Welcome to Women’s Wednesday. When women perceive they are not treated the way they expect at car dealerships, 65% leave and do not return. That’s a lot of business walking out the door and buying down the street. What can your dealership do to turn more browsers into buyers? We compile a lot of data from dealer reviews, and below are the top three reasons women buy from the dealership they do.

1.Treatment by Sales Person

How well women are treated is the single most influential factor when it comes to buying from a dealership. Women typically evaluate cars on the same grounds as men like price, mileage, design and safety features. However, the deciding factor of whether to close a car deal is greatly dependent on her interaction with the sales advisor.

Treating her with respect is paramount. Show her that you are glad she’s come into your store, acknowledge her presence, put the smart phone away, and listening to her questions are all part of a winning formula. All this may not matter quite as much to men, but it is highly effective in selling to women car buyers. These little things go the distance in winning a customer for a long-time, maybe even a life-time.

2.Best Price or Deal

The second reason women buy from a dealership is the price of the car. Women prefer to buy from dealerships that understand their needs and budget and don’t try to push them into buying cars that exceed their budget.

3.Car Dealer’s Reputation

The car dealership’s reputation really matters – especially to women – as they are more apt to research and use car dealer review sites than men. They want to make an informed decision where they shop so they don’t waste time and have no regrets.

Did You Know?  

Women are 3 times more likely to leave a review – and, a higher scoring review – than men. So, be sure to ask for reviews from your female customers! If you want to be the go-to-dealer in town, deliver the ultimate car buying experience to every woman who walks in your store.

For more on this topic, click here.

Women are the fastest growing segment of buyers. Market to them before they walk into your store by showing your transparency with your Certified Women Friendly logo.

Sign up and learn more here.

Last year, women purchased an estimated 27.5 million (1) vehicles – an impressive 75,000 units a day. Women-Drivers.com has released a comprehensive 2014 US Women’s Car Buying and Dealership Report detailing the experiences women have shopping, buying, leasing and servicing their vehicles at car dealerships.

The research comes from over 2,900 women’s surveys from the company’s website. From these surveys, the company generates a Women Satisfaction Index® or WSI score. The range is from a 5.0 (the highest) to 1.0 (the lowest).

As President and Car Buying Advocate of Women-Drivers.com team I'm thrilled to publish this first-ever report. While women have felt underserved by the auto industry in the past, our data and analytics show that on the whole, women are having very positive experiences today at car dealerships. Not surprisingly, when studying the data by brand and certainly by dealership, distinct differences are revealed.

Unlike other 5-star review sites, Women-Drivers.com offers women the opportunity to write a quick review and then opt-in to a ‘deeper dive’ survey to share more thoroughly about her dealership visit. We were pleased that almost 90% of the reviewers opted-in to the survey. To say we were surprised and delighted by this percentage is an understatement. The bottom line is that women are receptive and generous regarding sharing their experiences and visits at the dealership.

The data collected by the company is used by manufacturers and dealerships to better understand, improve and shape the customer's experience and engagement, as well to take the guesswork out of marketing and selling to women.

Key Findings

• When shopping for a vehicle, the average WSI was 4.25. The top five rated shopping brands by women are Ford, Jeep, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi and Mercedes-Benz
• When purchasing a vehicle, the average WSI was 4.65. The top five rated purchasing brands by women are Mercedes-Benz, Dodge, Mitsubishi, Jeep and Lexus
• When leasing (a subset of purchasing), the average WSI was 4.80

Last year, women purchased an estimated 27.5 million (1) vehicles – an impressive 75,000 units a day. Women-Drivers.com has released a comprehensive 2014 US Women’s Car Buying and Dealership Report detailing the experiences women have shopping, buying, leasing and servicing their vehicles at car dealerships.

The research comes from over 2,900 women’s surveys from the company’s website. From these surveys, the company generates a Women Satisfaction Index® or WSI score. The range is from a 5.0 (the highest) to 1.0 (the lowest).

As President and Car Buying Advocate of Women-Drivers.com team I'm thrilled to publish this first-ever report. While women have felt underserved by the auto industry in the past, our data and analytics show that on the whole, women are having very positive experiences today at car dealerships. Not surprisingly, when studying the data by brand and certainly by dealership, distinct differences are revealed.

