WHY DEALERSHIPS NEED TO RECRUIT MORE FEMALE STAFF, RETAIN THEM AND BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF FEMALE CUSTOMERS
Based on data from the National Automobile Dealers Association’s second annual report, females represent just 19 per cent of all staff hired by dealerships.
So why is it that more women don’t work as sales associates in dealerships? Read on and we’ll look at some of the reasons for this and what can be done to change it.
Women versus men
We need to break the stereotype that it’s a man’s world. It isn’t. Rather it’s a world for anyone who chooses to take control, apply themselves and work hard. If more women realized that automotive sales is flourishing with personal, business and financial opportunities, we would quickly see a shift in the workforce.
Statistics show women starting out in automotive sales remain in the industry longer than men.
Fewer women however, even consider automotive sales as a career choice. Women don’t often consider automotive sales as a career because:
• It’s always been considered a man’s job;
• Long hours and few weekends off;
• Retail dealers seldom target females as employee candidates.
The interesting part is that the female sales workforce selling to automotive dealerships on the vendor side can be close to 40 per cent of total staff. So women do want to work in sales. Ask yourself. How was your experience with a female salesperson vs a male? Do you see any benefits of having a 40-50 per cent female/male sales staff now?
Simple tips to increase your female workforce:
• Target women specifically with social media;
• Leverage your current female workforce to market your dealership, and highlight their success;
• Promote open positions where “women are encouraged to apply;”
• Feature female employees on your website and their position;
• Offer flexible schedules and standard work week hours;
• Do women make the ideal sales consultant?
Women often want to buy from women and men don’t mind either. A woman’s instinctive nurturing qualities combined with their ability to listen, relate, and show genuine concern lead to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty purchases.
Consider these statistics:
• 50 per cent of all vehicles are sold to women;
• Women buy the majority of new cars;
• Women influence 80 per cent of automotive purchases.
It really comes down to trust. A female is willing to pay more for a product or service if she has trust in whom she is doing business with. Females are also much more likely to stay loyal to a company that takes the time to listen.
It really is much like a relationship when it comes to earning a female shopper’s business. Women don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. So don’t rely on just price or new photos to generate a lead. Do be aware when you receive a lead from a female their purchase generally happens within 24-72 hours.
Again, female customers have completed more research than their male counterparts and are closer to the sale. Don’t forget to listen because women commonly feel misunderstood in purchasing a vehicle. Spend the time to find common ground, whether it’s family, hobbies, mutual interests, or needs.
Take your time and allow for that connection to be made. If you create a trusting environment and value her time, a woman is willing to pay up to 27 per cent more for your product or vehicle because she is buying it from a person she trusts, and for her it’s not about price. Women are decision makers and decisions are made swiftly!
Service marketing to women
Nine out of 10 single women are responsible for their own service repairs and maintenance. However, we’d better give them a reason to come back to the dealership for service needs. The easiest way for a dealership to do this is to include service in your sales process. When you are completing a sale spend, take the time to introduce her to a dedicated service advisor that she will be working with.
Schedule the first service appointment and follow up one week and one day prior to the service appointment. If you take the relationship you have created in the sales process and translate that to the service experience you’re building a long-term relationship based on trust. Women are also much more likely to refer friends than their male counterparts. How else are you building convenience into service? Take all the guesswork out of the question; explain pick up and drop off services, cost and time for repair. Set the expectations and over communicate.
Reputation counts
Women are three times more likely to write a review than men so for the sake of your CSI scores we have to improve the way our industry markets and sells to women. I also highly encourage you to build your female sales staff to ensure you have a diversified group of employees that will probably have a positive effect on gross profits.
