A comprehensive study by Citroen has discovered that most women feel the car-buying process is not geared towards them.
In a survey of more than 7,500 drivers in the UK, close to half (48 percent) of female respondents said car dealerships were focused on male customers.
Only one in four (25 percent) of the women surveyed by Citroen said they would feel comfortable asking for assistance when viewing vehicles in a showroom.
Notably, four times as many women as men said they would primarily seek out a female member of staff when buying a new car from a dealership.
Park the patronisation
A preference for seeking advice from female members of staff in a car showroom is likely to have been driven by past experiences, based upon Citroen’s research.
Some 44 percent of female survey respondents said they had felt patronised when asking for advice from male car showroom staff.
Younger female car buyers in particular say the process is not aimed at them, with 59 percent in the 17-24-year-old female category believing it is tailored to men.
This age group was also more likely to have felt patronised in a car showroom, with more than half (55 percent) noting this had happened to them.
Valuing all car customers
The Citroen survey also examined the importance of diversity and inclusivity on the websites of car brands.
More than three quarters (77 percent) of female drivers said website diversity was important, while 64 percent told Citroen it was important for customers to see people like them across consumer websites and featured in advertising.
Greg Taylor, managing director of Citroen UK, said: “Citroen values every one of its customers and is committed to making sure that everyone has a positive purchasing experience when visiting the brand, whether in-store or online. We strive to be accessible to all drivers who want to reach us.
“From our focus on accessible pricing and the simplification of our product range to ensuring our retailers can cater to the needs of all customers, we want to make sure everyone is comfortable when visiting a Citroen retailer.”
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