Speeding up Localized Talent Development and Increasing Consumer Satisfaction
BMW National Aftersales Competition of Excellence 2016 Draws to a Successful Close

(Guangzhou) – The BMW National Aftersales Competition of Excellence 2016 (“BMW NASCE 2016”) held with the theme “Enjoy Competition in Joy Service”, drew to a successful close in BMW Guangzhou Training Center on December 8. The event, which represents the higher level of aftersales service quality of BMW, was contested by more than 500 BMW dealership teams, achieving a 100% participation rate for dealerships. BMW NASCE 2016 not only set all key positions of BMW aftersales service into competition but also, through reproduction of real situations and process management, ensured that all the aftersales staff nationwide will provide high-quality service and care for 2.7 million BMW owners in China by strictly following BMW’s global standards.

Gathering aftersales service elites to showcase superb skills

The grand final was contested by 145 finalists who stood out from nearly 20,000 participating aftersales service staff after four sessions of competition over six months. For the contestants, the three-day final was not only a test of the skills but also a tempering of spirit. “Making it into the final was the result of strength and a little good luck,” said Zhang Yonghui, from Deda in Guangdong. “Those who appeared here have survived several qualifying rounds and all are very skilled. The margin between success and failure in this stage is indeed razor-thin.”

During the final session, the jury comprising front-line aftersales personnel, senior trainers and dealership general managers, having a comprehensive assessment of the participants, covering seven areas including brand knowledge, customer satisfaction and professional skill etc. Finally, the team championship title went to Xiamen BMW Automobiles Service Co., Ltd., and the winner’s titles in the seven positions of competition went to Wang Lan, Yue Zhengyu, Zhao Jinglai, Han Xiao, Wu Ruixia, Yu Deng and Sun Likai, respectively. After the competition, dozens of aftersales elites will go to BMW’s headquarters in Germany where they will receive advanced training courses and acquire world-leading professional knowledge on the one hand and broaden their horizon on the other hand so that they will provide even more excellent services for BMW owners in China.

Creative competition format helps drive up customer satisfaction

BMW NASCE 2016 consisted of two parts – team competition and individual competition, with competition items covering — for the first time — every link of the aftersales service process. To ensure that the competition will represent the higher level of aftersales service quality of BMW , and also with a view to better meeting the needs of customers and guiding the work of dealerships, the competition based all its items on the aftersales front line and featured thoughtfully designed assessment points. The assessment of aftersales managers, in particular, creatively took account of their actual performance in the daily working time, to establish the competition as a way of exercise where customer satisfaction is the yardstick.

It is worth noting that, to minimize the impact of the competition on participants’ normal work and allow them to effectively use their fragments of time, the competition was completely mobile Internet based with a drip irrigation training style which allowed participants to improve their professional skills and abilities in the process of participating in the competition, thus to drive up customer satisfaction.

Systematic training lays the cornerstone of top-quality service

Behind the rigorous assessment is BMW’s steadfast commitment to localized talent development. As car ownership steadily increases, a series of factors including digitalization, car buyers becoming increasingly young and the demand for personalized service have put forward daunting challenges to BMW dealerships. How to help them address the challenges? In response to the new needs and trends, BMW China Training Academy has not only required trainees to continuously refine their technical skills but also imparted them with communication skills and service awareness in the Internet era, in furtherance of its commitment to developing high-caliber dealership talent and promoting the sustainable development of dealerships in the local market.

At present, BMW China Training Academy has 4 training centers and 15 training bases in China with a training capacity of 390,000 person-days a year. In addition, it has introduced the Dual-System Education model of Germany to China and established the BMW B.E.S.T. Program. Since the launch of the program, it has been providing training to a total of more than 6,000 persons. It has not only provided a lot of high-caliber talent to BMW and laid the foundation for the development of China’s automobile industry, but also benefited trainees with a systematic career development plan which will serve them well for a lifetime.

In aftersales service training, BMW’s 267 dedicated aftersales trainers provide dealership employees with training in 691 courses, including technical matters, special sessions and online courses, which cover all aftersales positions. Meanwhile, BMW’s Aftersales Training Department make training plans and organize performance evaluation activities in the light of the actual needs in the Chinese market, and these efforts have played a crucial role in ensuring that all BMW dealerships provide consistently high-quality services for customers.

As an important part of BMW’s training system, the biyearly BMW NASCE also carries the important mission of developing local talent. Since 2006, the competition has attracted the participation of more than 40,000 aftersales service employees, providing them with a fast lane of career development and self-actualization, and has significantly increased their sense of pride for their profession and loyalty to the BMW brand. One participant in BMW NASCE 2016 has worked in BMW’s aftersales system for 22 years. According to him, it is BMW’s philosophy of systematic employee training matched with effective and tailored courses that makes him willing to spend the most important part of this life on the job.

Strike root in China and build aftersales system as core competitiveness

As China’s car market steps into the phase of “new normal”, aftersales has become a focus and priority in automakers’ effort to differentiate in competition. BMW, in line with its strategy of aftersales service — “Maintaining JOY”, has been committed to building aftersales service as its third core competitive differentiator besides brand and product to deliver its value proposition of “Convenience, Trust and Care” and continue to lead the sound development of China’s automotive aftermarket.

So far, BMW has built an extensive service network with 530 authorized outlets and more than 30,000 aftersales personnel who through their unremitting efforts have earned owners’ high recognition and trust in BMW aftersales service and earned BMW the No. 1 place in the International Aftersales Customer Satisfaction (IACS) ranking in 2016, for the fourth consecutive time.

Although BMW NASCE 2016 has drawn to a close, BMW’s commitment to building high-quality service, developing high-caliber technical personnel, and providing thoughtful customer care worthy of their trust, will continue. BMW will remain adherent to the principle of seeking common development with its dealership partners and employees and steadfast in its mission to provide customers with convenient and superior aftersales service experience and achieve win-win result for the company and its partners and consumers.