Mercedes-Benz Shifts into Streaming Gear (Part I)

For more than a generation, Mercedes-Benz and BMW have been duking it out for dominance of the European luxury car market in the United States. Recently, both companies turned to streaming media as the latest weapon in this battle for market supremacy. But while BMW made a high-profile marketing splash with streaming video in its BMW Films series (www.bmwfilms.com), Mercedes-Benz USA has been quietly working behind the scenes to integrate streaming media into its vehicle service workflow.

Today, through the MBUSA intranet and extranet, service technicians at over 300 Mercedes dealerships can access more than 2,000 on-demand streaming video clips detailing service, repair and disassembly procedures for all models of Mercedes-Benz currently in production.

Diagnostic computers are now standard equipment in even small neighborhood garages, and the stereotype of the dim-witted grease monkey is an anachronism. In recent years, Mercedes-Benz service technicians have had to master such new technologies as traction control, multi-link suspension and electronic stability systems. "Our service personnel work with increasingly complex, sophisticated systems," says Richard Thomas, media development and e-learning specialist for Mercedes-Benz USA, and the man responsible for implementing the MBUSA streaming video program. "My job is to help support the dealership service technicians who are responsible for the diagnosis and repair of these systems." He adds, "With increasing sales and growing demand for training, we realized a need to reach greater numbers of people in the most efficient manner possible, which is why we decided to use streaming media."

The new MBUSA system for streaming video to the shop floor isn’t Mercedes’ first foray into the world of streaming media. For more than a year, visitors to the www.Mercedes BenzCareers.com Web site have been able to stream video clips of sales and service personnel extolling the benefits of a career at Mercedes-Benz. In the face of steady growth in vehicle sales, the increasing technical sophistication of its products, and historically low unemployment rates, Mercedes is also using streaming for competitive advantage in the battle for new hires. "We’ve got a very complex product, and we’re using a lot of leading-edge technology," notes Thomas. "We need to get more people into the field as technicians."

But Mercedes realizes a more direct return on investment in streaming by reaching a core, niche audience, made up of thousands of geographically dispersed service technicians, with current, instantly accessible video content.