports that for women car shopping still takes too long; finding a trustworthy salesperson is still an issue; and getting a fair deal is still challenging. Among other things, women still feel a lack of respect and attention when it comes to their wants and needs.

What does this mean? Generally speaking, things are not changing and when they are they are moving rather slowly. The poll, which surveyed 12,000 women showed little improvement in women's gripes from previous years. Interestingly enough, although women's gripes have seen minimal change, there has been significant changes in the automotive buyer and decision maker. The women's market, an extremely sought after market, is currently the leading market for automotive dealers. So why then are women still so dissatisfied? If the woman's market is the market everyone is vying for, why are women still feeling undervalued in the auto dealers showroom and what can be done about it?

 

For Women: Gripes aside, women must begin to show their discontentment with the treatment they are receiving when they are unhappy. This can mean anything from speaking out to walking out. Studies have shown that women, when treated with inferior customer service tend to walk out, often saying nothing. Walking out, I believe is a powerful weapon, but speaking out is even more powerful. When was the last time you, as a woman, voiced your opinion of unfair, negligent, or just bad behavior verbally or through written communication? Why are women sitting back, fuming over injustice and not saying anything about it? Women have wonderful, supportive networks in which they can tap into when needed. So the next time you're unhappy with something, don't just wait for someone to ask you about it, make it known.

For Auto Dealers: This is yet another wake-up call, however skewed to let the industry know that evaluations and changes have to be made. Until the automotive industry is on equal footing with both male and female consumers there will be no harmony. Take a look and ask yourself truthfully, can we make this process simpler and more efficient? Are we doing the right thing when it comes to both male and female consumers? Where have we been lacking when it comes to creating a woman friendly dealership environment? Take your own customer surveys. Speak with customers individually. Ask for the truth and be willing to accept what you hear.