Introduction
In today’s rapidly evolving consumer market, crafting an exceptional customer experience has become the new path for companies to achieve steady and sustainable growth. By clearly defining brand positioning and values, developing a comprehensive experience strategy, and creating distinctive, memorable moments at key touchpoints, companies can win customers’ hearts, build lasting relationships, and realize continuous growth. As an experience-consulting firm, we understand the power of experience-driven transformation. Leveraging our unique mindset and methodology, we will dissect the success stories of market leaders and explore how they achieve breakthrough commercial results through customer-experience strategies. We look forward to sharing our findings so that more organizations can draw inspiration and best practices, and together usher in a new era of experience-driven business.
Case Study – Yao Chuxing (Yao Mobility)
Launched on 3 December 2019 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, Yao Chuxing is the first luxury chauffeur-service brand created jointly by two Fortune 500 automotive giants—Mercedes-Benz and Geely. The company specializes in bespoke Mercedes-Benz chauffeur services and offers a diverse portfolio of premium options, including private jet chartering and luxury-car rental. Guided by the brand promise “For life’s important moments, we never let you down,” Yao Chuxing delivers top-tier service that honors every passenger—whether for a critical business trip or a once-in-a-lifetime family journey—ensuring that beauty and grace accompany every ride.
This case study examines how a Mercedes-Benz luxury chauffeur brand builds competitive advantage through high-end service and experience design. We will analyze its differentiation strategy, premium positioning, and overall experience-strategy framework.
Industry Landscape
The Evolution of China’s Premium Ride-Hailing Market
Since 2010, ride-hailing apps such as Yidao, Didi, and Kuaidi have mushroomed, propelling Chinese mobility into the internet era. From 2015 onward, bike-sharing platforms—ofo, Mobike, and Bluegogo among them—emerged, further expanding the country’s internet-based transportation market. In 2015, China’s internet mobility market reached RMB 68.1 billion and entered a phase of explosive growth. By 2018, transaction volume was expected to surge to RMB 267.8 billion, then resume steady expansion to reach RMB 503.6 billion by 2022. A wave of new players entered the arena. After Didi consolidated Kuaidi and Uber China, and ofo and Mobike outpaced rival bike-sharing firms, the industry entered a comparatively stable phase. Since the 2010 launch of Yidao, ride-hailing has undergone rapid expansion and consolidation. Today, Didi dominates across all service lines, with smaller-scale competition persisting in niche segments.
On 19 August 2014, Didi launched its premium business-travel product, the company’s second offering after the original Didi Taxi app. While Didi Taxi serves the mass taxi-hailing segment, Didi Premium targets higher-end business travelers, broadening the company’s industry coverage and providing users with more diversified mobility options.
In January 2015, China’s Ministry of Transport formally endorsed the ride-hailing model as an innovation. Didi Premium and Yihao Premium rapidly expanded, while Yidao and CAR Inc. also entered the premium chauffeur market.
Demand for Mid- to High-End Ride-Hailing Keeps Rising
The data show that 2015–2018 was the rapid-growth phase for the premium ride-hailing market; from 2018 onward the segment entered maturity. Competition for the “high-end lane” intensified across all platforms. On 14 December 2018, BMW launched “ReachNow Instant Mobility” in Chengdu—the first foreign-owned ride-hailing licence ever granted in China. It was also the period when Li-Cheng (Premium) Didi, CAR Premium and other high-end services fought for dominance. Yet after only thirteen months of operation BMW shuttered ReachNow in January 2020 and exited the Chinese mobility market. Interviews with employees by *Auto Life* revealed the decision had been taken well before COVID-19 and was unrelated to the pandemic.
Founding of Yao Chuxing
Established in 2019, Yao Chuxing leveraged the combined strengths of Mercedes-Benz and Geely to secure a firm foothold in Chengdu with its superior-quality service. Amid increasingly fierce competition, every platform is now carving out its own niche. Although Didi and CAR both launched luxury-car tiers, Yao Chuxing has sustained growth through a clearly differentiated strategy. Its core is “tailored service,” enabling the joint venture to become the benchmark for exceptional mobility and deliver a five-star experience.
Hallmarks of Yao Chuxing’s Premium Mobility Service
Yao Chuxing is positioned in the premium concierge-mobility segment. Through a hybrid model of membership programmes and on-demand services, it delivers outstanding experiences to both individual and corporate clients, covering every dimension of an elevated lifestyle.
Target Groups
• Individual clients: first-generation wealth creators, top-tier professionals across all fields, family-business heirs, C-suite executives, senior managers, and full-time homemakers.
• Corporate partners: five-star hotels, premium credit-card issuers, consulting firms, airlines, luxury-goods houses, private banks, and other prestige brands.
Service Journey
Yao Chuxing’s high-end concierge offering grants high-net-worth clients privileged access, bespoke personal service and time-saving value. The scope spans clothing, food, accommodation, transport, healthcare, education, finance, the arts and beyond.
