A CAR expert who knows more than mechanics claims male drivers STILL treat her like she hasn’t got a clue.
Self-confessed petrol head Carla Hillier, 46, runs four successful car-related eBay shops and faces complicated queries from customers every day.
Even so, Carla – who’s love of cars began in childhood – still has to deal with rude customers who doubt her knowledge simply because she’s a woman.
She described one incident where a male shopper went to her store The Tool Academy for a wheel bearing tool.
The pro told the Sun: “I could see it was a VW bearing and he would need a M18 spline socket – just through the knowledge I have of VW and Audi Hubs and bearings.
“He said he needed to purchase an M14 spline and asked what price would it be.
“I gently told him it is M18 you need and would he like me to show him the socket.
“He said no and asked if there was a mechanic available to nip in and show him what he needed to do.”
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Carla spent several minutes trying to explain why she was correct, to no avail.
Exasperated, she fetched a male mechanic.
Carla added: “The mechanic came round to the store and bypassed the customer and asked me: ‘Carla what tool does the gentleman need?’
“He said to the customer: ‘As Carla has said, M18 spline. This is the woman you want for that information she is the best person you can ask for the tool you need’.
“The customer was quite ashamed and apologised for not taking my word for what he required.”
Other awkward encounters have seen male customers bring in tools and presume Carla has no idea what they are.
While customer interactions have been trying, the car parts pro said colleagues are always respectful.
She added: “I would never say I have experienced sexism within my workplace when it comes to my management, employees or suppliers – they’ve always been very accepting and supportive of me.
“However, I have had what I feel to be sexism when it comes to some customers.
If I was a man I would automatically be listened to and customers and suppliers would presume that I knew.
Carla Hillier
“It sounds so old school in this day and age but it does still happen occasionally when working within the trade environment, where it’s very male dominated and an area where women aren’t taken very seriously.”
She added: “I have had so many occasions where customers want to speak to a male when going to the store or over the telephone.
“I have a few male pickers and packers within the Tool Academy team.
“There have been many times where customers – if I am stood there in store and my male employees are also stood with me – that the customer would speak over my head me or around me to speak to one of my male employees.”
Over the years, Carla has learned to take customers doubting her ability “on the chin”.
“Generally as soon as they get over the fact that I’m a woman they realise I know my stuff and 30 seconds later I tell them what they need take the payment,” she added.
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She said: “If I was a man I would automatically be listened to and customers and suppliers would presume that I knew.
“I have to prove that I know what I’m talking about and show that I know what they’re talking about, explaining details clearly and using all of my technical knowledge to dazzle them and reassure them in my capabilities.”
