Women’s Automotive Association International to Support Lyn St. James Foundation with Scholarship

Danica Patrick, Deborah Renshaw and Erin Crocker graduates of the Lyn St. James driver development program provide inspiration at August 3, 2006 "Women in the Winner's Circle."

    

(PRWEB) June 23, 2006 -- Join us in celebrating the women of motor sports at the "Women in the Winner Circle" luncheon in Indianapolis, Indiana on August 3rd, 2006 to award the WAAI "Women in Motor Sports" scholarship to the Lyn St. James Foundation, www.lynstjames.com . Ford COO and NASCAR fan Anne Stevens will be the main speaker. Danica Patrick, Deborah Renshaw and Erin Crocker are all graduates of the Lyn St. James driver development program. Female drivers from several racing series will be represented along with top automotive industry and motor sports executives.

Click Here for complete story and podcast interview.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/6/prweb40

Moms and New Teen Age Drivers

My step-son Kyle turned 16 the 22nd of June will get his drivers license this summer! In preparation for him to hit the road safely, I did some research on teen driver safety and found some great sites to share with you on information and advice for parents and your new teen drivers:

Teendriving.com, a site full of tips to help new drivers

Teen Driving Safety Is Why This Website Exists...

How's Your Teen Driving? Would You Like to Know?

Tips for Moms and Teens From The National Safety Council 

Practice, Practice, Pratice..Teen Drivers Need More...

A 'George Orwell' Solution For Teen Driving

Hope these links help calm your nerves and provide some education for your own newly licensed teenager drivers this summer!

Ask Patty

A Car Dealer who caters to women

New Mexico Business Weekly - June 2006

By Lori Johnston

 

Understanding that women make more than half the Toyota car purchases every year, Toyota Mall of Georgia has females in mind when deciding about advertising, staffing and services.

The dealership purchases advertisements on television stations and during the times in which women are more likely to be watching. It offers complimentary manicures and sponsors community events to raise money for women-centered causes, such as breast cancer.

General Manager Brian Allison says efforts like these, as well as hiring female sales personnel, have been part of the dealership's strategy since it opened in 2001.

The dealership has employed this strategy with good reason. The buying power of women is significant.

Washington, D.C.-based Diversity Best Practices calls women the "market of America."

In its "2005 WOW! Quick Facts: Women" publication, the organization reported that women influence the automobile-buying decision of a household 85 percent of the time and buy more than half of the cars themselves.

The percentage of vehicle purchases made by women ranges from 50 percent to 90 percent, depending on the automaker.

Figures from Toyota Motor Corp. mirror that research.

In 2005, females made 57 percent of car and 46 percent of the truck and sport utility vehicle purchases.

In some families, the man still holds the traditional role as the negotiator because women have, for decades, been "denigrated about their ability to make good economic decisions," says Pam Scholder Ellen, associate professor of marketing at Georgia State University.

Click here to read entire text of this article 

Women on the sales floor breaking sterotypes

   

  Women on the sales floor breaking stereotypes
 Scoot over, Jack. At Park Place Lexus in Plano, Texas, you're just as likely to find Jill in the driver's seat and on the showroom floor. In an industry where men have traditionally dominated, Park Place Lexus encourages women to excel in the automotive field. 

At the recent Internet Conference, Caryl Herschman the President of AWARE (Advancing Women in Automotive Retail Enterprises) spoke about marketing to women and how they can be an integral part of a dealership operation.

The topics covered the themes “Women Are Customers
and Employees Too! as well as “Hiring, Training, and Retaining Excellent Employees!”  It seems that Park Place Lexus is a bit ahead of the curve in this aspect.

"People don't think of women in prominent positions in the automobile industry," says Sherry Miller, vice president of human resources for Park Place Dealerships. "But there is tremendous potential in our company. We hire for attitude then train for success. We're less interested in prior experience and more focused on finding highly motivated people who want to succeed." 

Out of 47 female members at the dealership, there are currently six women on the sales team, and Park Place Lexus would like to see those numbers grow. The six women in sales at Park Place Lexus represent a wide range of backgrounds from estate planner to corporate sales and retail. Although several had never sold cars before, the constant between them is passion.

"How does anyone get up in the morning without a passion for something?" asks Jamie Klein, who was in sales at a record label before coming to Park Place Lexus six years ago. "My clients appreciate my directness. I'm willing to go the extra mile to discover their needs. You might say I mother them a little."

