Beijing, September 14, 2009 – Mercedes-Benz recently completed the Regional Competition of TechMasters China 2009– a tournament among dealers, which evaluates their service knowledge, practical proficiency and overall skills – in Beijing, Shanghai and Jiangmen. After overcoming stiff competition, three dealers from China's eastern, southern and northern regions will advance to the final competition to claim the nationwide championship title. Held for the second consecutive year, TechMasters is organized to recognize the highly-skilled service staffs of Mercedes-Benz dealerships as well as to encourage them to perform even better – all for the ultimate purpose of enhancing after-sales service and customer satisfaction.

"Customer satisfaction is at the heart of our operations. As such, we are continuously committed to providing unparalleled service quality, relentlessly striving to improve and perfect each of our offerings to better meet customer needs," said Daniel Whitehead, General Manager of After-Sales for Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd. "The high-quality service that Mercedes-Benz is recognized for is a direct result of our skilled and devoted front-line employees, who consistently exceed customer expectations. Thus, with TechMasters China, we aim to further improve our after-sales employees, while also recognizing their enduring passion for delivering the excellent service of the three-pointed star to customers nationwide."

Mercedes-Benz TechMasters China consists of three phases, the first being an in-depth On-line test that received nearly 1,200 participants this year. In this round of competition, Mercedes-Benz granted four awards – "Best Service Advisor", "Best Maintenance Technician", "Best Diagnosis Technician" and "Best System Technician" – to the top individual performers of the tests. Additionally, based on this online exam, the top three dealers from each region – east, north and south – have overcome others to advance to the second round of the competition.

In the second phase, which has recently ended, dealers were required to take a practical service role-play test, written knowledge test and a comprehensive repair skills test. Eventually, the winning team from each region will proceed to compete in the final round of the tournament, where they will strive to win the ultimate title of "National TechMaster", as well as special prize.

TechMasters 2009 truly serves as a platform that not only recognizes dealers for their excellence, but it also helps in building all-around skills for the dealer staffs, as they are mandated to take comprehensive tests, which not only assess their service knowledge, but also their practical abilities. For instance, in addition to taking written tests, dealers are assessed on a practical service role-play test, which puts them in a role-play, where they are evaluated based on their professional executive ability in dealing with customers – starting from the first moment they set foot in the dealership all the way until they receive their car back after maintenance. Therefore, the winners of the TechMasters China clearly possess deep service on knowledge as well as excellent overall skills and an active and proficient practical ability.

As China's auto industry continues to mature, after-sales service has emerged as a crucial aspect of all brands. TechMasters China is one of the initiatives held by Mercedes-Benz to enhance service, because it not only helps to identify and recognize the top dealers, but it also serves as a platform for dealers to stimulate communication with one another and further discuss ways to improve service. Through such types of measures, Mercedes-Benz is not only demonstrating its commitment and investment in service, but the luxury automaker is also helping to set the bar even higher for overall service quality in China.