Unlike other 5-star review sites, Women-Drivers.com offers women the opportunity to write a quick review and then opt-in to a ‘deeper dive’ survey to share more thoroughly about her dealership visit. We were pleased that almost 90% of the reviewers opted-in to the survey. To say we were surprised and delighted by this percentage is an understatement. The bottom line is that women are receptive and generous regarding sharing their experiences and visits at the dealership.

The data collected by the company is used by manufacturers and dealerships to better understand, improve and shape the customer's experience and engagement, as well to take the guesswork out of marketing and selling to women.

Key Findings

• When shopping for a vehicle, the average WSI was 4.25. The top five rated shopping brands by women are Ford, Jeep, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi and Mercedes-Benz
• When purchasing a vehicle, the average WSI was 4.65. The top five rated purchasing brands by women are Mercedes-Benz, Dodge, Mitsubishi, Jeep and Lexus
• When leasing (a subset of purchasing), the average WSI was 4.80

A WIN FOR ENGAGED DEALERS

Earlier this year, JD Power reported that more than one third of buyers are using car dealer review sites to help them determine where to purchase their next vehicle. Buyers no longer want to go from dealership to dealership; they value their time. According to Pew Research, an estimated 80 percent of Americans will have smart phones by the end of 2014; it won’t be long until that “one-third” becomes 50 percent. No wonder there are so many dealer review platforms vying for dealers business.

REVIEWS AND WOMEN — A TIPPING POINT

Here is where it gets imperative to distinguish your dealership. First, women are the fastest growing segment of car buyers, purchasing 27 million cars a year. That is the equivalent of 75,000 cars a day just at new car dealerships. What strategic and day-to-day ways does your dealership market to and communicate with women buyers and prospects?

Next, when it comes to reviews, women are more generous than men when rating their dealership experience.

Asking women who shop, buy and service their car at your store for a review will accomplish these two things simultaneously:

• It will increase the number of reviews your store has which provides you several benefits
• It will increase your overall aggregate scores by platform (Dealer Rater, Edmunds, Google, Women-Drivers, Yelp, etc.)

BEING OK WITH A NEGATIVE REVIEW

In today’s social world, it’s acceptable to get a negative review here and there.

It is OK for your customers to see a negative review in your social channels like Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Rather than fearing or hiding from the negative review, let’s take another point of view:

• Your social customers know that you have thousands of customers. Every single one of them has unique experiences and, of course, not all can be fantastic. Simply, that is just not how life — and business — go. And, it’s OK.
• Your social customers expect to see ratings that aren’t always stellar. Starbucks, Nordstrom’s, Apple and Target don’t always have five-star reviews. Ever wait at an Apple store for more than 45 minutes, even though you had an appointment? You bet. Apple apologizes and acknowledges that. And, more important, it’ how Apple publically responds to those negative reviews. Similarly, it’s how your dealership responds to negative reviews that matter.
• If you (or any major company) don’t have a single negative review, it can show up as odd or inauthentic to the reader. Customers reading reviews want to read the good ones and the not-so-great ones. If you don’t have any negative reviews, customer think you are hiding something. Again, showing how you respond is the important thing. Your response addresses the reviewer’s concern and it improves and elevates brand perception among other social shoppers.

RESPONDING TO A NEGATIVE REVIEW

Most importantly, responding to negative reviews requires a professional skill set that includes having exceptional empathy and concise writing ability, so either appoint a dealership ambassador or outsource this position.

1. Timing, as in most things in life, matters. You receive reviews in real-time; don’t let your response lapse.
2. Authentically empathize and “get” your customer. Speak to their concern or issue. Don’t dance and never be defensive.
3. Take it offline so they can further communicate and get their issue resolved by speaking to them live and addressing their concern.

SUMMARY

When a dealership gets a negative consumer review it is truly an opportunity to further the conversation and turn the negative into a positive. Understanding the consumer’s experience behind the negative review will help your dealership’s sales practices.

The bottom line is now dealerships are now seeing the profound benefits of reviews to their dealership, and how those benefits far outweigh the risks. In 2014, smart dealers will further focus on reviews, and especially reviews from women buyers.

A WIN FOR ENGAGED DEALERS

Earlier this year, JD Power reported that more than one third of buyers are using car dealer review sites to help them determine where to purchase their next vehicle. Buyers no longer want to go from dealership to dealership; they value their time. According to Pew Research, an estimated 80 percent of Americans will have smart phones by the end of 2014; it won’t be long until that “one-third” becomes 50 percent. No wonder there are so many dealer review platforms vying for dealers business.