"It's not a battle of the sexes," explains Ms. Miller. "It's about offering our clients more choices. Some people find it easier to relate to a man when buying a car, and some are more comfortable talking to a woman. Their sales figures are indistinguishable." Park Place works hard to hire the right person and after they do, training becomes a critical part of the culture. The average Park Place member undergoes more than 100 hours of training per year.

"It's in our best interest and the candidate's best interest to select the right person for a specific job," explains Ms. Miller. "Once hired, we invest a lot in our members to help them grow in their area of expertise."

While the women represent a wide range of ages and personalities, they all share a passion for perfection. As Kim Bergman said, "My success is a direct result of the leadership we have here. Park Place Lexus makes sure I have the training to be the best at my profession. And that's what led us to be the first automobile dealership to ever receive the 2005 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award."

Compared to a 55 percent employee turnover rate in the auto industry, Park Place Lexus' turnover is less than 22 percent. "I love Park Place's philosophy," Angela Zateeny says with a smile. "We welcome people into an environment that's more like a home than a car dealership. It's all about choices. And in the luxury market, that's what sets us apart from our competition."

Programs, such as the Park Place Lexus "50-50 committee meetings," allow an open forum where members devote 50 percent of the time to ideas and concerns, and 50 percent to solutions, thus the members not only point out problems, but also provide solutions.

Founded in 1987, Park Place Dealerships have nine dealerships representing a dozen high-end brands in Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston. In addition to Lexus, Park Place represents Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Maserati, Volvo, Land Rover and Jaguar. Park Place Dealerships employs more than 1,000 people. Park Place Lexus Plano opened in 1991 and has undergone more than 10 expansions.

For more information on AWARE go to www.awareforwomen.org 

and for Park Place dealerships go to:  www.parkplacetexas.com

Why is it Difficult for Women to Shop...for Cars?

---

Women are huge car shoppers...but not all car dealerships provide a pleasant experience for them.

Fifty years ago, automakers recognized that there was great promise in marketing cars to women. Today automakers spend millions of dollars annually in advertising and marketing targeted specifically to women. Women buy more than half of all new cars sold in the United States; they influence 85 percent of all new-car purchases and buy 20 percent of new cars costing over $30,000, according to AutoTrader.com.

So why do most women hate the carbuying experience so much?

Crevier Client Consultant Marlene Tapie (left) and potential client Nichelle Tenerelli (right).

Sure, many people find it stressful to buy a car, but even women who have taken leadership roles in their professional, personal and civic duties admit that they are uncomfortable going into a dealership and negotiating the purchase of a car without the help of a friend or relative. Maybe this is due to the fact that women are consistently quoted higher prices than men, according to economists lan Ayres and Peter Siegelman. Or, maybe it's because women buyers are put off by salesmen who patronize them by pointing out how the color of the car matches their eyes rather than whether the car gets good gas mileage. (Edmunds.com)

No "hard sell"

At Crevier BMW, the number one BMW dealership on the West Coast, preventive measures are taken to guarantee a positive experience for women shopping for cars. Extensive education and training are given to all client advisors, teaching them how to make women comfortable through the car purchasing process. It is these types of hiring practices that are making car shopping less of a burden for women.

'The hard sell doesn't work on women," said Marlene Tapie, the current number one client advisor at Crevier BMW. "And that's why women tend to have a positive experience at Crevier - we don't believe in the hard sell. When you walk onto our showroom floor there is no pressure to buy. We are simply here to meet your needs; if you're looking to buy today, great, but if not, we hope to provide you with any information you came by to seek out."

The stereotypical "hard sell" car salesperson is still out there, but high-end luxury dealerships such as Crevier BMW are paving the way towards a positive and comfortable experience for everyone.

For more information about Creview BMW, please contact Jim Hogan at (714) 835-3171 or visit www.crevierbmw.com.

