Driving around in a Mercedes Benz while on vacation may be the icing on the cake make that getaway complete. And Mercedes-Benz has added a new incentive for Mercedes-Benz owners by launching the Destinations Program.

The Destinations program is available exclusively to Mercedes-Benz owners and includes room upgrades and on-site hospitality credits for restaurants and spas, in addition to Mercedes-Benz vehicles for test drives, complimentary use, and courtesy shuttles during their stay.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles at each property will range from a SL 63 AMG performance roadster to the flagship S-Class sedan and new BlueTEC SUVs, one of the world’s cleanest, state-of-the-art diesels.

Each Mercedes-Benz is equipped with an in-dash navigation system that uses Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites to determine the car location, a useful feature for guests touring on their vacation.

“Our customers choose Mercedes-Benz vehicles because they want an exceptional and luxurious experience when they travel by car,” said Lisa Holladay, manager of Mercedes-Benz brand experience marketing. “Our new Destinations program extends that luxury experience by offering exclusive customer benefits through select, hand-picked properties that are quite extraordinary.”

(Source) Press

Tags: bluetec, brand experience, diesels, luxury experience, mercedes benz vehicles, Mercedes-Benz, roadster

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It is simple marketing. How can you sell something if you don’t have people stocking them or offering them for sale? The same is true in the auto industry. Apparently, if you don’t have dealers, what other means can customers use as far as purchasing new cars outside the actual manufacturer?

According to Arthur D. Little’s latest report, even before the full impact of the global credit crisis hit the automotive industry in the second half of 2008, the sector faced major changes to its competitive arena, which were brought about by: regulatory pressure on CO2 emissions, international safety standards, high oil prices, and changing customer lifestyles.

Competition amongst global players has been pushed even further as a dramatic increase in overall vehicle quality over the past decade had progressively weakened the role of the product itself as the key differentiator.

“Dealerships have a major role to play in delivering an excellent brand experience that will attract new customers and retain the existing base. Despite product differentiators, more responsibility for the customer’s overall brand experience must lie with the dealer, and automotive brands are ultimately reliant on their dealer networks to manage customers’ in-store buying experience from start to finish in order to build the global brand.”

(Source) Press

Tags: auto dealerships, auto industry, automotive industry, brand experience, brand source, co2 emissions, credit crisis, dramatic increase, global brand, global credit, global players, new cars, oil prices, vehicle quality

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