Yunnan Prime Star, the winning team of TechMasters China Final Competition 2011. [Photo/China Daily]

 

In China's rapidly growing, highly competitive automotive market, where quality vehicle design and production no longer suffice, carmakers are constantly seeking innovative strategies to get ahead of the game.

For premium automaker Mercedes-Benz, providing excellent after-sales service is key to its sustainable business growth along with its diverse, enriched product lineup that suits customer preferences.

The company has continued to invest its time and resources in pursuit of the highest service level to complement its rapid sales growth in China.

Only a few days ago, the Stuttgart-based automaker wrapped up its fourth annual Mercedes-Benz TechMasters China competition in Nanjing, awarding the team from Yunnan Prime Star with this year's championship.

The nationwide competition, which recognizes the automaker's dealership staff with top-notch service skills and technical knowledge in auto maintenance, is one of the company's platforms for raising the overall standard of its after-sales service.

"Mercedes-Benz is committed to bringing our global standards of service to the China market to better meet the demands of our all-important Chinese customers," said Daniel Whitehead, executive vice-president of after-sales for Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd.

"Although the competition has been held in China for only four years, we are confident that the winning team from the 2011 TechMasters China will do us proud when they take part in the global competition in Germany next year, which affirms that our Chinese technicians' level of competence is already at top-notch international standards."

TechMasters is a means to motivate service personnel and technicians, encouraging them to hone their skills while taking a customer-oriented service approach.

Originating in Germany, the competition has been enthusiastically embraced by dealers and their staff all across China since its inauguration in 2008.

As the auto market in China grew rapidly, the competition was brought to the country to meet the increasing demand for service excellence.

With customer service at the heart of its business operations, Mercedes-Benz has a deep-rooted "customer first" philosophy inherited from its 125-year heritage as inventor of the automobile.

The luxury carmaker has always gone to great lengths to ensure that Chinese customers receive the same star quality service, whichever part of the country they are in.

With a fast-growing sales and service network, Mercedes-Benz remains committed to constantly bettering its staff's service skills through initiatives such as TechMasters China, rigorous training and certification programs, as well as mentorship schemes to support its dealers.

"Every after-sales initiative that we have rolled out, and every action we have taken to enhance our level of service, shows the detailed attention and effort we put into meeting our customers' daily transportation needs," Whitehead said.

"This is our winning strategy and we will not stop at what we have achieved. The coming years will see Mercedes-Benz enhance and sustain our after-sales service through a series of campaigns and customer programs."

Refusing to rest on its laurels, Mercedes-Benz continues to push the boundaries oc f its standards in after-sales.

As a demonstration of its commitment to the China market, the company will officially launch an after-sales brand promise specifically tailored for Chinese customers on Oct 26 in tandem with Mercedes-Benz's launch of its global after-sales brand promise, "My Service" at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September.

 

All participants of the TechMasters China Final Competition 2011 along with all experts, judges and MBCL staff.[Photo/China Daily]