Why is it Difficult for Women to Shop...for Cars?
    From ; Orange County Business Journal
    Anonymous

www.askpatty.com

http://askpatty.typepad.com

Blog Her Writes about The Driving Woman and Ask Patty

   

Some Help for Hitting the Road from BlogHer.org

http://blogher.org/node/6379

By Suzanne, 11:40 am, Tue 13 Jun 2006

Contributing Editor Suzanne also blogs at CUSS & Other Rants

I generally hate driving (one of the many reasons why I love living in New York City), but I have many girlfriends who find it fun and relaxing. One of my friends eventually moved out of the city and never plans to return because she cannot afford to have her beloved car with her. Even if she could afford keeping her ride nearby, she is not sure she’d want to. The joys of driving stick do not lend themselves well to sitting in traffic. My other friend loves visiting her family in Connecticut so that she can get in the family car and cruise the neighborhood. They'd love The Driving Woman.

The eight women editors (Katti Ehoff, Caroline Pardilla, Donna DeRosa, Erin Riches, Michelle Magoffin, Kelly Toepke, Joanne Helperin, and Sheila Scarborough) that are the drivers of The Driving Woman clearly side with my girlfriends when it comes to ideas about wheels as a pleasurable way to spend one’s time. (Disclosure: ”The Driving Woman is a blog sponsored by Edmunds.com, “an intermediary of automotive information.”) The editors write about everything from their trips to driving tracks (from Michelle):

I'd definitely go to "The Drive" again, but next time I wouldn't waste my time on the regular track.

to referrals to other resources for women who have questions about cars, such as a link to Ask Patty(from Joanne):

The driving force behind AskPatty is Jody DeVere, currently the President of the Woman’s Automotive Association International, (www.waai.com) the premier women’s organization for women automotive professionals. But what most stands out on AskPatty is the impressive list of women on its advisory board, including racer Deborah Renshaw and a host of female automotive industry and business veterans…We’re also glad another site is joining in the mission to empower women in the car-buying and owning process. Check it out!

After citing a study that found that 70% of women are nervous about buying a car unless a man accompanies her to the dealership, Erin wrote:

Now, this doesn't have to be so. The details of financing or leasing of a car are often far more important then haggling over the price paid for the car itself. Granted, it takes a little bit of guts to overcome that fear of number-crunching, but once you do, it's SO worth it. Our Auto Finance Tips and Auto Finance Center have everything you need to be prepared for that nasty sit-down in the Finance office of the dealership. Even if you normally leave everything financial to your hubby/significant other, this is one area you can master... and it feels really good when you do. ..So don't be a statistic!

For those of you who think driving is recreation, here’s a great site for you. For those of us who find driving to be a chore, this site is still chock full of helpful info to things a bit easier to deal with when you can't just be the passenger.

Have a Comment about Ask Patty?

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Feel free to express yourself by posting your comments on this post below......

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Lipstick Meets Chrome

 

      The Chrommettes of America bring feminine touch to car shows

DELANSON -- They wear pink jackets, ride in their cars with stocking-clad mannequins and have awards like the Top Lipstick Picks. They are the Chrommettes of America -- fun-loving, mostly retired women whose passion for classic cars is exceeded only by a desire to help sick children.

The Chrommettes is the brainchild of Evelyn "Evie" Card of Delanson. After years of attending car shows with her husband Ken, Card founded the organization 13 years ago.

"I was tired of hearing people tell him how nice his car was when it was my car," says Card, who runs a telecommunications business out of her home.

Her first recruits were Mary Armstrong of Guilderland and Betsy Tromans of Melrose, both of whom are with what they say is "the only car club for women in America."

As Tromans found out, Evie Card can be persuasive, especially when it comes to recruiting members for the Chrommettes.

Card, 60, spotted Tromans across a parking lot at a car show in East Greenbush during the summer of 1993 and asked her to join the fledgling group when she saw her ride -- a mint 1966 Ford Mustang.

"The first time I saw Evie she was running at me yelling, 'There's a lady driver, there's a lady driver. Would you join my club?' " said Tromans, who is 57 and a retired state worker.

With that, the Chrommettes and a friendship were born.

For Armstrong, 60, who fancies street rods, the Chrommettes were long overdue. She had attended car shows since 1984, but sometimes felt ... outnumbered in the male-dominated environment.

"I thought I was an oddity," said Armstrong, a retired insurance agent.

The Chrommettes, who range in age from the mid-20s to 60, will hold their 13th annual car show Aug. 5 at Terry Morris Ford Mercury. Sure, the women like to show off their cars, but the real purpose of the event is to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House of Albany.

The Chrommettes have given the charity more than $50,000 since they started the car show, according to Card.