REVIEWS AND WOMEN — A TIPPING POINT

Here is where it gets imperative to distinguish your dealership. First, women are the fastest growing segment of car buyers, purchasing 27 million cars a year. That is the equivalent of 75,000 cars a day just at new car dealerships. What strategic and day-to-day ways does your dealership market to and communicate with women buyers and prospects?

Next, when it comes to reviews, women are more generous than men when rating their dealership experience.

Asking women who shop, buy and service their car at your store for a review will accomplish these two things simultaneously:

• It will increase the number of reviews your store has which provides you several benefits
• It will increase your overall aggregate scores by platform (Dealer Rater, Edmunds, Google, Women-Drivers, Yelp, etc.)

BEING OK WITH A NEGATIVE REVIEW

In today’s social world, it’s acceptable to get a negative review here and there.

It is OK for your customers to see a negative review in your social channels like Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Rather than fearing or hiding from the negative review, let’s take another point of view:

• Your social customers know that you have thousands of customers. Every single one of them has unique experiences and, of course, not all can be fantastic. Simply, that is just not how life — and business — go. And, it’s OK.
• Your social customers expect to see ratings that aren’t always stellar. Starbucks, Nordstrom’s, Apple and Target don’t always have five-star reviews. Ever wait at an Apple store for more than 45 minutes, even though you had an appointment? You bet. Apple apologizes and acknowledges that. And, more important, it’ how Apple publically responds to those negative reviews. Similarly, it’s how your dealership responds to negative reviews that matter.
• If you (or any major company) don’t have a single negative review, it can show up as odd or inauthentic to the reader. Customers reading reviews want to read the good ones and the not-so-great ones. If you don’t have any negative reviews, customer think you are hiding something. Again, showing how you respond is the important thing. Your response addresses the reviewer’s concern and it improves and elevates brand perception among other social shoppers.

RESPONDING TO A NEGATIVE REVIEW

Most importantly, responding to negative reviews requires a professional skill set that includes having exceptional empathy and concise writing ability, so either appoint a dealership ambassador or outsource this position.

1. Timing, as in most things in life, matters. You receive reviews in real-time; don’t let your response lapse.
2. Authentically empathize and “get” your customer. Speak to their concern or issue. Don’t dance and never be defensive.
3. Take it offline so they can further communicate and get their issue resolved by speaking to them live and addressing their concern.

SUMMARY

When a dealership gets a negative consumer review it is truly an opportunity to further the conversation and turn the negative into a positive. Understanding the consumer’s experience behind the negative review will help your dealership’s sales practices.

The bottom line is now dealerships are now seeing the profound benefits of reviews to their dealership, and how those benefits far outweigh the risks. In 2014, smart dealers will further focus on reviews, and especially reviews from women buyers.

As a car dealer, you’ve been thoroughly trained on all steps of a sale from greeting through negotiation and final sale. And, you apply these steps well. But, it’s a good bet that even armed with all of your knowledge and experience there have been more than a few times when you found yourself wondering, "What happened? I thought everything was going well and yet the prospect walked out the door."

Here, you will learn unusual but highly effective tips to help you focus on signals that you might otherwise miss – signals that could be the difference between clinching a deal and having the potential buyer walk out the door. Women-Drivers.com reveals that women car buyers visit 1.9 dealerships before purchasing. That means that while 5 out of 10 women who walk in are going to buy a car from you; and 5 are going to leave - and 89% of those who do leave will not return to your dealership.

Do you track the number of browsers that visit your dealership? If you did, you might see there is a whole lot of business walking out the door. Knowing how the unconscious can undermine effective communication enables you to pay attention, better read a buyer and increase sales potential. Here, we concentrate on your interactions with women buyers in particular. But, the same principles of observation, awareness and being "in the moment" apply in every sales situation with all customers.

Your Brain on Auto Pilot Have you ever said something or acted on something and then asked yourself, "What was I thinking?" Let's face it, all of us have found ourselves acting first and thinking second at various times. When this lapse of 'conscious consideration' happens during the car buying process, it means that you could be missing something vital.

Let's take a closer look. The brain has three essential components:

• The Neocortex, smart and conscience, produces language, reason, and analysis.
• The Limbic part stores memories and reactions and records and produces emotion.

