Car showrooms are no longer the preserve of men says UK dealer group

Feb. 10, 2014 - PRLog -- Operating five franchised dealerships across Hertfordshire, Essex and North London on behalf of car manufacturers, Honda, Kia and Mazda, Brayleys Cars has recently recruited its fifth female sales executive. One quarter of its total showroom sales force are women with almost 50 years of motor trade experience between them.

Latest figures from the Office of National Statistics recorded a total of 474,000* employees working across all areas of the UK automotive retail sector in September 2013, of which 95,000 are women, equivalent to 20%. Of these, 54,000 held full-time roles.

Overall within Brayleys Cars which has been established for over 10 years, 20% of the company’s 120 staff is female, occupying all the roles in reception, sales administration and its five-strong customer contact centre.

According to Paul Brayley, managing director of Brayleys Cars, an exponential increase in female car ownership and variety of brands has helped the motor trade to broaden its appeal as a source of employment:

“The days of car retailing being a man’s world are over and it’s refreshing to see a meaningful increase in the number of women applying for sales roles. Brayleys has experienced a continual rise in the number of female car buyers so I’m pleased that we’re helping redress the industry’s out-dated gender imbalance in the showroom.”

Government statistics published by DVLA reveal that female car ownership in 2013 eclipsed 40% for the first time since records began and last year, 9.8 million women were registered as private car keepers compared to 14.6 million men. The number of private cars with a female registered keeper has increased by 70% since 1994.