Morris died in April and the women plan to thank the entrepreneur's family for his contributions to the Chrommettes with a plaque during this year's show.

"If it wasn't for Terry, we wouldn't have a show," said Card.

The Chrommettes have about 55 members nationwide, and there also chapters in Canada and Australia, according to Card. Their pink jackets with "Chrommettes of America" emblazoned on the back make them easily recognizable.

Although the club gives out prizes like the Stiletto Award and the Top Lipstick Pick at the car show and hang red-stockinged mannequin legs out the back windows of their cars as Card has done, the Chrommettes are a hit with the men.

"They love our feminine touch," said Card.

Chrommettes members love older cars, particularly those from the 1950s and 1960s. Those cars -- Mustangs, Corvettes, Gran Turismo's -- were laden with chrome, inside and out. Card's love of the metal's mirror-like finish inspired her group's name.

"The more chrome you had, the cooler your car was back in the '50s," she said.

More than 200 women attended last year's car show. Card admits most of the group's members lack mechanical know-how to fix their own cars should a serious problem arise.

Their cars run the gamut. Armstrong, for instance, has a 1931 Ford Coupe and a "tricked out" 2001 PT Cruiser. She has also owned a 1923 T-Bucket (a Model-T with truck back) and a 1933 Ford Sedan

Ask Lorraine Schultz -- Founder/CEO WAAI

Meet Lorraine Schultz:

Lorraine Schultz began making history during a time in the automotive industry when there were probably 400 men to ever one woman employed. In 1999, the Automotive Hall of Fame awarded its Distinguished Service awards to women for the first time since 1945. Lorraine Schultz, a member of its Board of Directors and Founder of the Women's Automotive Association International, had a lot to do with that decision.

Lorraine began her career in the automotive industry when she acquired an interest in the Detroit Model Bureau, a company that supplied talent for the various auto shows. When the company dissolved, Lorraine became the Executive Director for the AutoLeather Guild of America where she worked for 19 years managing the marketing for three major tanners who supplied leather for the automotive industry. This tenure provided her with the opportunity for extensive traveling to auto shows all over the world including France, Switzerland, and Japan.

In 1995, following the dissolution of the Leather Guild, Lorraine introduced the Women's Automotive Association (WAAI) to the automotive industry. She has received many leadership and humanitarian awards from organizations such as the American Lung Association, the National Association of Women Business Owners, and Women in Communications. She has served as a Board member and volunteer to many companies and organizations such as Society of Automotive Analyst, Women's Economic Club of Detroit, March of Dimes, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Michigan Opera Theatre, Salvation Army, Kendall School of Art and Design, and The Detroit Metropolitan Woman Magazine. Lorraine is presently the Executive Director for the WAAI, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Automotive Hall of Fame and Ferris State University.

www.waai.com

Deborah Renshaw Podcast Interview

   

Top Female Professional NASCAR Driver To Head ‘Ask Patty’ Advisory Board

CarsMagazine.com to launch “Ask Patty” with automotive advisory panel of industry expert women.

Sarasota, FL (PRWEB) May 24, 2006 -- CarsMagazine.com has announced that Deborah Renshaw, 30-year old professional NASCAR driver from Bowling Green Kentucky and the first woman to lead a lap in a NASCAR sanctioned series, will head up the automotive advisory panel of industry-expert women for their new woman’s portal, ‘Ask Patty’. The ‘Ask Patty’ website (http://.askpatty.typepad.com) launches May 23, 2006 in conjunction with Carsmagazine.com and will provide a safe place for women to get advice on car purchases, maintenance and other automotive related topics online.


As part of her automotive advisory role, Renshaw will respond online to questions from consumer women regarding their automotive needs. “‘Ask Patty’ is what consumer women have been waiting for - a safe online place to get advice before they visit their local car dealerships," states Renshaw. "I am pleased to join the “Ask Patty” team of expert automotive advisors and believe my experience and industry knowledge will help consumer women make educated decisions about their automotive needs and enable them to have a better experience with local car dealerships."

Renshaw was selected to head the advisory board based on her deep knowledge of the Automotive Industry. Renshaw states, “I grew up in the car business - my father, Dan Renshaw, owns ‘Renshaw Automotive’ which is a 5-line dealership in Kentucky.”

      Read the rest of this release, click here.      

                                                             

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Transportation:Automotive - Podcast Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2006 11:21:43 -0700

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