The Reptilian part is unconscious, designed to create fight or flight when survival is at stake, and can be quite irrational, allowing one to jump to unwarranted conclusions.

Clear Intentions International® is a company that provides executive Neuro-Emotional Coaching and works with sales professionals in the US, Israel, and Germany. "The common challenges that sales people have are fear of rejection, poor time management and lack of confidence – or, in some cases, the sense of deserving to be successful. Even though it's 2013 and we have all this technology and are highly sophisticated, our emotions still rule our decisions. Sales people think the deal closed and in a nano-second something happens and they derail it," says founder and President Dr. Barbara Schwarck, PCC.

To address this, Clear Intentions created the BreakThrough Now app (iphone users can download here) that assists salespeople in powerfully dealing with their blind spots As a result of some simple tests, you can achieve dramatic improvements in productivity, procrastination, feeling disempowered, and against rejection. Adds Dr. Schwarck, "it's a litmus or PH test to locate individual weaknesses and what to go to work on."

When you stop paying real attention to your sales interaction and, instead, operate on auto pilot or assume or just jump to conclusions, your limbic brain takes over meaning you are acting on instinct, history and internalized prejudices rather than being present to happening right now. For more on how the brain functions, and how car buyers also become 'hijacked or hooked', read Women-Driver's article on The Neuroscience of Buying a Car.

With women going to 1.9 dealerships before buying, read on to understand 3 key developments you can employ to maximize your sales opportunity well beyond a 50-50% chance.

1. Get to Know Women Car Buyers Better
Here's a quick test to help you understand why some women have a difficult time relating to their sales advisor.

1. When "browsing for a car'' what percent of women feel the salesperson was directing real or, valued, communication toward them?
   (A) less than 60% (B) 75.0% (C) 79.3% (D) 82.1%
2. When "buying a car'' what percent of women feel the salesperson was directing real or, valued, communication toward them?
   (A) less than 60% (B) 67.9% (C) 84.3% (D) 90.7%
3. 3. What percent of women 'browsers' would recommend their salesperson?
   (A) 41.4% (B) 51.5% (C) 61.5% (D) 71.6%
4. What percent of women 'buyers' would recommend their salesperson?
   (A) 61.5% (B) 71.5% (C) 81.7% (D) 91.6%

According to Women-Drivers.com, the answers are:: 1. (D); 2. (D); 3. (D); 4. (D)

These few answers show that women experience browsing and buying very differently. Women give their salespeople much higher scores when buying. Clearly, there is room for seller improvement. Consider to what extend you might be responsible for these perceptions. Do you interact or pay attention to her the same if you think he is "just looking or browsing"? Do you pull out all the stops, however, when you (think) she is buying?

2. What a Woman Really is Communicating When She Says, "I'm Just Looking?"... Continue Reading Here

As a car dealer, you’ve been thoroughly trained on all steps of a sale from greeting through negotiation and final sale. And, you apply these steps well. But, it’s a good bet that even armed with all of your knowledge and experience there have been more than a few times when you found yourself wondering, "What happened? I thought everything was going well and yet the prospect walked out the door."

Here, you will learn unusual but highly effective tips to help you focus on signals that you might otherwise miss – signals that could be the difference between clinching a deal and having the potential buyer walk out the door. Women-Drivers.com reveals that women car buyers visit 1.9 dealerships before purchasing. That means that while 5 out of 10 women who walk in are going to buy a car from you; and 5 are going to leave - and 89% of those who do leave will not return to your dealership.

Do you track the number of browsers that visit your dealership? If you did, you might see there is a whole lot of business walking out the door. Knowing how the unconscious can undermine effective communication enables you to pay attention, better read a buyer and increase sales potential. Here, we concentrate on your interactions with women buyers in particular. But, the same principles of observation, awareness and being "in the moment" apply in every sales situation with all customers.

Your Brain on Auto Pilot Have you ever said something or acted on something and then asked yourself, "What was I thinking?" Let's face it, all of us have found ourselves acting first and thinking second at various times. When this lapse of 'conscious consideration' happens during the car buying process, it means that you could be missing something vital.

Let's take a closer look. The brain has three essential components:

• The Neocortex, smart and conscience, produces language, reason, and analysis.
• The Limbic part stores memories and reactions and records and produces emotion.

The Reptilian part is unconscious, designed to create fight or flight when survival is at stake, and can be quite irrational, allowing one to jump to unwarranted conclusions.

