Is Female Friendly a no no?

[UKSBD]

I do some work for a tool hire company

Tool hire centres tend to be male dominated with a reputation for heavy machinery, dirty conditions, loud building workers, mainly for the trades and construction industry, etc.

They are trying to get across the message that it isn't just like this and general public, non-trades, domestic customers are equally welcomed and looked after.

With Christmas approaching the hire of carpet cleaners, steam cleaners, upholstery cleaners, decorating equipment, etc. tends to get more popular and it tends to be the women of the household looking for these.

Is female friendly an acceptable term nowadays?

If not, what other more acceptable wording is there to emphasise that hire centres are a lot more female friendly now than the initial impression a lot of people still have about them.

Is it best not to even mention genders and put more emphasis on the fact free friendly advice is offered to all whether a frequent or 1st time hirer?

 

[WaveJumper]

Think I would stick to "free friendly advice whatever your experience" come and chat to us regarding your needs, project etc etc

 

[Nico Albrecht]

It doesn't really matter anymore. These days everybody gets offended. People are unhappy so they will use any chance they get to be more offended.

I would personally not do it. Men wouldn't care about it at all but quite sure some toasters or angry feminists will find a reason to complain about it on social media and start a demonstration in front of your shop.

Technically you would get free advertising but not sure you wanna deal with these crazy people.

 

[fisicx]

Should women be allowed to operate machinery outside the kitchen? @Newchodge what’s your opinion on this

 

[NickGrogan]

Should women be allowed to operate machinery outside the kitchen? @Newchodge what’s your opinion on this

Like BBQs you mean?

Actually, I think it's a good idea, but you should take it a step further and have women-only days/hours.

All staff are female, no male customers allowed, come and get advice on all the tools we offer, etc.

There are female only plumbers and gyms, why not extend it to tool hire?

Depending on location you could also do LGBTQ+ friendly hours as well

 

[MBE2017]

“Sheila’s and all other thirty six genders welcome”

 

[Paul FilmMaker]

No. I ran this by a couple of members of my team and they weren't happy about it. I mean, you could do it, but that choice of words, today, wouldn't be great.

As a solution, how about talking about 'domestic orders welcome,' etc... and showing pictures of women and men... 'families' ordering the stuff you rent out / sell.

It genuinely helps to get it right! In terms of gender expression, I even hired someone gender fluid for my little video production outfit so had to learn gender terminology. They're great at their job, customers like them and they're, well, cheap, so I needed to figure out how to communicate.

Because communication makes a real difference to sales.

 

[japancool]

If not, what other more acceptable wording is there to emphasise that hire centres are a lot more female friendly now than the initial impression a lot of people still have about them.

"Everybody welcome"?

 

[Newchodge]

Is it best not to even mention genders and put more emphasis on the fact free friendly advice is offered to all whether a frequent or 1st time hirer?

This *****

Your main post is assuming that the difference is between hairy arsed tradesmen and women. There are actually a lot of men (and women) who need to hire stuff (technical term used to describe things that we aren't enitrely sure about) but are even more frightened than the average woman of revealing their lack of knowledge.

 

[Newchodge]

Should women be allowed to operate machinery outside the kitchen? @Newchodge what’s your opinion on this

Given my status as a moderator, my opinion cannot be voiced.

EDIT: Sod it, it's nearly midnight. Pile of shite as we say in the north east.

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

How about a poster with the headline saying...
'When you want something doing before Xmas, don't think you can't do it yourself' with an image of the husband on a works do drinking at a bar wearing a paper hat and another with the good lady at home pushing a carpet cleaner around

 

[WaveJumper]

No. I ran this by a couple of members of my team and they weren't happy about it. I mean, you could do it, but that choice of words, today, wouldn't be great.

As a solution, how about talking about 'domestic orders welcome,' etc... and showing pictures of women and men... 'families' ordering the stuff you rent out / sell.

It genuinely helps to get it right! In terms of gender expression, I even hired someone gender fluid for my little video production outfit so had to learn gender terminology. They're great at their job, customers like them and they're, well, cheap, so I needed to figure out how to communicate.

Because communication makes a real difference to sales.

Surely you took the right person on, with the right experience to undertake the job, gender expression should not have even been mentioned here, you seem surprised they are good at their job and ........cheap, whats that all about.

 

[NickGrogan]

It genuinely helps to get it right! In terms of gender expression, I even hired someone gender fluid for my little video production outfit so had to learn gender terminology. They're great at their job, customers like them and they're, well, cheap, so I needed to figure out how to communicate.

