Who does not know the image of the typical insurance agent? Insurance companies are sold to people in a gray suit with a briefcase under their arms. Such prejudices still exist today. Everyday professional life in an insurance company is very different. We had the opportunity to take a closer look at the office of the Allianz Beratungs- und Vertriebs AG in Meißen and got an insight into the training process, the structure of the office and the daily work of the individual departments.
Trust is everything
Dr. Susen Sattler has been with the company since 2008 and head of the office in Meißen since 2018. Her team, consisting of salaried and independent sellers, the responsible division managers, specialists and thus a total of over 40 employees and over 120 main and general representatives in the region, is in direct contact with customers. And this contact is the basic essence of the work. It is all about a relationship of trust and a close cooperation for the best possible provision. “The customer often entrusts us with very private or sensitive information, for example health-related information. It is therefore important to be able to rely on the respective contact person”, explains Steffen Knobloch, Head of Property Insurance. And this goes hand in hand with a certain degree of consistency so that the customer can work with the same contact person over a longer period of time. This should also be conveyed to trainees, new employees and agencies. “Regionality is also a very important factor for us. Closeness to the region, cultivating its own roots or building new roots, especially for returnees, and thus, for example, building or taking over a successful agency. That is what matters to us”, says Susen Sattler and also refers to the current problems in the industry. Because finding successors for individual locations is proving increasingly difficult. For many entrepreneurs with many years of success, each with over 1.000 customers, retirement is already within reach. The complexity of the task profile as an entrepreneur or seller in Allianz is underestimated, especially as a beginner or career changer. This results in a very structured and extensive selection process for potential agency successors and sellers, in order to ultimately fill the position as optimally as possible and to continue to guarantee customers trustworthy advice on their personal needs in the region.
© Allianz AG
The team stands in the foreground
If career changers lateral entrants have successfully completed the selection process, they will be very well prepared for the new tasks within the alliance. The new starters complete theoretical training in training groups at the Allianz field service academy in Burgstädt. The practical part takes place in selected regional "training agencies". The entire process takes 1½ years. As part of the training, the career changers take the exams to become a specialist in insurance and financial investments in front of the IHK. What is important to the company is the support of the trainees, both on the financial side, and the direct contacts in the team. This also makes the work interesting for career changers. But it is not easy to find new employees or fill apprenticeships in every area. For example, in the office management area, the branch in Meißen was looking for a trainiee. One reason for this is often the preferences of young adults. “Many young people are drawn to the big cities. It is very important to convey the advantages of working in the surrounding area”, says Susen Sattler. And of course working in and for the company also has its advantages. This includes many further training opportunities, company protection options and a closely networked team. For Susen Sattler, the key word is “team building”. Many offers are created there in order to make cooperation among colleagues as positive as possible.
Searching for new employees
Regionality also plays a crucial role in the search for new employees. In addition to the online offers, such as job portals, the office also works with headhunters. And it builds on regional recommendations. Because they often bring the regional network with them. The company continues to grow and competent employees are required to continue to develop positively in the future. On-site service is an integral part of the company's strategy and accordingly requires the personnel to implement it.
Potential of the surrounding area
But where should the future employees come from? Susen Sattler sees different approaches there. “I see a great opportunity in the area of university graduates or even dropouts who want to reorient themselves.” When looking at graduate and dropout rates at universities and colleges, the potential cannot be dismissed. Ms. Sattler sees further possibilities in hiring immigrants, especially at the international level. International employees and salespeople enrich the team with their know-how and language skills. This often reaches new customers and opens up completely new business areas. One trend that Allianz is also concerned with is the increasing population in the outskirts of cities and in rural areas. Due to the high regionality of the company, correspondingly interesting offers can also be offered in these areas for further development or succession in agencies.
One sit on the couch at home and feel the vibrations of the smartphone next to you. The video chat window opens and within a few seconds you are connected to your Allianz contact. The last details are clarified directly on the tablet and enable personal support that extends through the technical possibilities of digitization to the customer's comfort zone. No outdated clichés, no insurance that nobody needs, but individual care for people from the region.
Interview and Text: Peter Glumbick