February 2012- It wasn't too long ago, that it would have been considered difficult to find a woman heading a successful venture in the automotive world. However, times they are a changing- this past weekend at a meeting surrounding the NADA (National Automotive Dealers Association) Convention, three female powerhouses in the automotive industry came together to celebrate exactly what each of them have been working so hard to accomplish.
The exact reason of the gathering was obvious- Paula Lombard, President of WEXCO Industries/AutoTex Pink and Jody DeVere, CEO of Ask Patty, aimed to present VP of DARCARS Automotive, Tammy Darvish ,with an award for being the "Certified Female Friendly Customer of 2011". On the surface, the act of showing appreciation between these 3 ladies seemed simple but the meaning behind their actions, in actuality, goes much deeper.
Paula Lombard, wiper industry native of over 20 years, brought AutoTex Pink, a windshield wiper brand of which a portion of proceeds goes to the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Breast Cancer Society of Canada in 2009. Not too long after, she joined forces with Jody Devere, a social media marketing to women expert, journalist, car care expert and safety spokesperson, and her team at AskPatty.com. The two women found more than their knowledge of the automotive industry in common. "Although mine and Jody's end products are different, they complement each other. We both know the strength in the female influence and we share common goals in making big changes" says Paula Lombard. What came out of each woman's experiences was how to successfully market to women.
As the Vice President of DARCARS Automotive Group, Tammy Darvish saw the value in adding to their already high standard for customer service, by making her locations Certified Female Friendly®.
She adds, "We realize that over 90% of the decisions to purchase and/or service a vehicle are influenced by women, so we feel it is important to partner with female friendly companies in the industry to make their experience a positive one". Along with the Ask Patty program, DARCARS took on the AutoTex Pink product line to offer to their customers. The response received was outstanding- with the AskPatty program making inroads in the minds of installers and dealers everywhere, and AutoTex Pink's proven track record, it has proven itself to grow the AutoTex Pink program 80% year over year since its inception, and allowed an over $50,000 donation the breast cancer charities.
"The American Marketing Association states 40% of women versus 30% of men were more likely to buy a product or service if they knew that a certain amount of the purchase price was being donated directly to a cause or campaign. The combination of delivering a Certified Female Friendly® experience and the opportunity to purchase AutoTexPink wiper blades and benefit breast cancer research resonates with women car buyers", says Jody DeVere, CEO AskPatty.com, Inc. "Congratulations to Tammy Darvish and her team at DARCARS Automotive for creating a culture that Wows women!"
All three women have been working diligently in their own corners of the industry to make changes towards a better and more productive future. It is partnerships like these that really prove the power of teamwork, innovation, and taking risks.
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About AutoTex PINK: AutoTex PINK is a division of WEXCO Industries, Inc., a certified WBENC (Women's Business Enterprise National Council) company that is one of the nation's leading global supplier of OEM quality windshield wiper blades, auto parts and accessories. A portion of the sales of AutoTex PINK windshield wiper blades goes to the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Breast Cancer Society of Canada. For more information, visit www.autotexpink.com or call 800.692.6932.
About AskPatty.com: With international headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California, AskPatty.com, Inc. takes a two-pronged approach to revolutionizing the women's automotive retail market: For consumers, the AskPatty.com website, is a safe and reliable source for expert automotive advice and research. For auto dealers, tire dealers, collision centers, auto service and repair centers, the revolutionary AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly® program, designed from the ground up, trains and certifies automotive retail and service centers on how to attract, sell, retain and increase loyalty with women customers.
About DARCARS: DARCARS Automotive Group, founded in 1977 by Dr. John Darvish, is a family owned group of automobile dealerships representing over 30 brands (including Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Jeep, Dodge, etc) throughout the Greater Washington and Baltimore Area. Headed by Tamara Darvish, once named as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Women in the Automotive Industry in North America, they are consistently placed on the Forbes 500 list of the largest private companies in America. DARCARS sells nearly 1 out of every 500 new cars sold in the United States.