Press Release Site

Local Sussex businesswoman Steph Savill has been appointed as Women's Enterprise Ambassador by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), joining a national network of some 1000 women entrepreneurs.

Local Sussex businesswoman Steph Savill has been appointed as Women's Enterprise Ambassador by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), joining a national network of some 1000 women entrepreneurs who have been recruited to act as role models for women and to promote the benefits of being in business.

Steph's business is FOXY Lady Drivers Club, a motoring association for women drivers, and she also runs a marketing business which promotes female friendly garages and car dealerships. She believes that the UK motor industry can be a lot more female friendly and that more female staff and women entrepreneurs will make the garage and car dealership experience a more enjoyable one for all customers in future.

According to Steph many women feel ill at ease in male-dominated workshops and car showrooms even though they, not men, are more often the family decision maker when it comes to buying a new car and choosing where to have it serviced.

The problem is that only 20% of the motor industry workforce is female she explains so it isn't surprising that where men are more used to selling to men, some garages and new car dealerships are seen as intimidating places where women run the risk of being overcharged and patronised.

Until the industry gets its female friendly service levels right says Steph I can see more and more women opting to shop online at discount car websites and via garage agents despite being less likely to know exactly who they are really doing business with.

If you would like to know more about the South East Women's Ambassador network and the good work they do, visit www.womensenterprisesoutheast.co.uk or contact Steph Savill at steph@foxyladydrivers.com.

ends...

Notes for Editors:
1 Women's Enterprise Day is November 18th 2009 during Global Enterprise Week (16 to 22 November 2009).
2 Women entrepreneurs contribute business turnover of some £130 billion to the UK economy.
3 If as many women as men started up businesses in future this would add a further 150,000 businesses to the UK economy.
4 If the UK had the same levels of female entrepreneurs as in the USA there would be 900,000 more UK businesses.

For more information please call Steph Savill on 01903 879988.