Women are big influencers when it comes to buying a car. Whether it’s for personal use, for the family or buying a son or daughter’s first run-around, around 85% of car purchases hinge on the decision of a woman. That means women hold a great deal of power in the whole car-buying process. So why do they feel less than empowered to do the deal?
Whenever we speak to women about their car-buying experiences, it’s common to hear it’s been less than special. We can’t help but feel this is incredibly sad, as we think getting a new car should be an amazing experience for all our customers! It can also mean women are reluctant to want to embark on the whole process again, so we really do need to think harder about how we make every customer feel throughout the process.
We decided to delve a little deeper and find out just what it is that women hate about the car-buying process. Here are the top reasons we were given.
1. Experts only please…
For some reason, the salesperson-customer relationship rules seem to change when it comes to car buying and, suddenly, the customer is supposed to be the expert. Not only should you know the make and model of car you want, you should be well versed in the features, inner workings and 0-60 speeds to boot, apparently.
We’ve heard from women who’ve felt belittled at dealerships because they don’t know their ABS from their AEB. (That’s antilock braking system as opposed to autonomous emergency braking to save you googling).
But why should you be well-versed in what’s available, or understand motor trade terminology? It should be within the remit of the salesperson to match you to a suitable vehicle that meets your requirements and is within the budget you want to spend.
2. How can I help you, sir?
A lot of women like the security of taking along a friend or family member when looking at cars. Nine times out of ten, they’ll take a man – whether that be a dad, a brother, a colleague or partner. When you’re spending a considerable amount of money, seeking a second opinion from someone you trust is a sensible thing to do. Female customers tell us they’ll take a man because he’s more knowledgeable about cars, or because they’re worried about dealing with a pushy salesman.
Time and again we hear the same story. They then get talked over or ignored! The dealership assistant focuses immediately on their male companion and many continue to address him, rather than her, even after being told ‘she’ is purchasing the vehicle. We can’t help but find that a little rude!
3. Detesting the test drive
Unlike a lot of men, women don’t always relish getting behind the wheel of a new car. It can take a little time to get used to new controls and so the thought of test-driving an unfamiliar car can be more than a little nerve-wracking.
The whole thing is made ten times worse when you know the salesman or current owner is coming along for the ride. What if you stall, or crunch the gears? Put the wipers on instead of the indicators? The thought of being judged on less than perfect driving can leave ladies reluctant to get in the driving seat.
4. Under pressure
Finally, something none of us love – feeling under pressure to purchase. Car dealerships have a bit of a reputation for employing pushy sales techniques, because they rely on moving stock as quickly as possible to make money. This can feel intimidating to anyone, but it’s a point women car-buyers have shared with us as one more reason they shy away from the whole process.
Of course, we know the above isn’t true of all dealerships and car sales personnel. In fact, we deal with a lot ourselves who are as hot on customer service as we are and incredibly helpful. It may be a case of a few bad experiences creating the misconception that this is commonplace. But we felt it was important to share the feedback we’ve received, and also how our service takes this into account.
The Find and Finance promise
At Find and Finance, we pride ourselves on making everyone’s car-buying experience simple, safe and most importantly, special. A large proportion of our customers are women, who say they find our hassle-free, customer-led service a breath of fresh air when it comes to purchasing a vehicle.
We don’t expect you to be experts and can help guide you in finding the perfect car for you.
You only need call us, which means you don’t have to worry about feeling vulnerable or intimidated on a dealership forecourt. We’re really easy to talk to, we promise!
There’s no need to test drive, we do that for you too. So, you can take all the time you need in the comfort of your own driveway to get used to your new addition.
We don’t need to pressure sell as we have no stock to move. We simply find what you want, when you want it.
To find out more about us and how our vehicle finding service works, take a look here: How it Works.