Clear Intentions International® is a company that provides executive Neuro-Emotional Coaching and works with sales professionals in the US, Israel, and Germany. "The common challenges that sales people have are fear of rejection, poor time management and lack of confidence – or, in some cases, the sense of deserving to be successful. Even though it's 2013 and we have all this technology and are highly sophisticated, our emotions still rule our decisions. Sales people think the deal closed and in a nano-second something happens and they derail it," says founder and President Dr. Barbara Schwarck, PCC.

To address this, Clear Intentions created the BreakThrough Now app (iphone users can download here) that assists salespeople in powerfully dealing with their blind spots As a result of some simple tests, you can achieve dramatic improvements in productivity, procrastination, feeling disempowered, and against rejection. Adds Dr. Schwarck, "it's a litmus or PH test to locate individual weaknesses and what to go to work on."

When you stop paying real attention to your sales interaction and, instead, operate on auto pilot or assume or just jump to conclusions, your limbic brain takes over meaning you are acting on instinct, history and internalized prejudices rather than being present to happening right now. For more on how the brain functions, and how car buyers also become 'hijacked or hooked', read Women-Driver's article on The Neuroscience of Buying a Car.

With women going to 1.9 dealerships before buying, read on to understand 3 key developments you can employ to maximize your sales opportunity well beyond a 50-50% chance.

1. Get to Know Women Car Buyers Better
Here's a quick test to help you understand why some women have a difficult time relating to their sales advisor.

1. When "browsing for a car'' what percent of women feel the salesperson was directing real or, valued, communication toward them?
   (A) less than 60% (B) 75.0% (C) 79.3% (D) 82.1%
2. When "buying a car'' what percent of women feel the salesperson was directing real or, valued, communication toward them?
   (A) less than 60% (B) 67.9% (C) 84.3% (D) 90.7%
3. 3. What percent of women 'browsers' would recommend their salesperson?
   (A) 41.4% (B) 51.5% (C) 61.5% (D) 71.6%
4. What percent of women 'buyers' would recommend their salesperson?
   (A) 61.5% (B) 71.5% (C) 81.7% (D) 91.6%

According to Women-Drivers.com, the answers are:: 1. (D); 2. (D); 3. (D); 4. (D)

These few answers show that women experience browsing and buying very differently. Women give their salespeople much higher scores when buying. Clearly, there is room for seller improvement. Consider to what extend you might be responsible for these perceptions. Do you interact or pay attention to her the same if you think he is "just looking or browsing"? Do you pull out all the stops, however, when you (think) she is buying?

2. What a Woman Really is Communicating When She Says, "I'm Just Looking?"... Continue Reading Here

Did you ever wish you could read a woman’s mind to know exactly what car and price range she is interested in when she enters your dealership? Wouldn’t that make the selling process easier? Recent industry numbers highlight the power of women buyers and demonstrate what value they have to your dealership’s bottom line.

Let’s take a look at six characteristics that will assist you and your staff relate and understand your female buyer better.

1. Browsing – The Silent Statistic

The browsing experience at the dealership is one of the top indicators whether a woman will actually buy from you. If a woman comes into a dealership and has a good exchange, feels respected and listened to - even if she is not ready to buy, there is a very high probability she will return. However, if she comes into a dealership and does not have a good experience, she will definitely not return. You may “know” this, but do you know the quantitative revenue impact of lost sales due to a negative browsing experience in your store?

It remains absolutely critical for your staff to treat each prospective customer with the utmost respect. Answer all questions and listen for concerns – including what she is not saying. No arrogance or strong handing is required – this type of behavior by a sales advisor results in a defensive customer one hundred percent of the time. Treat her like your mother – really. Talk less and listen more is the rule of thumb.

2. A New “Face” in the Audience

With marriage being postponed until later, coinciding with marriage rates dropping in the US, the new face of a CPO buyer also includes single women or single parent households with children. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 29.5% of all households are run by single parents. Most single women and single parents are on a fixed income and the only breadwinner in their household, making many a perfect candidate to buy CPO.

3. The Ideal Car Features for Women

When female CPO shoppers come into a dealership, they are usually looking to buy. They want:

• A car that is easy to drive and one that looks good
• A car that is economical and fuel efficient
• Style and comfort
• A car that is practical and functional
• A good, hearty reliable vehicle

4. Value Women’s Time

These CPO shoppers are busy women who guard their time closely. If they find themselves in a car dealership, they are a serious buyer, not someone shopping for fun. Be sure to take their buying process seriously.

