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Women Sales Representatives
Have you ever asked the question 'why are there so few women sales representatives in dealerships'' This is asked in many different ways. The real intent behind the question however is, 'why don't you hire women sales reps in dealerships''
The question is usually posed in such a way that implies that dealers do not want to hire women in this role or that there is a hidden, grandiose scheme by dealers to exclude women sales reps on the showroom floor.
If there is a reader out there that thinks that dealers purposely exclude women from selling vehicles, please reposition your rabbit ears and tune into today's reality.
I know of no new car dealer that would not want a women sales rep. In fact, there is no group more desirous of hiring women sales reps then new car dealers.
Dealers understand the value of diversity on the showroom floor. This diversity transcends sex, colour, race or creed. Dealers know only to well, that women are excellent in a sales role. With more women sales reps, the industry would be perceived to be a more honest, more friendly and a more inviting and approachable place to do business.
While women consumers do not necessarily want to deal with other women, they tell me that they would feel less intimidated and less nervous about going into a showroom alone, if there were women sales reps present. Somehow, the notion that you will not get 'screwed' by the vultures (men sales reps) does not have the same worry if in fact there is at least one woman sales rep on the floor.
Here are the facts. All sales reps in Ontario must be licensed by the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC). There are currently 21,738 reps registered with OMVIC. Of this number only 2,193 or 10% are women. Unfortunately, the same statistics applicable to the GTA were not available. One would think, however, that the same percentages would apply to the GTA.
When you consider that 65% of all car buying\leasing decisions are influenced by women, the 10% figure mentioned above is disproportionate to the number of women buyers. It would be such a benefit for dealers and consumers alike to have one or more women sales rep in each new car dealership in the GTA.
Will this happen any time soon' UNFORTUNATELY NOT!
The sad reality is that there are a number of factors that keep women from entering this industry. The primary and overriding factor is the current culture. As an outsider to this industry, would you want your daughter working as a sales rep in a dealership, working long hours, taking potential buyers, alone, on a test drive'
Simply put, young women seldom give the auto industry a chance primarily because they feel that they don't belong. And those that have the gumption to try it out are thrown into a lion's den, often intimidated by the male sales reps and aggressive demanding consumers' which causes the dynamics on the sales floor to go askew, causing women sales reps to retreat to a the safer haven of a more traditional job.
The unfortunate part is that the male sales reps do not see what is going on until it is too late ' and a potentially valuable sales rep is lost. Is this normal, working in a very competitive commission-based environment'
At this point the industry has no answer. Our industry needs women sales reps in addition to more women in other areas of a dealership. But before we can begin to attract young women to this industry, a major cultural change has to take place. The perception will have to be re-engineered to meet the reality of today.
Automotive sales reps, male or female, are as professional as any sales rep currently employed in other industries. And yet many consumers feel that dealership personnel, especially women, have no ethics, little finesse and are hired strictly for their looks.
Consumers, the very same people that look for women sales reps do the most damage on the showroom floor. Armed with a mind set that the only way to negotiate a good deal is to hammer away and wear the sales rep down, consumers (thank God not all-but some) play havoc with the novice sales reps rendering the position unbearable.
And heaven forbid if a female sales rep ever shows the slightest bit of aggressiveness ' then she's deemed as a bi'! But if a man is aggressive, he's simply being confident.
Well, despite that old marketing 101 edict that the customer is always right, in this case, the consumer is wrong, big time. Unfortunately, many consumers have these unreal perceptions of women sales reps, especially those in dealerships. I can tell you these perceptions are unfounded and certainly unwarranted.
Until next week, PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY!
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