Lexus Woos Women, Millennials, and Multi-Cultured Buyers

By adpock - March 25, 2015

lexus women

Leave it to Lexus to innovate where others wouldn’t dare.

In the spirit of equality for all potential buyers, Lexus has started to appeal to women, millennials, and multi-cultural customers by making the dealership a more inviting place. Lexus has been developing a program called Lexus Difference, with the big difference being at the point of sale, at the dealership, where many have been intimidated before.

Unlike other companies, who dabble in changing their ways, Lexus Difference is going wide. The program has gone through extensive testing at various dealerships, and is now being rolled out across the U.S. Though the program is optional, Lexus expects 90% of dealerships to participate.

A heap of little differences are intended to create a friendlier dealership atmosphere, including new uniforms, a signature scent developed by a Japanese perfumery, fresh fruit, more inclusive TV channel selections (preferably HGTV), and a more up-to-date and expansive magazine selection.

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The program goes beyond the accoutrements, though, by attempting to change the culture of the dealer force. Like if a couple walks into the dealership, sales associates are trained to approach the female first.

“Women hold 80% of the influence in a purchasing decision. Whether she’s making the decision or not, she’s definitely going to influence the decision. The man doesn’t really care whom you’re addressing, but women feel left out,” Peggy Turner, Lexus’s vice president of customer service, tells Fast Company.

Dealers are also encouraged to go ahead and shake hands with females too, which is apparently something people in Fresno didn’t realize females were into.

“They said during the training that they weren’t sure if they should do that [with women]. We encouraged them to put their hand out,” says Caren Myers, general manager at Fresno Lexus.

Mostly though, the approach comes down to listening and responding to needs, which is at the heart of all meaningful communication. And what could be more meaningful than driving home in a new Lexus?