Unlike her ‘traditional’ male counterpart, rarely do women revel in the gamesmanship of buying a car. The days of being “held hostage” at the dealership for hours, simply won’t fly anymore. We believe that dealerships that employ a “Buy a Car in 90 minutes” promise will see an increase of women and men customers visiting their store.

5. Women Wants and Demand Trust from Sales Advisors

When a woman shopper enters a dealership, she already realizes she has lots of other options available to her; but there she is in your store. What is essential from the get-go is having trust in her dealer. And, trust and being trustworthy all starts with the sales advisor. Sales advisors have all the power – and, all the ability to muff it.

Women-Drivers.com reviewers listed these top four qualities they look for in a salesperson:

• Trustworthy ~ 47.31%
• Respectful ~ 35.82%
• Knowledgeable ~ 30.00%
• Likeable ~ 27.16%

6. Time & Research – A Female CPO Shopper’s Greatest Assets

Women are information-seekers. They love shopping for cars on the Internet and they do a lot of research online. When they print out information from the Internet and are armed with quotes and information gained online, they are more confident in their car buying decisions.

The effect that the Internet has had on their interactions with car dealers doesn’t stop when she buys a car. Most women will write a review about their experience – your dealership may need to incent them by offering a coupon on future service work. It’s a win-win for your dealership. In order to get the coupon, a review must be written; the coupon or discount on future work ensures to a higher degree she will bring her vehicle to your service lane. Brand reputation sites and reviews play a big part in your dealership marketing to future CPO prospects. Be sure to have the sales and service team actively ask for reviews

Did you ever wish you could read a woman’s mind to know exactly what car and price range she is interested in when she enters your dealership? Wouldn’t that make the selling process easier? Recent industry numbers highlight the power of women buyers and demonstrate what value they have to your dealership’s bottom line.

Let’s take a look at six characteristics that will assist you and your staff relate and understand your female buyer better.

1. Browsing – The Silent Statistic

The browsing experience at the dealership is one of the top indicators whether a woman will actually buy from you. If a woman comes into a dealership and has a good exchange, feels respected and listened to - even if she is not ready to buy, there is a very high probability she will return. However, if she comes into a dealership and does not have a good experience, she will definitely not return. You may “know” this, but do you know the quantitative revenue impact of lost sales due to a negative browsing experience in your store?

It remains absolutely critical for your staff to treat each prospective customer with the utmost respect. Answer all questions and listen for concerns – including what she is not saying. No arrogance or strong handing is required – this type of behavior by a sales advisor results in a defensive customer one hundred percent of the time. Treat her like your mother – really. Talk less and listen more is the rule of thumb.

2. A New “Face” in the Audience

With marriage being postponed until later, coinciding with marriage rates dropping in the US, the new face of a CPO buyer also includes single women or single parent households with children. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 29.5% of all households are run by single parents. Most single women and single parents are on a fixed income and the only breadwinner in their household, making many a perfect candidate to buy CPO.

3. The Ideal Car Features for Women

When female CPO shoppers come into a dealership, they are usually looking to buy. They want:

• A car that is easy to drive and one that looks good
• A car that is economical and fuel efficient
• Style and comfort
• A car that is practical and functional
• A good, hearty reliable vehicle

4. Value Women’s Time

These CPO shoppers are busy women who guard their time closely. If they find themselves in a car dealership, they are a serious buyer, not someone shopping for fun. Be sure to take their buying process seriously.

Unlike her ‘traditional’ male counterpart, rarely do women revel in the gamesmanship of buying a car. The days of being “held hostage” at the dealership for hours, simply won’t fly anymore. We believe that dealerships that employ a “Buy a Car in 90 minutes” promise will see an increase of women and men customers visiting their store.

5. Women Wants and Demand Trust from Sales Advisors

When a woman shopper enters a dealership, she already realizes she has lots of other options available to her; but there she is in your store. What is essential from the get-go is having trust in her dealer. And, trust and being trustworthy all starts with the sales advisor. Sales advisors have all the power – and, all the ability to muff it.

