Indian technician voted Yamaha’s best among 33,000 participants from 18 countries

Meenakshi Sundaram Subramanian from Alagendran Autos, Madurai, has won the No. 1 Technician Title in the Commuter Class at the Yamaha World Technician Grand Prix 2014 (WTGP) that was held between September 30 and October 1. Twenty of the best technicians from 18 countries who had won their national level qualifying contests (NTGP) gathered in Japan for the sixth Yamaha World Technician Grand Prix during these days. WTGP motivates dealers to achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction that translates into customer delight.

Commenting on the achievement at Yamaha WTGP 2014, Masaki Asano, MD, Yamaha Motor India Sales, said: “Yamaha Motor Company organizes the WTGP contest in Japan once in two years to select the world’s No. 1 Yamaha service technician. It was earlier dominated by European countries winning the top spot in the championship. We are indeed glad to see India coming forward and winning the title this time. This was the second time Yamaha Motor India was a part of WTGP 2014 and this win by Meenakshi Sundaram Subramanian makes us very proud indeed.”

The contest includes the element of ‘Time-Commitment Service’ based upon ‘maintenance knowledge, trouble shooting and customer relations’ from the perspective of customer contact points.

Speaking at the event to felicitate the winner, Ravinder Singh, VP (Strategy and Planning), Yamaha Motor India Sales, said: “This year, Yamaha Motor India participated in WTGP 2014 by sending winners of its India edition of the ‘National Technician Grand Prix’ (NTGP) 2012 and 2013. Contests such as these certainly help in raising the service technician’s consciousness of their importance in the Yamaha business, stimulate the desire for improvement and strengthen the Yamaha Service. At Yamaha, it is our constant endeavour to not only offer our valuable customers an exciting and excellent product line up, but also provide them with excellent value added services and best in class customer after sales experience. With such unique initiatives we go one step ahead to accomplish customer delight instead of mere customer satisfaction and create differentiation for ourselves.”

The Yamaha Technical Academy (YTA) plays a key role in the group’s global education and training program for motorcycle technicians to ensure world-class service that exceeds customer expectations. YTA’s content and standards of education and training programs has been developed specifically for each country. As of 2013, the number of YTA-trained and certified technicians was around 4,000 in India. Contests are held in each country under National Technician Grand Prix Title for these certified technicians. The winners then compete in the Yamaha World Technician Grand Prix held at YMC, Japan.

Photograph (L-R): Roy Kurian, vice-president, YMIS, Ravinder Singh, VP (Strategy and Planning), YMIS, Masaki Asano, MD, YMIS, Meenakshi Sundaram Subramanian --winner of Yamaha World Technician award.