GNYADA Hosts Forum For Women In the Auto Industry: A Multi-Taskers Dream
The automotive business is one place where a woman's skill set (compassion, communication, creativity, organizational skills and multitasking) is appreciated. Got your interest? Read on...
 Last year, a free event hosted by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA) was dubbed "Chocolate, Cars and Careers" to entice more women to attend. This year they didn't need to win women over. The theme; "Women in the Driver's Seat: Automotive Career Forum for Women" was enough to enroll over 125 women. Held at the Center for Automotive Education & Training in Queens, New York, the forum was designed to "break down stereotypes and encourage women entering, or re-entering, the workforce to look at careers in the retail automotive industry." Featuring a host of heavy weights, speakers ranged from Christine C. Quinn, New York City Council Speaker to Jody DeVere, President of AskPatty.com, a website for automotive advice. Panelist Suzanne Cochrane, GM of Helms Bros in Bayside, NY, a Mercedes-Benz/VW franchise, feels the industry has great opportunities for women. Cochrane says that flexibility and earning potential (there are no minimum wage earners at her franchise) are big draws and an added bonus for mothers. Mark Schienberg, President of GNYADA, adds; "This is a place where women can hear from other successful women who have found careers in the automotive business." He suggests that while women holding key positions in dealerships are still a small percentage, the industry is open to it. "What has been told to me over and over again, is that when a woman is the sales person, there are better closings and an increase in customer satisfaction." Apparently, the brutal "dance of the sale" takes on a whole different meaning when a woman is involved. "Women ask a whole different set of questions than men," quips Schienberg. "Plus, they have excellent organizational and communication skills." (Gotta love this man!) And yes, women bring multitasking to the job, especially if they have a family. Schienberg sums it up; " A woman brings a fresh approach to the business that's contagious!" GNYADA is developing additional programs for women. They are also tuning up their website with more female friendly info. Website is: www.autoedcenter.comPosted by Holly Nov 9, 2007 5:30 am
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Categories: What Women Want in a Car | Dealing with Car Dealers | Rants and Raves
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"The automotive business is one place where a woman's skill set (compassion, communication, creativity, organizational skills and multitasking) is appreciated."
The simple truth is that men also have these skills. Maybe women are better multitaskers because of the training they get from demands of running a home....perhaps married women are better at this? I'd also say women communicate differently from men, and NOT better than men. (In fact, I prefer mens' straightforward talking to womens' indirect "code".)
The auto industry would be better with women. It's true they can bring a certain perspective. But a woman's "skill set"? I don't think that's true....
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wiz101
- Nov 9, 2007 10:49 pm
(#2 Total: 14)
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Scheinberg never said better than men... he pointed out the differences. And I do believe that a woman has a different skill set than men....and that's what makes the world go round.
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My bad, maybe I got carried away. But are women really that different from men? Do women really have a different skill set? Different perspective, perhaps (and that's what makes the world go round).....but different skill set? I doubt that. There would probably be differences in cars styled by men and women (because women tend to be the primary child care providers and carry lots of things like handbags), but would engines designed by men and women be different? Would suspensions be different?
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wiz101
- Nov 10, 2007 12:21 pm
(#4 Total: 14)
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very good question about engines and suspensions...my guess is yes. and I don't know how to qualify or prove that--it's just this intuitive feeeeling that I have....woman's intuition?
as far as skill set---from talking to my girl friends and boy friends I would have to say for the most part yes, we are different. (try reading Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus)
and I can say that FOR SURE my husband have very different skill sets.
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irismg
- Nov 10, 2007 5:27 pm
(#5 Total: 14)
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If the article didn't say it, I'LL say it. I think women ARE better, on so many levels. If the men have the same skill set, they sure as heck aren't using it, making a HUGE need for people who WILL use these skills. And as far as the odious car buying process is concerned, I think women as sales MANAGERS would allow far fewer games in the showroom. Need women in the service bay, too.
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Irismg, stop the man-bashing. LOL!
wiz101, I think I should read "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus".
