Guiding Retail Teams Through Continuous Transformation

Monica Villela Millan is Head of Retail Training at Mercedes-Benz USA, bringing two decades of experience with the brand across Mexico and the United States. She began her career with Mercedes-Benz in Mexico, most recently serving as Senior Training Manager for Net Retail Training, where she developed a nuanced understanding of dealer operations and learned to balance the needs of independent retailers with broader brand strategy. In her current role, Monica leads initiatives that strengthen the U.S. retail network by connecting training programs directly to market strategy, brand identity and shifting customer expectations. Her work spans skills development, corporate standards, career pathing and certification, ensuring retail teams can deliver the Mercedes-Benz experience with consistency and confidence.

Through this interview, Monica reflects on the evolution of retail learning and shares her perspective on building a more adaptive, human-centered future for the automotive industry.

Keeping Pace with a Faster World

The skill gap we face today isn't about capability. It's about time. Technology advances so rapidly that by the time a team feels confident with one system, something new emerges. Retail teams are expected to adapt to this change while maintaining their commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences. Their development windows continue to shrink, yet expectations continue to rise.

Our challenge is supporting them without adding pressure. Training needs to be timely, focused and genuinely helpful. It should deepen understanding, not just dump information. Finding that balance drives how we build programs.

Innovation with Intention

New tools and digital platforms are reshaping how learning gets designed and delivered. The question isn't whether to use them but how they can actually strengthen the experience. One of the most valuable practices at Mercedes-Benz Retail Training is listening closely to our learners. Their feedback tells us where digital transformation adds real value and where it risks diluting the impact.

AI can speed up specific tasks, but it can't replicate the energy of face-to-face learning. The Mercedes-Benz brand is built on emotion, trust and genuine human interaction. If our training loses those qualities, it loses what matters. That's why we're adopting new methods while protecting the personal connection that helps people learn and serve customers with confidence.

This commitment is most evident in our experiential programs, which remain a defining strength of our institution. They offer more than classroom understanding. Behind the wheel, learners feel how the vehicles perform, sense their character and connect with the brand in a personal way. That experience makes their conversations with customers more natural and believable.

Even as new technologies streamline access to knowledge, the hands-on piece stays essential. Product knowledge stops being a list of facts. It becomes something that employees have experienced and it changes how they talk about it.

A Learning Journey Built Around the Individual

As the industry continues shifting, personalization will move to the center of workforce development. People learn differently. They don't all need the same format, pace or depth. Training has to reflect that.

Flexible paths and varied formats allow learners to grow at their own pace. When training aligns with the individual, it becomes more meaningful and is more likely to result in stronger customer relationships. This shift toward personalization is already underway and will continue to shape our approach in the future.

Curiosity That Carries You Forward

For anyone looking to grow in this field, curiosity is the best compass. Learning happens everywhere. It thrives in conversations, research, and the willingness to ask questions that others might overlook.

The more we listen, explore and stay open, the more naturally we develop. Every interaction becomes a chance to learn something new and adopting this mindset opens the door to growth that actually lasts.