What women want when shopping for a ride

Sheldon Williams, Gleaner Writer

One female first-time car buyer's interaction with a new car dealership has left an indelible mark - so much so, that she has branded herself an ambassador for the dealership.

La Donna Manning lauded the professionalism and courteous service she experienced at Stewart's Auto Sales in an email to Automotives.

"Searching for a new car didn't seem to be the easiest task to do and I wondered where to start. After making some calls to some car companies, I decided to make Stewart's Auto Sales my choice. I was blessed with a sales rep, Andrew Chin, whom I consider a 'sales rep extraordinaire', who did not only provide information about the car but was also a good listener," Manning said.

Manning emphasised that the excellent interactive and professional courtesy she received from Chin quickly erased pre-purchase jitters and her mindset that car purchases are customarily marred with hiccups. She felt appreciated beyond words.

Manning also praised the dealership for their post-sale consideration, especially because she was unfamiliar with some of the automobile's operations. "One of the things that struck me was the 'after sales' courtesy that was extended to me after I purchased the car. Andrew assured me that I could call on him if I had any questions, queries or needed clarification on anything. He stayed true to his word and I called upon him with the seemingly weirdest or most ridiculous 'car' questions, which he responded to professionally without making me feel silly. For instance, on the very first day, my car alarm went off with me in the car and I called him and he explained what I would do. Also, just imagine having my steering locked and not knowing how to open it! I called Andrew (after work hours) and he explained to me via telephone how to unlock it." Manning wrote.

"Additionally, I was very pleased with the
level of assistance I received from the service manager, who readily
assisted me when I told him I felt vibrations in my pedal. He tested it
and, upon checking other vehicles, indicated that was how all the Suzuki
Celerios were made (without the rubber, thus the feeling I
experienced). He, however, stated that he would pass on my
recommendations to the manufacturer, that they be fitted with rubber
like other cars in the Suzuki line."

More
detailed

The type of dealer interaction which pleased
Manning immensely is a requirement for those women buying used cars as
well. Lynvalle Hamilton, president of the Jamaica Used Car Dealers'
Association, said women make more car purchases than men, as "normally
you would have about 55 per cent of the customers being
female".

However, a significant amount of customer
support is needed. "Most times they need assistance. They would ask for
our expertise as well as some would come with a male companion - a
friend or so - with them, or a mechanic, but for the most part they
would seek assistance from us," Hamilton said. "More come without (men),
but when they come without, they would seek our assistance. Just a few
of them would have knowledge of what they really want or would be able
to differentiate as to why they want that car," Hamilton
added.

He said female motorists tend to place strong
emphasis on a vehicle's safety features and aesthetics when deciding on a
purchase. "A lot of them are quite concerned with such features and
more the aesthetics of the vehicle like the trimming on the vehicle and
the interior. They like nicer vehicles. They like real nice-looking
vehicles," he said. 'Nice' translates to "The car really stands out and
it is something that makes them look good or feel good; that is how
women shop".

"They normally would like the brighter
colours and shy away from the white and the silver, but sometimes the
darker colours normally attract a higher price and sometimes they are
not available on the lot. This is because most of the cars in Japan, or
where we purchase the cars, you'll get a lot of white and silver cars
and, when you do get a coloured car, it's a little bit more. But if you
do have a coloured car, they would stretch their pockets to get to that
because they like to have nice things, as I said," Hamilton
said.

The used cars women prefer, Hamilton said, are
the "Honda Civic, Honda Fit, Toyota Blade or those types of hot-looking
cars. The Nissan Tiida they also gravitate towards and that's because of
the price of those vehicles. They prefer the hatchback to the sedan,
but after realising that the hatchback is more expensive because it is
sportier than the sedan, they settle for the sedan
instead".

Hamilton told Automotives
that women are usually anxious when making their car purchases and
usually leave happy after the sale is finalised. "There's a lot of
anxiety that comes with purchasing the car. They feel like this is a
very big step for them and they are very much excited, especially when
they are getting the car and leaving with the car. It's a really loving
experience and it gives you a pleasurable feeling knowing that you
assisted them with the purchase of the car," he
said.