From my experience I would say the differences come from the way we look at and see things, in other words, perspective. And of course perspective can make a big difference. Eg, women would probably focus more on refinement and safety than outright performance and fun-to-drive factor. (I already think that modern cars, since 2004 or so, are too refined and lifeless.)
Well, I don't dispute that we need more women in the auto world. I just think think that executive was flattering women to get his point across by attributing to them skills that men also have. The fact is that there are many men who have "compassion, communication, creativity, organizational skills and multitasking" skills....and many women who don't have these skills.
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wiz101
- Nov 12, 2007 7:28 am
(#7 Total: 14)
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keep it up --this makes for a good sitcom. by the way, that "exec" heads up the NY Auto Show. I don't think that he was saying anything to flatter--he was just speaking what he knew.
as far as men and women being different, i applaud the differences...but we're just trying to get more women interested in a field that is mostly dominated by men!
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LOL! I only referred to him as "that executive" because I had forgotten his name. Now I remember: Mark Schienberg. :)
I also applaud the differences, but I just believe they're being exaggerated.
Saying women have more "compassion, communication, creativity, organizational skills and multitasking" is as ridiculous as saying men are more "analytical" and have more "leadership skills and bravery", for example. Such claims mostly play to stereotypes. See what I mean?
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wiz101
- Nov 12, 2007 11:05 am
(#9 Total: 14)
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yes, i agree with you. let's reword that phrase. something like women seem to exhibit skills like compassion, communication etc. etc. with more ease than men. or women in automotive sales often exhibit another level of .... ugh, i'm tired. it's just monday!
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Bingo! That sounds more like it!! :-)
I'd be the first to agree that women certainly have some intangible quality. Remember I said earlier in one of your blog entries that I've seen/met only one car saleswoman so far in my visits to several dealers? Her name is Betsy. I'll just cut to the chase and say she is the best car salesperson I've met so far. Sure, the dealership wasn't busy at the time (weekday afternoon), but the attention she gave me and the time she took to explain the features of the 2008 Accord was.....wow! All this after I had made it quite obvious I wasn't buying; I simply said I wanted to "check out the 2008 Accord". I've never had such great service from male car salesmen, unless I lied or gave the impression that I was about to buy! Is every female car salesperson like that? I don't know, but I enjoyed my dealership time with her a lot.
I didn't get to the point of negotiating price with Betsy, so I don't know whether or not she's "sleazy" when it come to price negotiation.
But I've dealt with another lady before: when I was buying my Protege5. I bought it from a woman who was selling because she was leaving town. I made it clear to her I wasn't out to cheat her and I simply wanted to pay a fair price. When it got to a point where I couldn't convince her to go further, she started using what I call "emotional arguments". In other words she made a case about how much I like the car, whether I was willling to miss out on the car because of an extra $150 or so, etc. (I had foolishly made it obvious I was a big fan of the Protege5!) Well, her tactics worked: I bought the car! I'm not sure if a man who wasn't a professional salesman would have used these emotional arguments.....I know I wouldn't and would have stuck to the facts like market value, etc.
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wiz101
- Nov 12, 2007 3:07 pm
(#11 Total: 14)
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LOL, You fell for the emotional argument? I'm surprised. You appear so LOGICAL. I hope the car was worth it.
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Yes, I did! She couldn't get me with a logical argument because whatever she said I would counter by proving to her that my offer was fair.
Actually, I realised she was using an emotional argument and I was falling for it fast so I ended the conversation with "I'll think about it and call you tomorrow". I agreed to her offer the next day.
There were other reasons that made me give in to her. By the time I found her advert, I had been searching for about 3 months and getting tired of not getting still not having a car. (I initially wasn't in a hurry.) Halfway into those three months, I fell in love with the Protege5 and was no longer willing to settle for anything else. As you already know, the Protege5 is rare. Finding one with a manual transmission, ABS and side airbags was hell and when I finally found hers I was willing to buy it for any reasonable price.
In retrospect, I think her price was very fair. For a private seller deal, I probably didn't get a bargain but I got a good price. I've owned the car for little more than a year and it's very reliable. So I 'd say it was worth it. Next time I buy a car, I'll never show the seller I love that car! That will make me less susceptible to emotional sales tactics!
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