The Daihatsu Service Technical Contest involves teams of two competing for the highest overall score over four events: Academic competition, Fault diagnosis competition with the vehicle in motion, Fault diagnosis competition, and Maintenance competition.

The judging evaluates not only repair and maintenance technical skills, but also whether the team’s questioning of the customer to identify the fault is appropriate and whether their explanations are clear and understandable.

Some events lasted as long as 100 minutes, but the competitors’ intense expressions and movements really drew me in.

I felt a strong sense of unity throughout the venue—everyone, including family members and store staff watching the competitors, was completely focused.

What kind of team is Saitama Daihatsu, who took home the championship this year? I interviewed the competitors and team members!

――What mindset did you bring to the national competition stage?

While I felt the responsibility and pressure of representing the Kanto region, I approached the competition with my own passion to become a star among middle-aged employees. I wanted to prove that even in our 40s, if we put in the effort, we’re just as capable as young people.

――What do you keep in mind when interacting with customers?

If a mechanic starts talking about repairs right away upon first meeting, they won’t gain the customer’s trust. To help customers feel peace of mind through our service, I always start with a self-introduction, and I value conversations that let them get to know me. By opening their hearts this way, I aim to provide service that makes customers think, “I’m glad I chose Daihatsu.”

――What kind of workplace do you want to create for mechanics and the Aftersales Service Division going forward?

Through this contest, I not only mastered the correct work procedures but also improved my ability to independently devise efficient approaches. I want to share what I’ve learned within our store and actively communicate across seniority levels, while building a team where everyone can consult with each other anytime, regardless of position, and we can support and elevate each other.

――As a service staff member, what moments give you a sense of fulfillment and joy?

It’s the moments when I pinpoint a difficult fault and successfully repair it. Also, when I can promptly address a problem raised on the spot and see the customer’s relieved smile. That’s when I truly feel glad that I became a mechanic.

――Head Coach Abe, you were previously competitor and even won the competition. Did you feel any difference in your emotions between being a competitor and being a head coach?

(Abe) To put it simply, being a head coach is more rewarding! As a competitor, my focus was mainly on improving my own skills. But as a coach, I also have the responsibility of providing mental support to competitors and the pressure of carrying the weight of the organization. Within that context, seeing the competitors grow and win as a team made me happier than ever.

――What did you prioritize the most in supporting (developing) the competitors?

(Abe) Competitors prepare intensively for the contest between May and November. I’ve always believed that consistently engaging with them is the greatest form of support. Building mutual trust requires more than just pleasantries. It demands gritty, engaging, and honest conversations. I feel that maintaining communication both on and off the job ultimately contributed to the competitors’ development.

――What kind of role do you hope the winning competitors will play going forward?

(Tobita) I believe winning is part of the growth process. I hope they share the individual skills they acquired through the competition with the service staff around them and continue maintaining high maintenance technology standards as a team. I also hope they grow to become central figures within that team.

Thank you to everyone at the stores who sent them off with well wishes. I hope the competitors return to their respective stores and make great contributions.

――How did you feel upon hearing about the contest results?

We were watching the results at the office, and we all let out such a loud cheer it could be heard on the floor where our customers were! I believed our store’s competitors could do it, but the moment the results were actually announced, I was truly overjoyed!

――What kind of support did you provide to the competitors?

During the period from contest preparation to the actual event, the selected service staff had to temporarily leave their stores to attend training at headquarters. Even so, to avoid making them worry, all the store members worked together to support each other and carry out operations, striving to provide customers with the same level of service as usual.

The victory in this contest stems from the strength of each and every store staff member. To transform individual strengths into team strengths, communication is absolutely essential. Above all else, I place the utmost importance on fostering a culture where employees make smiling and saying thank you into a habit.

When visiting each store, I make it a point to go straight to the service workshop first and speak directly to each staff member before meeting with the store manager. I consciously strive to demonstrate this approach through my own actions.

We must interact directly with customers and respond to their requests. An open corporate culture lowers barriers between departments, enabling swift customer service. I firmly believe this directly translates into trust and satisfaction for our stores.

Check out the video below for clips from the event and follow-up coverage of the winning team, Saitama Daihatsu!

What impressed me the most during the interviews was the overwhelming mindset of “supporting each other” shared by everyone at the stores. It is precisely this mindset and these actions that form the powerful foundation underpinning our daily service quality. 

Development, manufacturing, sales, service—if any one of these is missing, we cannot deliver safety and trust to our customers.

These interviews have reaffirmed for me the fact that as “colleagues supporting each other on the same playing field,” it is the efforts of each individual that sustain Daihatsu.