Trade Group Says Female Mechanics Good for Business

LONDON – Car-servicing garages are being warned they are leaving millions of pounds a year on the table because they don’t employ enough women mechanics.

A survey of U.K. women drivers shows 96% want to see more females when they visit showrooms and vehicle-servicing facilities. At present, only 1% of vehicle technicians are female while, at the same time, women drivers soon will outnumber men.

The research was published by the Institute of the Motor Industry, a professional body for the U.K. auto trade, as it launched a campaign at last week’s London auto show to admonish the industry to employ more women or risk losing business.

The survey also finds 31% of women drivers don’t feel comfortable having their car repaired owing to the fear of not understanding technical jargon and the possibility of being overcharged, or charged for unnecessary work or parts.

Because of this, women were four times more likely to get someone else to take their car to a garage than men.

Nearly 40% of drivers say they didn’t notice any females working in their local garage on their previous visit, adding they didn’t know what they were paying for and wouldn’t know how to challenge a bill if they felt it was wrong.

“The number of women drivers in the U.K. continues to increase year on year,” IMI CEO Steve Nash says. “It’s important businesses understand and develop their methods, behavior and attitudes to reflect the changes in the consumer landscape.

“With over 250 different job roles and automotive technology continuing to develop, there is a wide variety of career choices available,” he says. “The IMI are working with organizations to encourage females to consider the automotive industry as an exciting sector to be a part of.”