Service Outcomes
Leveraging professional expertise, exceptional service standards, an extensive partner network and nationwide coverage, Yao Chuxing resolves every travel scenario for its users—delivering convenience, privacy, safety, efficiency and uncompromising comfort.
Yao Chuxing’s Differentiation Strategy
1. Positioning Differentiation
Instead of being labelled “another ride-hailing firm” or “car-rental platform,” Yao Chuxing is positioned as a luxury-service brand. The pivot is from high-end transport to chauffeur-driven concierge service. Meticulous attention to detail includes pre-ordering breakfast for early-morning flights or placing a bouquet of flowers for a passenger just discharged from hospital.
2. Model Differentiation
To avoid becoming one more app on a crowded screen, Yao Chuxing operates by advance reservation only—users or enterprises pre-book bespoke itineraries. This contrasts sharply with the “tap-and-go” model of mainstream apps. The business model blends B2B and B2C.
3. Precise Audience Targeting
Two core segments:
• B2B: key enterprise clients whose daily routines revolve around business travel and guest reception; each company receives a customised concierge programme.
• B2C: China’s three million high-net-worth households, for whom every trip can be tailored.
Customer Experience as the Engine of Growth
Beyond differentiation in positioning and model, world-class customer experience is the decisive factor behind market acceptance.
The following five modules dissect how Yao Chuxing translates its brand promise into a signature customer journey.
Brand Promise
—Clarifying the Promise, Reshaping Perceptions
“For life’s defining moments, we never let you down.” This is the value pledge Yao Chuxing makes to every client. Born from an intimate understanding of high-net-worth needs and two-plus years of delivering world-class mobility, it commits Yao Chuxing to unmatched service quality and positions the brand as the first choice for discerning travelers when every second counts.
“Defining moments” reflects Yao’s deep insight into premium travel scenarios—those pivotal, once-in-a-lifetime occasions that punctuate every life stage: sealing a crucial business deal, sharing a romantic date, gathering the whole family under one roof. Yao Chuxing strives to be the trusted companion in each of them.
“Never let you down” is the unwavering service vow. At every critical juncture Yao Chuxing greets clients with the highest standards, exceeding expectations. Whether enabling a breakthrough partnership, witnessing a love story, or safeguarding family warmth, Yao gives its all—honoring every trust placed in the brand.
Experience Value Proposition
—Translating the promise into strategy and principles
Yao Chuxing is dedicated to delivering a globally benchmarked, concierge-level journey that is both dignified and deeply personal. Guided by the Japanese spirit of “ichigo ichie”—treating every single ride as a once-in-a-lifetime encounter—the team serves with genuine passion and meticulous sincerity, ensuring every trip is suffused with elegance and warmth and becomes an unforgettable memory.
Experience Principles – “The Six Radiants”
All service delivery is anchored in six core pillars:
1. Safety
End-to-end control under direct operations; every vehicle is a brand-new Mercedes-Benz with its own safety dossier. Chauffeurs are rigorously selected and continually trained.
2.Reliability
Professional, company-owned fleet; Germanic punctuality to the minute—on-time pickup is the first step toward earned trust.
3. Personalization
Preferences anticipated and remembered; constant innovation lets clients express every nuance of their individuality.
4. Ceremony
Every ride is an occasion—red carpets, airport concierge privileges, handwritten welcome cards await.
5. Space
A mobile sanctuary of luxury and comfort: industry-leading hardware, whisper-quiet cabin, bespoke interior.
6. Care
Thoughtfulness in the smallest details—delivering service that quietly surpasses expectation.
Pyramid Model of Yao Chuxing’s Experience Value Framework
Customer Journey, Moments of Truth, and Touchpoints
—The essence of experience design is to start from customer needs, craft Moments of Truth (MOT) that leave indelible memories.
Through continuous insight into user demands, Yao Chuxing refines every step of the service flow to deliver a superior travel experience. The company offers on-demand rides, advance reservations, full-day charters, airport pick-ups and drop-offs, and provides a 24-hour online concierge ready to satisfy any personalized request.
The following is an excerpt from one customer’s journey, illustrating the Yao Chuxing experience in action:
The moments that linger longest in a customer’s memory are those that have been deliberately orchestrated—peaks of experience that become the decisive reason for choosing the brand again. Throughout the Yao Chuxing journey, these surprise Moments of Truth (MOT) stand out:
• Arrival at the pick-up point
A spotless Mercedes gleams under the lights while the chauffeur—immaculately dressed—stands at attention beside the car, ready to greet the passenger by name.
• Opening the door and settling into the cabin
Inside, chilled Voss still and sparkling water, a silk eye mask, refreshing wipes, and warm towels are arranged precisely at arm’s reach—every detail silently promising comfort.
