“Satisfying and exciting customers is our ultimate goal.”
This is the sentiment expressed by Matthias Beitl, the CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea. On the 20th, the Korea Automobile Journalists Association met with Matthias Beitl at the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz Korea located in Seoul’s Jung-gu, Seoul Square.
Joining Mercedes-Benz in 2005 as the Dealer Business Manager for the Czech subsidiary, Matthias moved on to serve as the Director of Organizational Training and Dealership Accreditation for the Chinese subsidiary in 2011. He officially joined Mercedes-Benz Korea as CEO in September of last year.
Reflecting on his life in Korea so far, he commented, “Korea is a country of innovation with a very fast pace,” adding, “I am grateful that Korean customers love our brand so much. Meeting customer demands is our top priority.”
Addressing the loss of their number one spot in the imported car market after holding it for eight years, he articulated his perspective clearly.
“Being number one is not our strategy. What we focus on is providing a better customer experience and wonderful products to excite our customers. Our goal is to strengthen our identity as a luxury brand. We are thankful for the love we have received in the Korean market. We have never set a strategic goal to be number one in the imported car market.”
Now that one-third of 2024 has passed, sales figures for Mercedes-Benz have notably declined.
“Last year was the final year for the 10th generation E-Class, and by the year-end, inventory sold out. Furthermore, the launch of the 11th generation model this year has been affected by the crisis at the Suez Canal caused by the war in the Middle East. We understand that customers are eager to receive their eagerly awaited vehicles, and we share in their disappointment. In the interim, the number of customers awaiting the E-Class has grown to thousands. Securing vessels bound for Asia has become difficult. We are watching for a resolution to this issue by April.”
However, sales of Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles have soared by 80%. Regarding the essential charging infrastructure for the brand’s electrification, Matthias also discussed the necessity of charging stations for electric cars.
“From the start, we pursued a strategy allowing charging anywhere, not limited to Mercedes-Benz charging facilities. Investment begins this year. What sets our chargers apart is high-output charging capability. Our high-output charging network is fully integrated with the applications of our operating partners, as we collaborate with others in this area. We believe investing in high-output charging networks is crucial as charging time will be significant in the future electric vehicle ecosystem.”
Matthias shared his thoughts on Mercedes’ forthcoming retail strategy, ROF (Retail Of Future). “The automobile industry is changing. Consumer behaviors are shifting, and the ways to purchase cars and receive services are also evolving. ROF will play a crucial role in integrating customer experiences by ensuring information viewed online is not repeated thereafter. This will yield great advantages for ROF and eliminate various obstacles for dealers. It will also alleviate inventory burdens. Customers will be able to comfortably browse cars online without having to walk around showrooms. Most importantly, customers can purchase high-quality products at reasonable prices without price negotiations.”
Finally, Matthias spoke about his fun experiences in Korea over the past six months.
“From the moment I took up my post in Korea, I believed I had to take away a lot. Being a CEO keeps me very busy, and I often use public transportation like buses and subways to get around. I’m also enjoying having coffee talks with employees, which is important to me. Engaging with staff is crucial, and I’ve even played soccer with them. The Korean employees are quite skilled.”
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr