Editors note: This is the fourth article in a series called The Decision Maker
Creating a female-friendly atmosphere may seem like an obvious solution to making your female customer base feel comfortable in your dealership. However, it’s usually the most overlooked opportunity.
Ask yourself (and answer honestly), “Is my dealership female friendly?” Having a dealership that speaks to the woman and not just the men we usually appeal to will go a long way. You want to make her feel at home, creating an atmosphere that is comfortable, warm, and inviting.
Here are some things to look for:
- Is the music appropriate?
- How vast is your magazine menu selection?
- Do you have flowers in your waiting room?
- Is the scent of your dealership appealing?
- What is the temperature in your dealership? Is it too cold, and if it is, do you have blankets or heaters available?
There are many ways to create a more open and friendly environment. To do this, you must be willing to flip the lens and look at the atmosphere of your dealership through another POV – her point of view.
Get your Team Involved! (especially the ladies)
A great exercise to do with your team members is to do a walk through from her, The Decision Makers, point of view.
Walk your team from outside the dealership and through the entire consumer journey (you can do this for both sales and service) and ask them the following questions:
- What do you see that could be changed to improve the atmosphere of the dealership, specifically, what would make it more female-friendly? And have them point out where the opportunities are.
- What would your mother, sister, wife, daughter like to experience when they are at our dealership?
- In your experience, what do other retailers (outside of automotive) to enhance their atmosphere, making it more female-friendly?
Encourage and empower the female team members in your dealership to speak up and have a voice! The improved atmosphere will also make a considerable impact on the work experience for your female employees.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Once you have suggestions, don’t stop there. Make an action plan to implement the changes and make the difference come to life!
“Everything Speaks”. Take the actions you need to evolve the experience female consumers have in your dealership from her POV. Creating an atmosphere that is comfortable for her, will only benefit you. She will take notice, and it will make an impact on her overall satisfaction with your dealership.
