ATLANTA -

For many customers, explains Rob Teitelbaum, buying a Mercedes-Benz can often be the celebration of a milestone event, like earning a medical degree, for example.

There’s an excitement attached to that customer experience, and Teitelbaum – the new department manager for pre-owned operations at Mercedes-Benz USA – wants to make sure that same thrill exists on the pre-owned side.  After all, that may do wonders for customer retention.

For many buyers, purchasing a certified pre-owned vehicle, in particular, is their first experience with Mercedes. This being their entry point into the brand, Teitelbaum — who began his tenure heading up pre-owned on Sept. 1 — wants to make that CPO experience as strong as possible, so that the customer is likely to remain with the brand as a new-car buyer down the road.

That’s part of his goal for Mercedes-Benz CPO. Additionally, Teitelbaum wants to increase the brand awareness for the program, particularly as it relates to the unlimited mileage warranty, which he said sets Mercedes part from other certified pre-owned programs.

As for his background, Teitelbaum has been with Mercedes-Benz for 16 years, the past three-and-a-half as the area manager for the Southern region. Prior to that, he was an area manager in the Midwest for two-and-a-half years. Teitelbaum got his start with the company as a retail trainer, where he served for three years before earning a promotion to a role as market manager.

He held that position for six years, then took on a similar role in Atlanta, where he worked for a year-and-a-half.