Replace the words "gender fluid" with something else, try Black, Asian or Chinese for example.

Would you still write it like that?

 

[Paul FilmMaker]

Replace the words "gender fluid" with something else, try Black, Asian or Chinese for example.

Would you still write it like that?

Let me try.

"Obviously it helps to get it right! In terms of Chinese, I even hired someone Chinese for my little video production outfit so had to learn Chinese. They're great at their job, customers like them and they're well, cheap, so I needed to figure out how to communicate."

Hmm. I learned Chinese! I'm now going to identify as Chinese.

 

[fisicx]

Maybe we ought to do away with honorifics and gender anything. Just use them and they for everything. That way you don’t to worry. Instead of Mr, Ms, Mx Jones it’s just Dave.

Once you get in the habit of talking and writing without gender it becomes almost natural.

Husband and Wife become redundant as well as you refer to them as Partner.

 

[Paul FilmMaker]

Surely you took the right person on, with the right experience to undertake the job, gender expression should not have even been mentioned here, you seem surprised they are good at their job and ........cheap, whats that all about.

Well, gender expression was brought up because the person I hired brought it up.

The reason is this individual wants a specific pronoun combination to be used which is a combo I'd never even heard of. And a different name to be used other than the birth name on the CV / passport. I had no idea about any of this stuff before hiring.

So it's all good, especially because my team's doing a fantastic job including this person and I'm delighted. Irrespective of personal pronoun or pronoun combination.

 

[NickGrogan]

Let me try.

"Obviously it helps to get it right! In terms of Chinese, I even hired someone Chinese for my little video production outfit so had to learn Chinese. They're great at their job, customers like them and they're well, cheap, so I needed to figure out how to communicate."

Hmm. I learned Chinese! I'm now going to identify as Chinese.

Not what you wrote the first time, and you chose the least controversial option I offered.

"I even hired someone Black for my little video production outfit so had to learn Black terminology."

Doesn't read quite so well.

Not sure what the identifying bit has to do with anything?

I just call people by whatever name they ask me to, much easier.

 

[Paul FilmMaker]

Not what you wrote the first time, and you chose the least controversial option I offered.

"I even hired someone Black for my little video production outfit so had to learn Black terminology."

Doesn't read quite so well.

Not sure what the identifying bit has to do with anything?

I just call people by whatever name they ask me to, much easier.

It's exactly what I wrote.

And there's a difference. The difference is we are talking about gender (which the OP was talking about) and you are talking race. Different.

For example, I, born a male, could legally identify as a woman. You could identify as a woman. But what would happen if I tried to identify as Chinese? Can I be legally Chinese? Morally, could I be Chinese?

 

[NickGrogan]

You might want to look up Rachel Dolezal and transracialism.

Meghan Markle was caucasian for many years before identifying as mixed race and sometimes black.

Do you think the differences between genders are smaller than the differences between races? That's what your last sentence suggests.

 

[HFE Signs]

I'd never use the term 'female friendly', you are likely to upset people, why do you need to say that and are some companies not female friendly?

If you are aiming to attract female customers for carpet cleaners, you simply need to design your advert with a woman using one with your December promotional prices.

 

[Newchodge]

If you are aiming to attract female customers for carpet cleaners, you simply need to design your advert with a woman using one with your December promotional prices.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Men and women use carpet cleaners. Do not advertise that you think it is a woman's job to clean the carpets.

 

[HFE Signs]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Men and women use carpet cleaners. Do not advertise that you think it is a woman's job to clean the carpets.

Trust me, just because your advert has a young attractive woman using the equipment, it doesn't mean a hairy old man can't use it too

Seriously though, this is what op needs to open his doors to female customers.

 

[Newchodge]

Trust me, just because your advert has a young attractive woman using the equipment, it doesn't mean a hairy old man can't use it too

Seriously though, this is what op needs to open his doors to female customers.

Absolutely, in 1990.

 

[UKSBD]

I'd never use the term 'female friendly', you are likely to upset people, why do you need to say that and are some companies not female friendly?

If you are aiming to attract female customers for carpet cleaners, you simply need to design your advert with a woman using one with your December promotional prices.

We offer free design with all banners and we can do all this for you, we have all the images?

We currently have a deal for 3 banners 8x3ft £90+vat delivered.

Don't really need to say it on the page or even have an ad for it.

Thinking more of key phrases really, in case anyone searches for it.

