Global TechMasters Truck 2017: Good service pays off!

• Three-day event at Global Training Centre in Stuttgart-Vaihingen crowns World Champions in Mercedes-Benz Truck After-Sales Servic
• Twelve international teams competed in various disciplines
• Italy wins 'Best Service Team' title

Stuttgart - From 7 to 9 November, the Global Training Centre in Stuttgart-Vaihingen played host to the traditional Global TechMasters, which each year chooses the world champions among Mercedes-Benz after-sales service colleagues based on standardised Mercedes-Benz job profiles. The event alternates every year between cars and trucks. This year's Mercedes-Benz Global TechMasters Truck focused on the titles 'Best Service Team' and 'Best Performance in Job Profile'.

60 participants in twelve teams from twelve countries

The national heats in June of this year resulted in the qualification of twelve teams from twelve different countries. And so the grand final of the TechMaster World Championship in Stuttgart saw 60 participants aged between 22 and 57 go head-to-head. At the Global Training Centre, the competitors were required to take a theory test, which was specifically tailored to each job profile, as well as a practical test on the vehicle or in a customer role play. Points were awarded, among other things, for identifying faults in vehicles or for professional customer advice. Further points were on offer for the correct use of, for example, the diagnostic tester or of systems as well as for complying with Mercedes-Benz standards. Finally, teamwork also played a role in the scoring. In addition, there were individual tests in the job profiles selected for the competition: service adviser, maintenance technician, diagnostic technician as well as parts/accessories salesperson.

The one-hour theory test examined the competitors' commercial and technical knowledge. In the 90-minute practical test, on the other hand, the participants in the various job profiles were called upon either to carry out maintenance and diagnostic tasks on a truck or to master everyday situations in simulated conversations with customers. To be able to compare the performances of all the competitors at the end, the questions and requirements were adapted beforehand to the current product/service portfolio in the individual markets.

Presentation of prizes at the 'Award Evening'

The three-day event came to a close with the 'Award Evening', on which the winners of Global TechMaster Truck 2017 were named. Alexander Willhardt, Head of Customer Services & Parts MB Trucks, presented the trophies together with Till Oberwoerder, Head of Head of Marketing, Sales and Services MB Trucks, to the winners: 'All in all, it was an exciting competition, and at the end of the day the team from Italy topped the overall ranking to take the title of Mercedes-Benz Service World Champions.' The teams from Austria and Germany finished second and third. The winners in the individual job profiles were also delighted and proud of their victory. In addition to the competition, Global TechMasters 2017 focused on two things in particular: the training of after-sales staff and an exchange with experts from all over the world, for which the supporting programme of the three-day event offered a host of opportunities. Hence, the participants paid visits to, among others, the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth and the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.