Tire Review Managing Editor to Join Expert Automotive Advisory Panel for Women
The Ask Patty Web site, at www.askpatty.com,
that launched June 8, 2006, provides a safe place for women to get
advice on car purchases, maintenance and other automotive-related
topics online.
Aichlmayr is managing editor of Tire Review, a
business publication read by more than 30,000 independent tire dealers
in North America. Tire Review is dedicated to the success of tire
dealers serving the passenger, commercial, agricultural, specialty and
off-the-road tire markets.
She writes several feature articles
for the monthly magazine as well as a regular column that focuses on
business operations and management strategy. She also manages the Tire
Review Web site.
During her eight-year career as a trade
journalist, Aichlmayr has written for several publications in the
manufacturing, supply chain, trucking, warehousing, distribution and
real estate arenas. She graduated summa cum laude from Baldwin-Wallace
College with a degree in English.
In her automotive advisory
role, Aichlmayr will respond to questions from consumer women on
automotive-related topics via the Web site. The Ask Patty interactive
advice blog launched May 22, 2006.
“Knowing how to serve women
customers is absolutely essential to the success of today’s tire
dealer,” stated Aichlmayr. “Women represent a powerful force in the
automotive industry, and their influence will only get stronger. Fully
65% of a typical tire dealer’s customer base is made up of women, yet
most still report negative experiences when shopping for tires. That
has to change for tire dealers to be successful in the long run.”
“Mary
Aichlmayr has an understanding of the needs of women when it comes to a
great buying experience in the automotive industry,” says Jody DeVere,
president of Ask Patty. DeVere continues, “Her experience with Tire
Review will be invaluable to women consumers who come to Ask Patty for
answers about their vehicles and dealership interactions.” According to
DeVere, Ask Patty provides the safe environment for women to get advice
and information needed to feel empowered and confident when they go to
their local dealership for car service, repairs, maintenance and to
negotiate and purchase a new or used vehicle.
Peter Martin, CEO
of AskPatty.com adds, “Adding Mary to our Automotive Expert Panel is a
great step for Ask Patty. It will allow us to expand our knowledge base
to cover even more information about tires and the aftermarket world of
the automotive industry.”
Ask Patty provides women consumers an
opportunity to send questions about car buying, selling, repair and
maintenance to a panel of expert automotive women and is a safe online
place to share and discuss their car buying experiences. Women can
submit posts directly to the Ask Patty Web site by going to www.askpatty.com.
The Ask Patty advisory panel of automotive expert women is headed up by
Deborah Renshaw, professional NASCAR driver, and is comprised of women
who hold various leadership positions in the automotive industry.
Women
purchase more than 50% of all vehicles sold in the U.S. each year and
influence 85% of the buying decisions, spending more than $80 billion.
Yet, shopping for and buying a car can be a challenge for women who are
first-time car buyers or for women who had a bad experience in the past
with a car salesman or dealership.
Being properly armed with
the right tools and training your dealerships can increase your share
of the largest and fastest-growing demographic of new vehicle buyers in
the U.S. – women consumers. The Ask Patty Certified Dealer program was
designed specifically for car dealerships to attract, sell, retain and
keep loyal women consumers.
AskPatty.com is a member and 2006 corporate sponsor of the Women's Automotive Association International based in Detroit (www.waai.com), on the Women's Board of the Car Care Council (www.carcare.org), a SEMA member (www.SEMA.org) and a member of the SEMA Business Women's Networking Group.