Women-Drivers.com reviewers listed these top four qualities they look for in a salesperson:

• Trustworthy ~ 47.31%
• Respectful ~ 35.82%
• Knowledgeable ~ 30.00%
• Likeable ~ 27.16%

6. Time & Research – A Female CPO Shopper’s Greatest Assets

Women are information-seekers. They love shopping for cars on the Internet and they do a lot of research online. When they print out information from the Internet and are armed with quotes and information gained online, they are more confident in their car buying decisions.

The effect that the Internet has had on their interactions with car dealers doesn’t stop when she buys a car. Most women will write a review about their experience – your dealership may need to incent them by offering a coupon on future service work. It’s a win-win for your dealership. In order to get the coupon, a review must be written; the coupon or discount on future work ensures to a higher degree she will bring her vehicle to your service lane. Brand reputation sites and reviews play a big part in your dealership marketing to future CPO prospects. Be sure to have the sales and service team actively ask for reviews

Women are the fastest growing segment of car buyers at car dealerships, spending billions of dollars annually on new and used cars, as well as car service and maintenance.

They’re more confident, educated and prepared to make smart car decisions than ever before, and thanks to dealer rating websites like Women-Drivers.com, Facebook, Twitter and other online outlets, women are also voicing their opinions on those decisions in greater numbers.

Car dealerships have to treat women respectfully or they risk sending customers to their nearest competitor: another dealership, or an independent specialty or “big box” auto repair store.

The car dealer review site is a marketplace connecting women to dealerships that already promote trust and transparency, as demonstrated through their Women Satisfaction Index scores.

Our service reviews underscore the bottom line for women — when they are treated respectfully and have a good experience, they return to that dealership again and again.

This is no surprise to dealerships, as customer retention is critical to their business. Vehicle owners visit a dealership’s service lane two to three times a year. The more a customer comes back, the higher the likelihood they will not only return for service in the future, but will also purchase their next car there.

Five variables are utilized, in part or in whole, by forward‐thinking dealerships with extraordinarily high loyalty and retention rates with women consumers. They are:

1. More Women in the Workplace

There are over 18 percent of women working at car dealerships and many are in the position of service adviser, the first line of contact with the dealership’s customers. These dealerships realize that seeing a knowledgeable woman behind the service counter makes female customers more comfortable to ask questions concerning repairs.

2. Using Technology to Communicate Repair Needs

Most dealers continue to focus on “verbal selling” instead of "visual selling." Women, many of whom are skeptical of “up sells at the dealership” decline the additional or unforeseen recommendation over 40 percent of the time. Why? Customers want proof to ensure that the repair is warranted — and, when they cannot see the problem many opt out, and may even feel suspicious about it.

Companies like ClearMechanic.com develop technology for automotive dealerships including mobile apps, expert illustration content and web‐based tools to “visually explain” repairs with real‐time photos and videos.

Customers and dealerships alike see this as win‐win. Dealerships that use this “proof‐based” technology have a 20 to 40 percent increase in success on additional service recommendations while their customer retention rates and CSI scores improve.

3. Go Beyond TV

Make the service waiting area into places where women are comfortable spending time, especially mothers with children. A relaxed and friendly atmosphere with comfortable seating, WiFi connectivity and flat‐screen TVs are a start.

The warmth of the waiting area, the types of magazines provided and the wall colors also enhance the space. Provide hot and cool beverages and a children’s designated play center.

Allow for free transportation services so women can run errands while waiting for their car to be finished. When possible, allow for courtesy overnight vehicles – this concierge service is employed by luxury brands and can have a real impact on women using a dealership, so trickle‐down brands and dealerships take note.

4. Expand Hours

According to the National Automobile Dealers Association, the average service department is open 56 hours a week compared to an 80 hour average for a specialty car repair chain store. With 40 percent of children today being born to unwed mothers and 29.5 percent of households run by single parents, dealerships that expand their hours are expanding their customer base.*

5. The Golden Rule

Put a highly trained listener into the position of Service Adviser – the professional who can hear not only what women are actually saying, but also be interested in what they aren’t saying. Abandon the role as the know‐it‐all automotive expert and strive to support and educate women throughout the entire sales process. Treat women with respect and treat them as the savvy consumers they are.

Without question, customer service and customer satisfaction are being re‐defined by women car buyers and dealerships alike. Women value relationships and trust car dealers who focus on building a long‐term relationship, not just making a sale.

Every dealership should strive to be identified as a dealership that women trust, since providing superior service to its women customers means that same level of service to all of customers.

*SOURCE: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s1337.pdf.