Steering Women & Families to Friendly Dealers

"I just plain hate shopping for cars. I had been wanting a new one for years, but couldn't imagine subjecting myself to the abuse I've received in the past from car dealers… But at Mazda of Bedford, I was greeted very warmly, was not talked down to, didn't feel as if I was being taking advantage, and I was not pressured at any point to lease the car. I will definitely go back to Mazda when my lease is up…"

"Northland was the best experience I ever had in buying a new vehicle. They made sure I was completely satisfied during the whole process. They were very patient in helping me choose the right MKX that I wanted. My husband didn’t even go with me to finalize the purchase. He had that much faith that I was taken care of. I would recommend all women to this dealership group if you are looking for a Ford or Lincoln."

"I always feel like a second-class citizen when I get my service. Men are visibly treated with more respect."

"Now there’s a website devoted to helping women get the best deals at dealerships that have been reviewed "women friendly" by other women around the country."

Women-Drivers.com is a bilingual social networking site that allows women to review their browsing, buying and servicing experience at new car dealerships nationwide. The above comments are actual blogs from reviews on the site. The reviews, all generated from women, are compiled, audited, and calculated into Women’s Satisfaction Index™ or a WSI™ scores for a dealership.

Dealerships with scores above a 3.8 and higher (out of a 1 – 5 scale) are recognized and marketed as certified Women Drivers friendly Women-Drivers mission is to put buyers in direct communication with Women-Drivers Friendly™ dealers. The Company sells the experiences, preferences and demographics to the dealership network so they can convert more browsers to buyers as well as provide pathways for dealerships to improve their level of service to women.

Women-Drivers is proving to also be a valuable tool for dealerships that do cater to women buyers. With funding now being made available to Detroit’s Big Three, manufacturer’s will be quick to infuse marketing dollars to jump-start credit, sales and interest in the newest 2009 line up. Women-Drivers provides a true competitive edge for dealers. Below are some of the highlights and scores from the businesses’ first quarter collective survey results.

WSI score for Salespeople when reviewer was BROWSING: 3.67

• Satisfaction with the dealership: 3.71
• Satisfaction with the price and payments: 3.23
• Satisfied with the Salesperson’s ability to listen: 3.64
• Reasons for not purchasing:
  • 53% respondents said "High pressured Salesperson"
  • 23% said "Dealership did not have the model or color in stock"
• 54% went to the dealership by themselves
  • Of those that were accompanied by another, 85% went with a man
• 62% received follow up communication
• Emotions felt when shopping for a car: Ads up to over 100%, as respondents can choose multiple answers.
  • 41% Excited
  • 35% Apprehensive
  • 24% Confident
  • 18% Intimidated

WSI score for Salespeople when reviewer was PURCHASING: 4.55

• Satisfaction with the dealership experience: 4.67
• Satisfaction with the price and payments: 4.31
• Satisfied with the Salesperson’s ability to listen: 4.53
• Top Reasons for purchasing at this dealership:
  • Referral from a friend
  • Best price/deal
  • Salespersons service
  • Best trade-in
• 43% went to the dealership by themselves
  • Of those that were accompanied by another, 78% went with a man
• 88% received follow up communication
• Emotions felt when shopping for a car: Ads up to over 100%, as respondents can choose multiple answers.
  • 59% Excited
  • 41% Apprehensive
  • 30% Confident
  • 19% Relaxed
• 89% were satisfied with the Financing process

WSI score for Service Managers: 4.24

• Received an estimate prior to work being completed: 4.36
• Satisfied with being informed of the progress of repair: 4.25
• Alternative service options were suggested/discussed 3.76
• Work was completed to reviewer’s satisfaction: 4.23
• Received follow up communication: 74%
• 54% respondents use the dealerships service department
• 93% were satisfied with vehicles cleanliness upon pick-up

About Women-Drivers.com

Women-Drivers.com connects women & families with certified Women-Drivers Friendly™ dealerships. Consumers rate their Browsing, Purchasing and Service experiences at 16,500 dealerships in the United States. The company markets Women Satisfaction Index™ subscriptions which provides personalized analytics showing what women really experience, allowing dealerships to improve their level of service to this powerful purchasing group.

Contact 412.327.2604 to schedule Anne Fleming for an interview. Learn more at www.womendrivers.com.