With Our Passion and Our Commitment, We Stand United

Nothing great was ever achieved without passion, as Friedrich Hebbel, a German poet and playwright said, and passion is what the success of Mercedes-Benz is made of.

Mercedes-Benz was originated in the 1880s by Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz. They invented the internal combustion engine powered vehicle. Though their work was almost directly related, the two originators never even knew each other until 1926 where the two companies merged and became Daimler-Benz AG. As of the world’s best brands, Mercedes was named after Emil Jellinek’s ten year old daughter. Emil Jellinek was a successful Austrian dealer who entered cars in the races and was very impressed with the work of Daimler and Maybach that he decided to make a large order from them. The only stipulations were that he would decide some design modifications to be made, and that the cars were to be named after his daughter Mercedes.

The company's logo has become the symbol of luxury as far as cars are concerned. When you see a Mercedes logo, you think of excellence and class. The logo consists of a three point Silver Star, surrounded by a circle. This symbol represents Daimler's original wishes to create an engine that is small, reliable, and powerful. They are meant to be able to travel on land, air, or sea.

In Malaysia, the Mercedes-Benz brand has come a long way since its humble beginning in the early 20th century. From the moment the first Mercedes-Benz was delivered to the then Sultan of Johore of Malaysia, Malaysians started its love affair with the luxurious car brand. The rich and long heritage of the Mercedes-Benz brand grew even stronger with the incorporation of DaimlerChrysler Malaysia (DCM) in January 2003, a joint venture between DaimlerChrysler AG and Cycle & Carriage Bintang Berhad.

The success of the Mercedes-Benz brand thus far is not only attributed to its strong and extensive product line-up but also to its passionate and committed dealers who have invested in the state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz Autohaus, which adhere to the existing German standards. With an investment of approximately RM150 million from dedicated Mercedes-Benz dealers, 15 Autohauses have been officially launched and two more are on their way.

“The passion and commitment of our Mercedes-Benz dealers continue to show in the recent successful implementation of the Autoline Dealer Management System (DMS),” stated Dato’ Frank Steinleitner, President and CEO of DCM.

As customers’ needs are its number one priority, DCM has taken its Customer Relationship Management to a new level by launching its Customer Care Center, which functions as a hub to acknowledge the needs of current and prospective customers of Mercedes-Benz and smart cars.

The Certified Sales (C-Sales) Certification programme is currently underway to train DCM’s retail network of 25 dealerships throughout the nation. Through this C-Sales program, Mercedes-Benz salespersons undergo individualised assessments ranging from product knowledge, selling skills to personal aptitude and leadership abilities To date, a more than 90 salespersons have participated in the C-Sales developmental process.

Besides certified salespersons, DCM also produces a constant supply of well-trained technicians to their Mercedes-Benz dealers’ network from its Automotive Mechatronic Course conducted at the Apprentice Training Centre in Glenmarie, Shah Alam. This exclusive course is a three-year apprenticeship programme that emphasizes the “life-long learning” concept and is recognised by the National Vocational Training Council (NVTC) under the Ministry of Human Resources. To date, more than 500 trainees have graduated from the training centre, with a few star students winning awards in National, Regional and International Skills Competition (Automotive Trade Segment).

Further driven by its commitment to develop highly skilled human resource, DCM has also recently introduced its very own Management Trainee Program whereby after the 18-month program, trainees will contribute greatly to the growth of the company thanks to their accumulated knowledge and experience of various departments. The pioneer batch of management trainees has already been onboard since September this year.

“At DCM, we believe that the credentials of a successful premium transcends to the fact that the company acts and cares for the communities in which they operate in, and work as a responsible corporate citizen with long term commitments to the country,” Dato’ Steinleitner said.

True to its word, DCM is sponsoring the DaimlerChrysler Red Ribbon Media Award on top of other commitments in projects of social importance. This year, the Red Ribbon Media Award will be held on 5 November 2006. DCM is also involved in road safety education programmes for school children and actively supports the progression of young engineers through the Mondialogo Engineering Award. “With a strong and proven management and improving track record, DCM is moving in the right direction,” he affirmed. “Our culture is characterised by passion, commitment, respect and integrity, and I believe these values will lead us to favourable profitability, continuous growth and remarkable success.” -