Women Friendly Design in a Jiffy Lube
Posted in Design and tagged with auto shops, cars, design for women on 01/16/2009 06:04 pm by uxmelinaAs an Engineering student, I wouldn’t consider myself a “typical” female. But never the less, I still wear impractical heels, spend longer then I should to get ready, and own way too many things that are pink.
Today, I pulled up to the Jiffy Lube to get the oil changed in my Civic. I have done this numerous times, and each time I think to myself. Gah…what will they try to sell me? how will I know if I actually need it? hopefully nothing is wrong with my car. I always ask lots of questions, but always leave not really knowing the answers, and feeling slightly dumb (something I know, in my heart, I am not). Overall, it’s not a very pleasant experience. Today was Jiffy Lube, but I’ve had the same experience with lots to shops.
This made me think that if a respected chain like Jiffy Lube, invested in a “women-friendly” design for their shops it could pay off since nothing else exists. I can hear the men already “I’m not getting my oil changed in a shop painted pink”…that wouldn’t by my recommended design 
The following things would be important to the image.
1. Customer Service
Old: Train employees to up sell customers. “I’m going to replace the gasket again, it’s only 99 cents, ok?”
New: Train employees to explain, in clear terms what they are doing and if it’s really necessary. “Your car maker recommends you replace the gasket with every oil change, the gasket does ______, it’s 99 cents extra because some customers don’t want to have it replaced because _____, what would you like to do?”
2. Environment
Old: Smells funny, looks dirty, dark colours are unwelcoming, instills a sense of confusion. What is really going on under the car? Are the people down there? What’s with all the random boxes/tools on the walls and springing from the ceiling? I always wait in my car, since I think it’s cleaner then the waiting areas.
New: It’s a shop, it’s going to seem dirty, but the waiting room doesn’t have to be. The shop itself could seem a lot less confusing and intimidating with signs and labels explaining things, or mirrors to show you things that are going on, outside of your direct view. As for a colour scheme, well lite, warm tones like navy blue, olive green, burgundy, could act to add a welcoming feel, and help hid the grease and dirt.
3. Branding
Here I’m referring to logo/slogan/marking . In the past Lowe’s appeals to women shoppers more so then home depot. Both stores are working to appeal to this once-forgotten demographic. Although they both sell the same stuff, you can see some differences in their stores with respect to service and environment. Lets compare their logos.
The shape of a house in Lowe’s logo, use of warm colours, the term “Together” in the slogan, all create a welcoming, open, community feel to the company, something that would appeal to women when they are starting a home construction project. Contrast with Home Depot where their font is rugged and basic, something that will appeal to men shoppers. Home Depot’s slogan is “you can do it, we can help”, although this slogan implies helpfulness and openness, the Lowe’s slogan is clearly better.
Overall, the service, enviroment, logo/slogan all adds together to create an image. If a quick service auto-shop could design a store to appeal to both genders they would have a compentative edge in the market.
January 30th, 2009 at 10:55 am
You think it’s tough shopping as a woman???? You have no idea how abrasive it is to go to any general department store as a guy. You need an oil change only so many kilometers, but I need doo-dads and clothes on a regular basis.
Exhibit A: Utsav walks into department store looking for a t-shirt. Walks in, smells perfume, tall posters of men and women wearing less clothes than him, bright lights pointed directly into cornea, and signs directing to jewellery, watches, and everything Utsav not interested in.
-Utsav gets frusterated and leaves.
Anyhoo.. I think trying to appeal to both genders is a lost cause. After you’ve described your opinion of Lowe’s, I have revised my opinion of that store. I will think of Lowe’s to be the house of a cougar. Not just any cougar, but the kind of cougar who picks up young guys at a bar, and says “Let’s build something together”. Except, she doesn’t actually mean it. SHe’ll take them to her place, and make them paint walls, and fix floors and other general uncool house tasks she will not help with. “Let’s build something together” is exactly the kind of thing a woman would say when she wants you to do lame house-tasks.
You ever realize how the word “Let’s” can mean anything a woman wants when a woman says it?
“Let’s go shopping”= Drive me. — She does all the work
“Let’s talk” = The guy isn’t going to say a word — She does all the work
“Let’s build something together”= Sweet! THat should mean, that she’ll do all the work! But haha, apparently women collectively own the word “Let’s”
Anyway, I’d like to end off with a letter to Lowe:
Dear Lowe, learn to fix your own s**t, because you’re days of picking up young guys to do your housework are clearly over, you overweight hapless shrew.
–LOL I clearly need a blog of my own to get my misogynistic rant on.
January 30th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Apologies to Lowe for saying “Overweight” that was not concise enough. People can be heavy and pretty… It’s what’s inside that counts: Lowe, you’re just plain ugly, on the inside.
January 31st, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Good idea…I mean, sharing ideas, that’s the good idea. I’m going to do it more often. Join me. Anyway…
I think there is a flaw in your idea. Fact: People end up married. And, I’m willing to bet, the husband gets told “My car needs an oil change, hunny”. Market research, could prove my hypothesis wrong or right…
PS, this is the only blog, where I don’t leave a comment as “McLarty”.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:29 am
Hi, cool site, good writing
March 2nd, 2009 at 1:48 am
Thank you!
May 1st, 2009 at 2:33 am
I found lots of interesting information on uxmelina.com. The post was professionally written and I feel like the author has extensive knowledge in the subject. uxmelina.com keep it that way.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Great post! Just wanted to let you know you have a new subscriber- me!
June 12th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Original post by Dmitri Gromov
June 13th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Original post by Dmitri Gromov
June 15th, 2009 at 12:57 am
I really like your post. Does it copyright protected?
June 16th, 2009 at 3:06 am
Hello. I think the article is really interesting. I am even interested in reading more. How soon will you update your blog?
June 30th, 2009 at 1:05 am
Questions and answers about Beach hotel southern california and On the beach poster http://beach.goodnanoav.com/
July 6th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
It’s a masterpiece. I have never thought people can have such ideas and thoughts. You are great.
July 6th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
It’s a pity that people don’t realize the importance of this information. Thanks for posing it.
July 12th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Most recent information about Paris hiltons boobs and Boobs big http://busty.goodnano-av.com/
July 14th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Great post! I’ll subscribe right now wth my feedreader software!
July 22nd, 2009 at 12:39 am
Pretty cool post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say
that I have really liked reading your blog posts. Anyway
I’ll be subscribing to your blog and I hope you post again soon!
July 28th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Best reviews of the day: Car, Car loan dallas, Car mover and Online car games http://car.goodnano-av.com
August 3rd, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Waiting for NEWS? Welcome! See about Cameltoe, Cartoon cameltoe, Amateur cameltoe, Cameltoe rater http://cameltoe.goodnano-av.com/