FORT WORTH, TEXAS — The following article is part of a series of articles distributed monthly by the Car Care Council Women’s Board.
Amy Wade, vice president of Wayne’s Cool Air in Fort Worth, Texas, has two suggestions for shop owners who want to increase their female customer base. The first deals with time, the second with truth.
“We take the time to explain the procedures of the repair,” said Wade. “Female customers always worry that they are going to be taken advantage of, therefore they need added attention.” Wade maintains that taking the time to explain a repair can benefit the bottom line. “You can make the sale when people understand the situation.
“Always tell the truth,” is the other bit of advice that Wade has garnered from a decade in the automotive repair business. “Be honest with them; they will respect you for that.”
Wade maintains that female customers are very important to all types of businesses. In auto repair, however, shops must work extra hard to make women feel more at home. “I think it helps that we have female service writers. Women feel more comfortable with other females.” But the task of catering to women doesn’t stop at the counter. The shop also offers shuttle service to customers if they live with in a certain distance.
“Appearance is everything to your female customers. Females like to see things clean and organized. The thing they appreciate most is our clean and decorated bathroom. We also have a nice waiting area with women’s magazines and a TV. It makes the wait go faster when the kids can watch cartoons. Our flowerbeds always have blooming flowers in them and the grass is always mowed.”
_______________________________________
Click here to view the rest of today’s headlines.
