It was a gathering of the crème de la crème of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s after-sales personnel from dealer networks nationwide at the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Skills Competition 2016 Grand Finals held recently. 30 finalists went head-to-head in the battle of skills for the RM99,500 cash prize and ultimate bragging rights as the best technical team in Malaysia.
“Mercedes-Benz is the benchmark in automotive technology and customer experiences, and we continue looking for more ways to further extend our lead in these areas. The Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Skills Competition is a good example of the exceptional standards upheld by our certified after-sales personnel throughout our dealership network in delivering unparalleled customer experiences,” said Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, President and CEO, Dr Claus Weidner.
This year, the skills competition kicked off with a series of qualifying rounds which comprised of theory and practicals tests. The culmination of the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Skills Competition was the grand finals where deserving finalists showcased their technical aptitude through a combination of theory and practical tests in addition to a spontaneous quiz.
Upholding Mercedes-Benz’s superior standards, the participating after-sales personnel were meticulously evaluated by a team of Daimler AG-certified trainers and area-specific experts.
Equipped with a Mercedes-Benz C-Program Certificate participants competed across 6 categories. These included the Qualified Maintenance Technician (QMT), Qualified System Technician (QST), Certified Diagnosis Technician (CDT), Qualified Parts Process Specialist (QPPS), Certified Service Advisor (CSA) and the Automotive Mechatronic category (AMT). These six categories demonstrate the complete range of job profiles within the Mercedes-Benz Cars Certification Programme C-Service, including the Automotive Mechatronic category (AMT) – the Apprentices undergoing their three-year training programme.
Explaining the relevance of the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Skills Competition to its network partners, Dr Weidner said, “The Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Skills Competition can be likened to the Olympic Games of the automotive sector. It is a positive platform that promotes healthy competition among our after-sales personnel while fostering self-development and life-long learning. At Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, we believe that our people are the bedrock of our long-term success. That is why we remain committed to ensuring their continuous development. We believe that in developing them to be the best that they can be, will ultimately result in delivering the best to our customers.”
The bi-annual national competition was set up by Mercedes-Benz Malaysia in 2008 to reward and inspire its after-sales personnel to continue learning and improving in line with Mercedes-Benz’s training philosophy of life-long learning. In addition to uplifting staff morale through engagement, the skills competition’s stringent standard promotes a competitive environment crucial in raising the nation’s skill level in line with international standards.
Dr Weidner congratulated all participants on their commitment to excellence and the Mercedes-Benz brand. He said that all finalists were winners in their own right and should be proud as they are living examples of a uniform worldwide brand that provides customers with superb quality services. This year, the 30 finalists received cash prizes totalling RM99,500.
Growing steadily over the years with increased participation and support from the dealership network, the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Skills Competition recorded 378 participants this year, it’s highest yet.
To date, over RM 420,000 cash prize incentives have been awarded to top after-sales teams since the inception of the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Skills Competition in 2008.