"Female Friendly" in quotation marks brings up 26million results so a lot of people must assume it's a benefit

 

[HFE Signs]

Absolutely, in 1990.

Sounds like you have a better idea for the image, which would be?

 

[HFE Signs]

Don't really need to say it on the page or even have an ad for it.

Thinking more of key phrases really, in case anyone searches for it.

"Female Friendly" in quotation marks brings up 26million results so a lot of people must assume it's a benefit

Would someone really search for 'female friendly tool hire'?

 

[Newchodge]

Sounds like you have a better idea for the image, which would be?

How about an old ugly man using the carpet cleaner, with a separate advert of a woman with one arm driving a forklift truck? Oh and one of them ought not to be white British.

 

[PeterWhimster]

What's wrong with friendly? Why add female and what does that mean in terms of customer service. And the female isn't looking for a b/f just a seller of something like a tool.

 

[Newchodge]

Don't really need to say it on the page or even have an ad for it.

Thinking more of key phrases really, in case anyone searches for it.

"Female Friendly" in quotation marks brings up 26million results so a lot of people must assume it's a benefit

If I were searching for something that was specific to women I would never use the word female.

If I wanted a carpet cleaner I would, funnily enough, search for carpet cleaner.

 

[HFE Signs]

How about an old ugly man using the carpet cleaner, with a separate advert of a woman with one arm driving a forklift truck? Oh and one of them ought not to be white British.

Yes, I like that concept - we could do that too

 

[Newchodge]

What's wrong with friendly? Why add female and what does that mean in terms of customer service. And the female isn't looking for a b/f just a seller of something like a tool.

Thank you, althoug I really wish you hadn't used the word 'tool' ?
??

 

[UKSBD]

Would someone really search for 'female friendly tool hire'?

no idea without testing it

 

[HFE Signs]

no idea without testing it

According to majestic 'female friendly tool hire' gets no searches

 

[UKSBD]

According to majestic 'female friendly tool hire' gets no searches

probably took you longer to check that than it takes me to add the phrase to a page

 

[fisicx]

If you have a Google Business Profile there are these options: Identify as women-owned, LGBTQ+ friendly and Transgender safe space.

Not really sure how I feel about these. Should it matter that someone who identifies as a woman owns a business? Why isn't there a 'identifies as a transgender owned' option? Or 'identifies as a family owned'?

 

[HFE Signs]

probably took you longer to check that than it takes me to add the phrase to a page

Glad I've saved you wasting an unsearched term though - you're welcome

 

[Paul FilmMaker]

You might want to look up Rachel Dolezal and transracialism.

Meghan Markle was caucasian for many years before identifying as mixed race and sometimes black.

Do you think the differences between genders are smaller than the differences between races? That's what your last sentence suggests.

Actually, that reminds me. Selling stuff. HP did a series of adverts and they put pictures of women, different ethnicities etc... in. Turns out they had a great solution to OP's problem because the more diversity in their advertising, the more laptops they sold. It was the biggest ever survey of diversity and sales in the private sector.

So something like 'domestic hire' section and then solving the problem with pics. Showing men, women etc... in domestic settings hiring tools.

Because OP wants to hire out more tools. Not have discussions with or about them.

 

[NickGrogan]

If you have a Google Business Profile there are these options: Identify as women-owned, LGBTQ+ friendly and Transgender safe space.

Not really sure how I feel about these. Should it matter that someone who identifies as a woman owns a business? Why isn't there a 'identifies as a transgender owned' option? Or 'identifies as a family owned'?

Presumably if Google gives those things as options for a business, Google also thinks that they are things that people search for, and will reward businesses with higher rankings on those searches, which means more business. Which is what the OP wants.

Hence my first post

There are female only plumbers and gyms, why not extend it to tool hire?

Depending on location you could also do LGBTQ+ friendly hours as well

Dunblane gathering for plant women

The Scottish Plant Owners Association is organising a meeting for women in the plant industry.

www.theconstructionindex.co.uk

Lynch workforce is 32% female

The average percentage of women making up the workforce for SME’s in the Construction Industry is 17%. Lynch is proud that our workforce is 32% female, and this will grow as we continue our work on major infrastructure projects.

l-lynch.com

 

[japancool]

Can you put "friendly to Black Welsh Disabled Mormon LGBTQ+ single parent Conservative voters on benefits"?

 

[estwig]

Bizarrely my GMB listing is shown as female friendly, despite repeated efforts, I can't change that.

I am female friendly, I don't see it as a headline!