Case Studies
Issue No. 40 - April/ /
Jargon busters win women\‘s business
by Pamela Brombal
Unless you’re a mechanic, a car enthusiast or a bloke, you might feel nervous when your mechanic says your piston rings need replacing.
Understanding trade jargon - another language to the uninitiated - is essential for understanding price. For women, this can cause an all-too-familiar feeling of dread when dealing with many trade services.
A new Adelaide business has seized on this unhappy fact of life with an enterprise that provides a solution. Female Friendly Pty Ltd aims to cut through the jargon and offer women quality customer care by accrediting mechanics and trade services as “female friendly”.
Creator Kylie Jacobs – who owns a tyre and auto accessories business and is married to a mechanic - got the idea when a local radio program prompted callers to ring in with car service horror stories. To her surprise a caller mentioned her husband’s workshop as female friendly.
Kylie recognised a niche market for identifying female friendly mechanics and other trade services and giving them recognition. She registered the business in September 2007 and launched nationally in March 2008.
The accreditation process involves a site visit and a “pink checklist” to ensure all parts of the candidate workshop is female friendly. FFM charges $150 per application and $800 per year for accreditation.
“Usually it involves a lick of paint and a fresh couch and their turnover soon starts to increase,” says Female Friendly National Sales Manager Caroline Davis, Kylie’s sister.
“All of our mechanics are really enthused about the project and come to us saying ‘Girls, tell us what you want us to do and we’ll do it’.”
“They know what the accreditation is worth,” Kylie adds, “and they know what it is going to be worth.”
FFM’s profile has grown thanks to rampant media attention, including a spot on Channel 7’s Sunrise program, and by word of mouth. FFM now has 20 ...