• During the ride
The chauffeur drives with quiet discretion, never intruding. Instead, the passenger’s favourite playlist—already noted by the concierge ahead of time—fills the cabin at the perfect volume.
• Arrival and departure
As the journey ends, the chauffeur steps out first, retrieves luggage and personal items, and places them gently in the passenger’s hands with a courteous farewell, ensuring the final touchpoint is as flawless as the first.
Through meticulously crafted service and surprise Moments of Truth at every step of the journey, Yao Chuxing leaves customers with a truly memorable experience.
Touchpoints Aligned with the Brand’s Voice and Experience Principles
A consistent experience across all touchpoints is essential for customers to feel the brand’s tone and values.
The three most critical touchpoints—Chauffeur, Vehicle, and Digital Service (App)—are strictly governed by the “Six Radiants” principles to ensure uniform, premium delivery.
1. Chauffeur – the human touchpoint
Thirteen-step rigorous selection plus ongoing training ensures every chauffeur embodies the brand. Standardized scripts and service flows are continuously refined to deliver quality, reassurance and delight. Shift-based scheduling prevents overwork, guaranteeing each chauffeur greets clients with peak energy and clarity—protecting both service excellence and employee well-being.
2. Vehicle – the physical touchpoint
The fleet comprises Mercedes-Benz E-Class, V-Class, S-Class and EQS models, offering a fully customizable, five-star solution for every scenario. Before every ride, each car is immaculately cleaned and stocked with premium amenities positioned to exacting standards.
3. Digital Service – the digital touchpoint
Users can set single-leg, multi-leg, round-trip or multi-stop itineraries in seconds. Special requests—blankets, slippers, beverages, fragrance, playlists—can be selected in-app or arranged instantly via WeChat or phone. Orders can also be placed through the mini-program or hotline, ensuring a seamless, multi-channel digital experience.
Internal Actions to Re-Engineer the Journey
—Align goals, map the entire view, chart the action path, act as one team, iterate fast.
Once the strategic direction and objectives are set, Yao Chuxing mandates a single, unified internal lens to guarantee seamless collaboration across all departments. A service blueprint is used as the common visual tool; by dissecting it, the company clarifies every stakeholder’s role and workflow, accelerates cross-departmental communication and consensus, pinpoints critical issues with precision, and continuously refines internal operations.
To ensure that outstanding service quality moves from aspiration to daily reality, Yao Chuxing is building a truly customer-centric culture. This culture rallies every employee around a shared goal, aligns all actions to one standard—exceptional customer experience—and unlocks the team’s full potential. Clear action plans emerge from this cultural engine, powering Yao Chuxing’s steady ascent toward industry leadership.
Continuous Monitoring & Optimization
—Great management makes great experiences sustainable through measurement and relentless refinement.
Powered by strong digital capabilities, Yao Chuxing captures real-time customer feedback and adjusts service on the fly, ensuring every ride remains world-class. While chauffeurs always begin with standardized courtesy greetings, the platform records each passenger’s preferences after a single input. In subsequent trips, these settings are automatically applied—eliminating unwanted conversation, music, or amenities—delivering a truly bespoke, low-friction experience every time.
Furthermore, Yao Chuxing has built a comprehensive customer-care system that actively gathers feedback through multiple channels. These invaluable user insights drive deep-rooted redesign and rapid iteration across products, technology, processes, service delivery, and payment solutions—perpetually elevating the customer experience.
According to Yao Chuxing’s Head of Service Experience, independent third-party research shows the company’s customer-satisfaction score has reached an exceptional 99.8 %, while its Net Promoter Score (NPS) stands at 80—both the highest in the industry. The 400-service hotline fields a steady stream of praise calls, and handwritten thank-you letters from clients continue to arrive—eloquent proof of the brand’s service excellence.
Crafting experiences is a systemic, multidimensional endeavor—and doing so has become the new route to growth for any business.
Since its launch on 3 December 2019, Yao Chuxing has expanded rapidly on the strength of its customer-experience philosophy. In just over two years the company now operates in ten key cities—Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Xi’an, Chongqing, Sanya and Haikou—and has served nearly one million individual clients and close to 4,000 corporate accounts. Its reputation is endorsed by luxury houses, financial institutions, airlines, five-star hotels, global consultancies, Fortune 500 companies and high-net-worth individuals. Yao Chuxing is the exclusive mobility partner of several marquee brands and has provided professional transport for the World Internet Conference, China International Import Expo, National Games, Fortune Global 500 Summit, Global People of the Year Gala and other flagship events.
In today’s hyper-competitive arena, customer experience—not just business models or market tactics—determines brand success. By orchestrating the entire spectrum from brand vision and strategy to innovation, execution and experience governance—uniting “one brand, one experience, one journey, one process, one view”—companies can lift conversion, repeat-purchase and referral rates, forging a path to steady and sustainable growth.
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