The visitor numbers – around 85,000 a year – might seem to suggest that the Wörth Customer Centre was some sort of tourist attraction. That's not the case – but it is clearly a big attraction nevertheless. Situated just outside the entrance to the plant and completely refurbished in 2004 it is a unique and multi-facetted link between factory and customer.

Wide-ranging driver briefings about new trucks

Some two thirds of all operators and drivers come to the Wörth plant in person to take delivery of their new truck. This gives tens of thousands of customers and drivers a chance to see where their vehicle was built, and has various benefits. For example visitors can take a tour of the factory, to see how Mercedes-Benz trucks are built. Since the brand has nothing to hide, it is only too happy to offer visitors a look behind the scenes.

No less important are the free-of-charge driver briefings, which are much more than just an explanation of the new truck. Instructors spend half a day explaining the latest technology to drivers, so that even "old hands" can learn a lot, whether about new assistance and safety systems and their operation or about the vehicle engineering itself. Economical vehicle operation is another important topic – more so than ever in these times of consistently high fuel prices.

What's more, the driver briefings don't have to be provided in Wörth. When customers are taking delivery of a new fleet, the Wörth specialists are happy to save them a journey by coming to them instead. Last year, around 22,000 visitors attended driver information events on-site in Wörth, while a further 5,600 received the information at their own location.

Anyone who has a little time to spare when visiting Wörth should take the opportunity to look round the Customer Centre. In the showroom the latest Mercedes-Benz trucks are displayed, along with the products of major suppliers of tyres, auxiliary heaters or bed systems, while the shop offers a selection of souvenirs and practical items.

Unique: the Application Information Centre (BIC)

Thanks to a further attraction, operators in particular will be happy to take their time when visiting the Customer Centre. This is the affiliated Application Information Centre (BIC), a unique service centred on a showroom covering more than 2000 m² in which sector-specific solutions based on the range of Mercedes-Benz trucks are presented.

Directly opposite, visitors can inspect 100-plus complete-bodied trucks equipped for operation in eight different transport sectors, ranging from dropsiders, construction vehicles, fresh and frozen food vehicles, beverage transporters, swap body systems and municipal vehicles to heavy-duty tractor vehicles and car transporters. In each application sector a variety of application-specific solutions and competitor models can be viewed, thus allowing direct competitor comparisons.

Advice and test drives with more than 100 complete-bodied vehicles

These vehicles are not just exhibits: expert advisers from Mercedes-Benz are on hand to provide detailed information about vehicles, bodies and equipment. This is all part of the charm of the BIC, which functions as a one-stop "trade fair" presenting real-world solutions for real-world practitioners.

It's a highly successful concept: some 8,500 visitors a year take advantage of the in-depth information provided by the BIC and its 20 on-site staff.

Popular: ECO-training and safety training

The Wörth Customer Centre is also the organising centre for all professional driver training activities in Germany. ECO-training courses – which focus on economical driving – enjoy the biggest take-up. These courses had 1,500 participants last year, while around 400 drivers took part in safety training. A further 1,100 drivers attended special seminars, for the most part customer-specific training events. Courses to keep driving instructors abreast of the latest developments in their field are also arranged. A newly included course is the off-road truck driving course for the construction and municipal sector.

Such courses have been offered by Mercedes-Benz, with great success for more than 30 years, and not just in Germany. Wörth also "trains the trainers" from some 40 to 50 other countries in Europe and around the world. Globally, the number of truck drivers taking part in Mercedes-Benz driver information and training now stands at approximately 65,000 a year.

Meeting the future requirements on mandatory periodic training

And the Wörth training team are making sure that it too stays firmly focused on the future. The topics chosen for professional driver training and driver information already conform to the EU requirements on periodic training for professional drivers which will come into force in 2009.