How Touchstone Revamped L&D for Mercedes-Benz Group AG
From pioneering the world’s first car in 1886 to becoming an icon of luxury, Mercedes-Benz has remained true to its vision of leading motorized transport worldwide—a vision symbolized by its famous three-pointed star logo.
More than a century later, Mercedes-Benz Group AG, formerly known as Daimler AG, remains one of the most successful automotive companies in the world and a leading supplier of premium luxury cars and vans. The company offers a multitude of services for its global customers, including financing, leasing, car subscription and rental, fleet management, insurance brokerage, innovative mobility solutions, and digital services for charges and payments.
Mercedes-Benz Group AG’s core value is to provide the highest possible quality of service and to strive for constant improvement to maintain these standards.
The Training Gap
Irrespective of the part of the world they are working in or the product in question, employees at Mercedes-Benz Group AG were expected to provide exceptional customer service that meets or surpasses the expectations of the brand’s elite clientele.
However, over time, it was observed that their training program wasn’t fully achieving its intended results. It was unable to deliver the necessary skills that would prepare the employees to take on the heavy mantle of being the face of the renowned brand. Despite having several applications and processes in place to familiarize employees with the know-how of their routine customer-facing responsibilities, the brand faced the following challenges:
- Newer recruits were inadequately trained in customer-facing responsibilities
- Instructor-led content did not reflect the brand’s premier status
- Training content was not calibrated to cater to the company’s extensive network of employees worldwide
How Touchstone’s Digital-First Approach Helped Bridge the Gap
For any brand with the added responsibility of protecting and nurturing its heritage, the transition to digital technology is not just necessary; it also presents an opportunity to reinvent itself and stay relevant in the modern era.
In our analysis of the shortcomings in Mercedes-Benz Group AG’s former training programs, we recognized that a technically complex industry like the automotive sector needed a learning and development approach that enhanced a learner’s cognitive abilities. This is why experts at Touchstone curated a training program built with a digital-first model. Here’s how we brought this vision to life:
Reimagining the Learning Design
The program incorporated elements of Bloom’s theory and Merrill’s principles. While the former adopts a phased development of the learning experience by honing an ascending order of cognitive skills, Merrill’s instructional design models are focused on evolving a learner’s problem-solving abilities.
Delivering Training Accessible to a Global Audience
To address the employee disconnect, we developed a training program that streamlined course materials into modules accessible by employees from anywhere, on multiple devices, and at any time. This also helped save money and time in training a global workforce.
Personalizing Professional Growth
The digital nature of the training material allowed Mercedes-Benz Group AG the freedom to foster professionalism among employees through soft skills training oriented toward custom-built roles and allowed real-time feedback to correct shortcomings.
Igniting Interest with Multiple Training Modes
Considering the unenthusiastic response of the trainees to the older, instructor-based approach, Touchstone evolved several training modes, such as web-based training, simulation training, and video training, to engage learners. The simulation model employed application-based training in both practice and teaching screens to provide a real-world environment for trainees to try and meet learning objectives associated with specific modules.
Through other features, such as an articulate-based solution, interactive and intuitive user interface and professional voice-overs in English and German, Mercedes-Benz Group AG was able to retain the sleek sophistication in customer service that one would come to expect from this iconic brand.
Driving Excellence into the Future
Touchstone’s digital-first approach to training enabled Mercedes-Benz Group AG to bridge gaps in employee preparedness and strengthen its ability to deliver the premium customer experience that defines its brand.
This renewed focus ensures that the spirit of performance, elegance, and customer-centricity—symbolized by its iconic three-pointed star logo—shines brighter than ever.
Ready to Transform Your Training Programs?
At Touchstone, we help brands create impactful, future-ready learning experiences tailored to their workforce. If you’d like to explore how we can help your organization close skill gaps and build stronger teams, let’s talk!
Email us @ info@touchstonelc.com