Mercedes-Benz: How to Get the Most Out of a Communication Platform

Mercedes-Benz found “the holy grail” in a business communication app that decreases the distance between HQ, non-desk workers and the business.

A Digital Platform Was the Answer

Like most other businesses Mercedes-Benz was highly traditional in their internal communication with PowerPoint presentations and an intranet. But what does it matter if not everyone:

Has easy access to information?
Has time to check updates when at work?

And how do you make sure that your sales force is 110% updated and aligned on the KPI’s in the stores and departments?

Mercedes-Benz needed a digital communication platform that could help solve their communication issues. Therefore Mikael Olsson, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Försäljnings AB Malmö, took a decision back in 2015 to gather the employees and ask them a simple question:

Where do you want your information?

The response from the non-desk workers and the employees from HQ was clear. They wanted to receive information on their phone.

Mikael Olsson’s decision towards a business communication platform was easy:

When I saw the app for the first time it was like I found the holy grail. I know it’s a strong word, but it was really encapsulating everything that I saw in front of me, we needed to have.

The Benefits of a Communication Platform

Since implementing the app Mercedes-Benz has increased employee commitment and satisfaction by engaging their employees. The structured information flow, gamification elements and internal social posts have increased the overall productivity. Peter Magnell, Business & Organisational Developer, points out:

The main ROI for us has been increased productivity just because of the gamification module.

Furthermore, Mikael Olsson states that it's not only employee engagement that has increased. The whole business is affected in a positive way since the communication platform is an integrated part of the daily operations and work life:

We have measure things, and we have seen the employee commitment and satisfaction going more or less sky rocking. If we look at sales, revenues and financial figures, we see the same development.

The Enhancements Among the Non-desk Workers

The app has improved the daily work life of the mechanics and technicians on several parameters:

They feel that they are a part of the business and the distance between HQ and the garage feels smaller.
They are well informed about the initiatives and activities in HQ.
Everyone shares their daily life in Mercedes-Benz which socially engages and motivates the employees

Before the employee app it was hard for the non-desk workers to approach new updates from HQ since they had poor access to desktops at work and rarely had the time to check the informative emails from HQ.

With the Relesys app Mercedes have solved this issue because all employees can check everything from home or when they have time since it is on their personal phone. Christer Wahl, Head of Mechanics, explains:

The best about the app is that you can find the information at home. You don’t need to be at work.

An Employee Communication Platform Connects the People and the Business

Mia Krogsböll, Mechanic on Personal Cars, and Amalja Omeragic, Rent Agent, are both excited about the social wall feature. Now they know what is going on among their colleagues which gives a community feeling since everyone shares content about Mercedes-Benz.

Mikael Olsson points out that the app in this way has connected the business and its employees:

The app has helped us to get the people and the business closer, especially the employees who normally are not close to the business but also is a part of the business.