You Think You Know Women

But do you? According to the woman behind AskPatty.com, Jody DeVere, technicans as well as front office people are really not all that great at reaching out to the female consumer. And that's not good for your business. Why?

In the U.S., women account for 85% of all consumer purchases. They are responsible for 65% of new car purchases and represent 73% of repair and service customers. But you probably already know that.

Do you know what drives them to your door or what keeps them away? The top two things women want in a vehicle are safety and reliability. It is fair to say they would probably value this from a repair or service shop as well. Does your shop look like it's a safe place to work? Do your technicians or you or your service writer look "reliable"? (Of course looks are subjective, but one way to look reliable is to have all employees in matching uniforms, or at the very least have a similar look with name badges.)

Currently, 62% of women manage the family checking account and 53% create the family budget. Women head 30% of all U.S. households. And, 1 out of 3 women earn more than men. When it's time for a vehicle repair, the amount of money spent and the location chosen will likely be picked by a woman. Look around your shop, listen to yourself and others. Are you "female-friendly"? If not, it's time to consider some training. When your shop becomes female-friendly, you will start attracting and retaining an extremely lucrative part of the automotive repair market.

The last thing you need to know as we head into Father's Day weekend: 1/3 of all respondents in a nationwide survey of women homeowners said they would rather receive a dozen tools than a dozen roses.

Safety in our Business

Saw this in AAIA’s Capital Report and thought it might interest you…Injury and Death Rates for Mechanics Exceed National Average. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) has released an article in Compensation and Working Conditions Online that concludes automotive technicians are more likely to be killed or injured on the job than the average U.S. worker. The article reports that from 2003 to 2005, 147 technicians were fatally injured at work – a death rate of 5.3 per 100,000 workers. The fatality rate for all occupations is 4.0 per 100,000 workers. Additionally, there were 15,560 nonfatal injuries and illnesses to technicians in 2005, down roughly 10 percent from 2003. There were around 954,000 U.S. technicians during this time.
Most of the injuries and illnesses reported during 2005 were due to contact with an object or equipment or overexertion. Assaults and violent acts accounted for 30 percent of workplace fatalities in 2003-2005. Homicides accounted for 44 percent of assaults and violent acts, while self-inflicted wounds made up the remaining 56 percent. The national average for fatalities due to assaults and violent acts is 15 percent. For the full analysis, visit www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/print/sh20070521ar01p1.htm .