Mercedes-Benz Shifts into Streaming Gear (Part I)

Disassembly by the Numbers

Unlike the streams on MercedesBenzCareers.com, video clips delivered over the MBUSA intranet and extranet are designed for the exclusive use of the 4,700 service technicians employed by Mercedes dealers. The videos are just one part of MBUSA’s larger internal online presence, which is structured as a suite of separate Web sites. Eacsite is dedicated to a specific vehicle model. Within each model’s site, text, graphics and streaming clips are organized into component groups for body, chassis, engine, electrical, transmission, traction control, climate control and suspension.

The procedures most frequently demonstrated with streaming video are those related to the disassembly of newer model vehicles. "When we’re talking about disassembling items on new vehicles, it’s often something that a technician would not be familiar with from a previous model," notes Thomas. "Just about every disassembly procedure that we used to teach in a [physical] workshop is now conveyed through streaming media."

Previously, when new vehicles were introduced, technicians traveled to one of five education centers (in New Jersey, Florida, Illinois, Texas and California), where procedures for removing door panels, body trim and other vehicle parts were demonstrated. With MBUSA’s new streaming system, technicians stream on-demand video of disassembly procedures directly to the shop floor. "We get the information out to the workshop when and where it’s needed," says Thomas. "The technician doesn’t have to think back and say, ‘Gee, what did they tell me in training about removing that thing?’ Three or four mouse clicks, and the story’s right there for them."

While video could be delivered to the shop floor via VHS cassette or CD-ROM, streaming overcomes a number of obstacles that have made these other modes of delivery impracticable. For one thing, a service technician’s time is too valuable to spend shuttling through videocassettes in search of a specific clip. For the same reason – the high value of technicians’ time while on the shop floor – MBUSA keeps most streaming video clips around 30 seconds in length. The utility of CD-ROMs is limited by the need to integrate frequently updated information. "When new procedures or new information comes out, we want that available as soon as we have it," notes Thomas. "If we put it out on a CD-ROM, we’ve got a lot of old information floating around out there, and we don’t expect these guys to be librarians. With streaming, we don’t have to worry about stale information being on the shelf."

Check back on November 19 for Part II.