Mercedes-Benz Oman unveils its new flagship showroom in Muscat
MUSCAT: Mercedes-Benz Oman has set a new benchmark in its brand experience journey with the unveiling of its new flagship showroom in Muscat.
The state-of-the-art facility was officially inaugurated under the patronage of Brigadier (Rtd) Waleed bin Omar Al Zawawi. Customers in the Sultanate are among the first in the GCC to interact with the new global concept and engage with the brand virtually and in reality.
Within the context of the ‘Best Customer Experience’ marketing and sales strategy, MercedesBenz Oman has modernised its appearance, creating a more comfortable, ‘at-home’ feeling that centres around the customer’s needs. The new exterior and interior areas of its retail operations are designed to induce ease and flexibility, allowing customers to relax and enjoy their time while getting acquainted with the Mercedes-Benz line up.
Lawerence Good, chief executive officer Mercedes-Benz Oman, said, “Our showroom in Muscat is more than a store, it’s a home for our Mercedes-Benz customers. We wanted to remove the traditional showroom feel and create a lounge, a space that’s modern and innovative but feels welcoming and warm. We have added some fantastic new features, the most exciting of which might be the new handover bays that are the icing on any Mercedes-Benz experience.”
The design process took a holistic approach to the renovations ensuring an all-round new experience, with modernised reception, sales and service to delivery areas. From the comfortable seating spaces, customers can now explore the display of MercedesBenz products and services in their own time, drawing their attention to their areas of preference. Designed in cooperation with the Mercedes-Benz Design Team, the showroom now feels like a place to encounter the brand family of Mercedes-Benz cars and not just a point of sale.
The architectural concept of the showrooms contrasts with a silver-white roof design thanks to a black interior landscape. Spatial boundaries within the building are kept to a minimum to deliberately create an openspace feeling. A largely transparent building façade creates a flowing transition between the interior and exterior areas.
The new brand architecture is experience able even when entering the showroom. The welcome and initial customer meeting takes place in a relaxed manner. The new role of the Star Assistant as a host and the “first face” of the brand ensures a very welcoming atmosphere at the reception.
The advice in sales and service has been re-conceptualised and can be individually tailored to the customer to an even greater extent, allowing for customers to be advised situatively and on the move. Stiff furnishing with desks is passé; now showroom employees will use media surfaces or mobile end devices flexibly and as required. Customer conversations can take place in a relaxed atmosphere in the specially designed lounge areas and a spatial space best suited to the requirements of the advice, sales and service conversations. New job profiles for sales personnel are an essential part of the new brand presence, ensuring that the increasing product complexity and digitisation are taken into account, as well as the individual needs of customers. For example, the product experts explain the models’ special features and technologies to interested parties directly on the vehicle or on digital devices and screens.
A key focus of the new brand presence is the inclusion of digital media which enhances product presentations and explanations, alongside the traditional showroom tools. When creatively used, it can support customer conversations, making understanding of the brand’s ever-increasing portfolio a more explorative experience.