November 20, 2009, Beijing – The final round of national competition for the second annual Mercedes-Benz TechMasters China 2009 came to an exciting conclusion yesterday in Beijing, as Zhengzhou Star Automobile Sales & Service Co., Ltd. triumphed to become the brightest star of all in a challenging tournament among dealers that tested overall service knowledge and practical proficiency. Close behind were the outstanding teams from Guangzhou Zungfu Vehicle Service Co., Ltd. and Xiamen Airport Star Automobile Repair Centre Co., Ltd., who finished second and third respectively. Celebrating highly-skilled service staffs and encouraging them to strive even higher, TechMasters China also served as an all-inclusive annual review of the success achieved by the front line staff of Mercedes-Benz dealers in attaining an unparalleled level of customer satisfaction.

"Mercedes-Benz has met the rapid sales growth of this record-breaking year with a significant increase in service quality and initiatives, in order to swiftly meet the needs of our growing customers. With their genuine enthusiasm and experience, our highly-skilled after-sales staff help transform their exceptional service into a key ingredient of the overall experience for our customers," said Daniel Whitehead, General Manager of After-Sales for Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd. "TechMasters China, which follows the model of Mercedes-Benz Global TechMasters, allows dealership employees to enjoy a mutual exchange and collaboration in order to further consolidate their skills and enhance the level of their service quality."

Held for the second consecutive year in China, TechMasters China consists of three main stages – a preliminary online exam, regional semi-finals, and a final national competition. Following the first two rounds of intense rivalry, the top dealer team from each region – east, north and south – overcame stiff competition to advance to the championship round. The final round competition is comprised of three parts including a knowledge exam that assessed the theoretical knowledge of the contestants, as well as a skills circle testing their technical skills and teamwork ability. Meanwhile, the practical test was in the form of a role-play, evaluating professional executive ability as teams worked together to determine and repair a preset vehicle. This comprehensive assessment and the eventual success of the dealer teams reflected the extensive knowledge and high-quality skills possessed by all Mercedes-Benz dealer staff.

Beyond assessing knowledge and proficiency, TechMasters China aims to highlight the existing skills of the dealer staff, which are nurtured and enhanced from the moment they become a part of the Mercedes-Benz family. This approach, combined with the more than 120 years of Mercedes-Benz legacy and insight, ensure that all dealer staffs represent the epitome of star service and provide all customers with a most excellent experience. Mercedes-Benz is specifically able to exemplify this unparalleled level of service satisfaction in China – where customers demand a very unique and meticulous set of needs – by promptly fulfilling them through a firm grasp of the market and tailor-made service offerings.

In addition to TechMasters China, Mercedes-Benz dealers are encouraged to improve their expertise through an array of other incentive programs and awards, all of which represent leading concerns of Chinese customers. These include the "Vehicle Body Repair and Paint Contest" that identifies top dealers in vehicle body repair, as well as a new after-sales award series honoring the most outstanding dealers in Fix First Visit (FFV) and Service Follow Up (SFU). To help dealers reach this premier standard of service, Mercedes-Benz is dedicated to providing endless support towards the development of all employees in China by offering them the most extensive internationally certified training. As Mercedes-Benz continues to actively expand its dealership network nationwide, its extraordinary customer service will not only shine even brighter, but will also contribute in bringing the service standard in the China auto market to an even higher level.