Strategic development of Mercedes me into an integrated system for vehicle-related services for private and commercial customers
- Mercedes me as a brand for vehicle-related services
- Introduction of solutions for fleet customers through Mercedes‑Benz Connectivity Services
Mercedes‑Benz is restructuring its product range for commercial connectivity and is expanding its digital eco-system to Mercedes me to include company profiles for passenger cars and vans: From now on, Mercedes me will be offered for all Mercedes‑Benz vehicles and will therefore also be available to commercial customers. Customers who have been using Mercedes PRO services will now receive vehicle-related services from Mercedes me, which are identical or comparable to the existing product range. As a result, they will also benefit from the future expansion of the product range for business customers in the Mercedes me product portfolio.
By combining connectivity solutions for private and business customers, Mercedes‑Benz is providing a harmonised product range on a uniform technical platform. This meets the customers’ requests for a holistic connectivity solution: in the future, customers will be able to use and manage both their cars and vans in one system.
Tanja Wagner, Head of Commercial Connectivity Mercedes‑Benz: “A large number of our customers use their Mercedes-Benz vehicles both privately and for business. That is why we are now complying with numerous customer requests for a uniform and clear solution and are merging our connectivity product range for Mercedes me and Mercedes PRO.”
Mercedes me as a brand for vehicle-related services
In addition to the private profile, company profiles can now also be created in the Mercedes me Portal. In the Mercedes me app, users can now conveniently switch between their private and commercial vehicles. The number of vehicles can be selected at will in the company profile – a requirement specifically of commercial customers.
Business customers benefit from the vehicle-related Mercedes me services and more efficiency, transparency and intelligence: Maintenance and monitoring services reduce the workload and improve the planning of daily operations with the vehicle. Various remote services with real-time information make it possible to keep an eye on the vehicles at all times. Intelligent navigation and voice control turn the vehicles into helpful assistants. In addition, intelligent vehicle diagnostics Mercedes‑Benz Van Uptime will be added as a service for Sprinter customers to Mercedes me’s portfolio for commercial customers.
With immediate effect, the new product range is available in Germany and in 18 other EU markets as well as the US, with more to follow. In order to be able to meet the specific needs of commercial customers even better in the future, plans are in the making to extend Mercedes me with additional commercial functions.
Introduction of solutions for fleet customers through Mercedes‑Benz Connectivity Services
Specialized connectivity solutions for fleet customers are now available through the Mercedes‑Benz subsidiary Mercedes-Benz Connectivity Services. Among other things, Mercedes-Benz is working with partners to develop solutions that can also be used for fleets with different vehicle brands or can be integrated into existing industry solutions.
In its portfolio of commercial fleet and data solutions, Mercedes‑Benz Connectivity Services GmbH currently offers its customers two data interfaces: “connect your business” and “connect your fleet”.
Using the “connect your fleet” interface, customers can integrate data from their fleet into an existing fleet management system, manage them and evaluate the data points according to their own needs. This flexible offer is specially designed for commercial customers with more than ten vehicles in their fleet – such as courier, express and parcel services, leasing companies and car rental companies. Companies can use the data according to their individual requirements to obtain the necessary transparency about the linked vehicles. As a result, processes can be optimized and costs can be reduced. The solution is designed for the entire Mercedes‑Benz passenger car and van fleet – including plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles, of course.
The ‘connect your business’ interface enables customers to enrich their own fleet product or business model with Mercedes‑Benz vehicle data. With this product, Mercedes‑Benz Connectivity Services addresses a large number of customer groups. Among other things, telematics providers can enable direct integration of data into their own products, such as fleet portals, leasing companies have the opportunity to check agreed mileages and calculate additional kilometres, and insurance companies can analyse data on the driving behaviour of their customers. In order to receive Mercedes‑Benz data from fleet vehicles, the partners no longer have to install a retrofit solution, as the data is transmitted via the communication module installed ex works. Moreover, direct integration enables improved data quality and a greater variety of data points and signals.
Both interfaces are marketed under the “Mercedes‑Benz Data” brand and currently consist of various data packages. These include mileage, ignition status, fuel and consumption data, charging data, position data and tyre data. The portfolio is continuously being expanded by further functions. Among them, for example, is a soon-to-be-available keyless locking and unlocking feature for the vehicle doors as well as for activation/deactivation of the immobiliser. Thereby, the opportunity for a comprehensive car-sharing service is created. Initially the offer will be available in Europe and the USA.
“With this new offer we are reacting to our customers’ demands for greater flexibility and a deeper integration into the software eco-system surrounding commercial vehicles. Customers can obtain data and signals in accordance with their own requirements and individually at a vehicle level in order to optimise their business processes and reduce costs,” says Sten Rauch, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Connectivity Services GmbH.
SOURCE: Daimler
Keyword: The best of both worlds: Mercedes me and Mercedes PRO are merging