- First Audi dealers complete training programme
- Marketing and Sales Board Member Ralph Weyler commends Audi Zentrum Essen for outstanding results
- Marked improvement in performance at participating dealers
Audi Zentrum Essen was yesterday the scene of a ceremony to reflect its status as one of the first dealerships to successfully complete the pioneering dealer training programme Q-Power. Ralph Weyler, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Marketing and Sales, congratulated the team on their success. "The entire dealership here in Essen has been working intensively on its profile for the past twelve months. The improvement in performance that has been registered during this short period in terms of customer satisfaction, market penetration and earnings is impressive and demonstrates the sheer potential of Q-Power."
Following in the footsteps of Audi Zentrum Essen, a further 19 dealerships are about to complete the implementation phase of the programme, which AUDI AG launched in 2006 as a service offered to dealers. There are currently 180 establishments participating in the modular programme, in which an intensive analysis of all areas of the company is followed by an individual training programme that involves all employees at the dealership, from the General Manager to the service employee. The dealerships continue to receive support even after the implementation phase, to ensure that the substantial improvement in their performance is sustained. Initial findings show an improvement in customer satisfaction, repair quality and economic efficiency of up to 50 percent.
"Audi has set itself ambitious targets," said Weyler in his speech yesterday. "We want to become the most successful premium brand by 2015. And our dealers have a vital part to play in this. The money we are investing in highly appealing new products must be mirrored by investment in the dealer network. After all, the best vehicles can only be sold by the best team of professionals. In launching Q-Power we have inaugurated an unprecedented quality initiative, the benefits of which will become even more apparent over the next few months." In Germany, Q-Power is designed for around 400 participating dealers; a further 475 Audi dealers will be taking part throughout Europe by 2010. AUDI AG is investing around EUR 50 million in this comprehensive training programme up until the end of 2008.