Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), maker of BharatBenz trucks and buses, today announced
DICV Revolutionizes Customer Engagement with Digital ‘Mitra’ Initiative
- Selected BharatBenz customers paired with DICV Executives to receive one-on-one personalized service
- Initiative grants customers premium access to special offers, priority service and personalized consultations with top management
- All interactions to take place virtually through phone, email and video conferencing until pandemic passes
- Mr. Rajaram Krishnamurthy, Vice President Marketing & Sales and Customer Services DICV: “What better way to ensure the high standards expected by our customers than to offer them their own concierge? With the BharatBenz Mitra program, selected customers are each assigned a top executive who is personally devoted to making sure they get the best service possible.”
Chennai – Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), maker of BharatBenz trucks and buses, today announced the launch of its revolutionary customer engagement program ‘Mitra’. Mitra, which means ‘friend’ in Hindi, pairs selected BharatBenz customers with top executives from DICV to ensure they receive the absolute best service possible throughout their relationship with the CV manufacturer.
Mr. Rajaram Krishnamurthy, Vice President Marketing & Sales and Customer Services DICV said, “What better way to ensure the high standards expected by our customers than to offer them their own Concierge? With the BharatBenz Mitra program, selected customers are each assigned a top executive who is personally devoted to making sure they get the best service possible.”
DICV rolled out a Mitra pilot program last year covering seven fleet customers who were paired with members of the DICV Executive Board – all the way up to the company CEO. The program showed great results with participants reporting much higher levels of engagement and satisfaction as evidenced by several hundred additional vehicle sales. The initiative also helped DICV convert two new customers who had only ever before bought competitor vehicles.
“With the DICV Leadership Team personally involved in customer service, all our company’s processes will naturally become more and more customercentric. The BharatBenz Mitra program will help us build long-term relationships with our customers based on excellent service and an emotional connect,” explained Rajaram.
From this month, the Mitra program will be expanded to a further 60 customers spread out over the entirety of India, a scope made possible thanks to the digitalisation of the program. While the pilot program required top executives to travel hundreds of kilometres at a time for face-to-face meetings, Mitra will now be conducted virtually. Customers will have access to their Mitra counterparts via phone, text, email and video conferencing. Once the pandemic passes, face-to-face interactions will resume at the customer’s convenience.
“BharatBenz Mitra offers unbeatable peace of mind. While all Bh aratBenz buyers have access to our 24/7 call center and cou ntry-wide network of dealerships, Mitra customers will additi onally have an in-house champion who will learn their product and ser vice needs from the ground up and then advocate to make sure they receive solutions tailored to their business,” commented Rajaram.
The Mitra program will be offered free to selected customers on an invitation-only basis. However, plans are in place to further extend the program in the coming years to meet market demand.
About Daimler India Commercial Vehicles
Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler AG, Germany and operating under the umbrella of Daimler Trucks Asia, is a full-fledged commercial vehicle player in the Indian market and the only Daimler entity worldwide with a brand dedicated to its home market: BharatBenz. DICV produces and sells in India above 9 to 55 tons trucks as well as BharatBenz buses, Mercedes-Benz coaches and bus chassis. DICV’s state-of-the-art manufacturing plant at Oragadam near Chennai spreads over 400 acres (160 hectares) including a highly modern test track and is home to the company’s headquarters, R&D and training operations. With one global quality standard, it also produces for Daimler Trucks’ brands of FUSO, Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner. Products and parts are exported to more than 50 markets in the Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. DICV represents an overall investment of more than INR 5,500 crores.
About BharatBenz
The BharatBenz brand is tailored for the Indian market and its demanding customer requirements by Daimler AG, the world’s leading CV manufacturer with a global reach. First unveiled in February 2011, the brand was launched in September 2012 with the introduction of its heavy-duty haulage trucks. The portfolio was expanded with the launch of medium-duty haulage trucks (2013), construction & mining trucks and tractors (2014), and buses (2015). The pan Indian BharatBenz sales and service network of more than 230 touchpoints is being continuously expanded. Within eight years after the market launch, BharatBenz has already produced over 100,000 vehicles – an unprecedented ramp-up in the world’s toughest commercial vehicle market.
