After a 12-month competition testing skills, knowledge, stamina, and teamwork across elements of aftersales operations, Volvo Masters 2024 has crowned a winner.
The team from KSS Korea was named the winner of Volvo Masters 2024 – following a Grand Final at Volvo CE's headquarters in Eskilstuna, Sweden.
Some 2,235 participants from 634 teams and 134 Volvo dealers worldwide took part in the competition. Now in its 34th year, the contest is respected in the industry as an exciting way to showcase the talents of the parts and service technicians working across Volvo CE's dealer network.
The 14 teams who made it through to the grand final were tasked with six challenges on excavators, articulated haulers, wheel loaders, engines, electromobility, and used equipment. Each challenge was based on the latest solutions and technologies, with electromobility and digitalization playing a more prominent role than before.
"Volvo Masters is an exceptionally gruelling experience and really tests the skills of our aftersales teams from around the world," said Jan Fogelberg, Masters global lead at Volvo CE. "Each time we put on this competition, we focus on coming up with more and more sophisticated and diverse challenges, and each time we are always overwhelmed at the expertise and passion on display.
"Huge congratulations, not only to the winners who really proved they had the spirit to get to the top but to everyone whose engagement and dedication to take on any challenge, no matter how hard, is a testament to the high standards to which our customers hold Volvo CE and our incredible dealer network."
New for 2024 was what Volvo CE says is a more high-pressured environment. The Grand Final took place in front of a live audience at Volvo CE's headquarters, creating a more sporting atmosphere. Just like the real thing, where customers expect uptime to keep their business operations running as smoothly as possible, the technicians were required to juggle the demands of the task with the need to complete it as quickly as possible.
The win by KSS Korea came after a tough contest. Taking the silver medal was SMT Netherlands, while third and fourth place were won by Zhejiang Liyang from China and Ascendum Portugal respectively.
Two Volvo dealer teams each from Europe, Asia, China, North America, Latin America, India, and Region International took part in the Grand Final. They qualified after six months of regional finals on home ground, which followed the first phase of the competition, involving three online rounds of questions and assessments.
