Most women have been there. They take the car to an auto mechanic and they’re either patronized, ignored, or cheated. Yes, most women have been there, and none of them like it. It is not good for the mechanic either, as research indicates that 65% of customers who take their vehicle in for service and repair are women. Of those women who take their cars to the mechanic, nine out of ten believe that they are treated differently because they are women, according to a recent survey, and they do not understand that difference to be positive.
Women are no different from men when they take their car in to be serviced by their local auto mechanic. They want the repairs and costs to be clearly outlined in terms they can understand, and they want their questions to be answered honestly and knowledgably. They also want to be treated with respect. With all of those things in mind, there are several things that a woman can look for when trying to decide upon an auto mechanic.
One thing to be sure of is that the mechanic is ASE-certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Although an ASE certification does not guarantee how a particular mechanic treats customers, it is a guarantee that the mechanic is qualified to work on automobiles and has at least two years of experience doing so.
If you are a professional woman, you know what you like and what you don’t when you are in your place of business or when you visit the offices of clients. If you are a woman who doesn’t work outside of the home, you are still aware of what you find acceptable in dentist’s offices, or of which stores you like to shop at and why. In either instance, you can use these instinctive senses to help guide you in choosing an auto mechanic. Granted, car repair shops may not offer the same pristine environment as your pediatrician, but you can still judge a business by how it presents itself. Is the waiting area clean and well kept? If you can see into the service bays, do the mechanics appear to be busy or are they lolling around talking to one another? Does the lobby area look presentable or is there trash lying around? If you feel uncomfortable just being in the space, chances are that you will not feel comfortable choosing that auto mechanic.
Long gone are the days when women could easily be ripped off by unscrupulous auto mechanics. Now women represent a much larger portion of the market than men. So, trust your womanly instincts and check for ASE certification as you look around Minneapolis for your auto mechanic.
