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I see that Mercedes-Benz has just forked out 50 million Euros on a novel research and development programme.

Having researched the JD Power Customer Satisfaction polls for the last five years, the company has at last decided to invest in developing the manners of its sales staff. The programme is referred to as a ‘customer care offensive’, a phrase which might be familiar to past customers, although with the words in a different order.

In September last year, Dieter Zetsche, the Mercedes Car Group CEO, admitted that “…Mercedes is regarded as arrogant.” Surely not.

Anyway, at a cost of 3,571 Euros a delegate, Mercedes-Benz sales personnel are currently being jetted out to Lisbon (why not Nice?) in order to learn ‘how to be nice to customers’ - the company’s own words.

When your bought you last new car - Mercedes or otherwise - was the sales person nice to you? Or did you get the impression you were viewed as what the travel industry calls a ‘weary’?