Gunnar, Team Lead Sales Consulting – Getsafe People
Gunnar is convinced: Talking about insurance can be fun! Read here how he applies this in his day-to-day, and what makes a successful sales consultant in his team
Hi Gunnar, and a belated welcome to Getsafe! You’re in the middle of your work day – what does that look like?
I’m currently quite busy with onboarding our new starters, as the team is continuously growing – some work remotely, some come to the office. I introduce them to the tools, teach them our consulting approach, and I’m always there to give active feedback. As soon as the basics are there, the learning curve is steep – “training on the job” is proving successful, once again. On the sideline, I do lots of things regarding the structural organization, which is important when you’re scaling a team. So, I would say my work day is pretty dynamic.
Have you known since childhood that you wanted to work in sales consulting?
No (laughs)! It was a coincidence. Originally, I had started studying economics in Heidelberg, but I realized that wasn’t for me. And then I thought, before I study something else without even having a clear goal in mind, I’d rather work. A friend of mine recommended this consulting apprenticeship in the insurance sector, and I thought this was interesting. There are so many possibilities to get insured, but not all of them make sense. Someone actually has to tell you what makes sense for your individual case. People in Germany also tend to get over-insured, which I’m not a fan of, personally. I try to convey this as well – Insurance does not have to be dry and boring. It can even be fun, if you don’t just talk about conditions and paragraphs.
Which milestones in your career do you most like to look back at?
My first milestone would be to actually become a qualified insurance sales consultant. I immediately added my qualification as a business administrator. Afterwards, the most radical change came when I left the conventional world of insurance, and went into the digital sphere. Soon, everything came together – I knew I had found my place. There were many things about these big corporations I didn’t like, and I only found out how much you can still shape and redefine when I went into insurtech. Making this change was definitely a big step for me, because it came with somewhat of a risk. I was already a bit older, I had a secure job, was paid according to the tariff … not a bad situation to be in. However, I couldn’t be happier that I took the chance when I saw these new opportunities. These things may come easier to others, but it took me a lot of courage.
Now you’re Getsafe’s Sales Consulting Team Lead – what enticed you to join the mission?
I learned a lot in these past years, but it came to the point where I had to wonder: How much is there still left for me? I wanted more, and I didn’t feel like I had reached the end point with regards to my personal and professional development. Then, Getsafe came, and with it, the chance to do my thing in a new way – a way that included me more, that gave me the possibility to put my own DNA into the structure, and apply the learnings I had gathered. I work closely together with Ante, Getsafe’s Head of Sales Operations, and we’ve known each other from an earlier employer. I used to be his superior, now it’s the other way round. You can tell with these things that great team work on a common goal doesn’t come from outdated, hierarchical ways of thinking. That’s another reason why I feel especially comfortable at Getsafe.
In your opinion, what does one need to bring to the table to be a successful sales consultant on your team?
In the simplest terms: Willingness to change. You need to learn and understand that the digital, or hybrid, approach, is entirely different from the classic insurance field service. No matter how much experience you have, you have to be open to change. Other than that: Diligence. As I like to say – hard work beats talent.
Do you help your friends and family with their insurance needs as well?
I have always said that I’m there for anyone who asks, but I never approached anyone. I didn’t like this about the old insurance economy as well – they always told you to talk to your friends, family, acquaintances about the products. I’m confident that those who know me know what I do, and that they’ll reach out to me if I can be of service.
Do you have a piece of advice for choosing the best insurance policy?
Yes: Get a consultation, at least for the complex products. For property insurance you don’t need it, but for income protection, for example, this becomes important. That’s another reason why I’m a fan of the hybrid approach! It rarely happens that someone with no background in insurance finds the perfect product merely by skimming through the internet with superficial knowledge.
If there was a “How To” about you as a boss, which dos and don’ts would be included?
The most important thing to me is open communication. I want my team to be able to come to me with anything – no matter where the problem might be. You should be able to celebrate successes together, but also have the trust to address things that might not go so well. Leadership is a two-way street to me. I can only evolve as a boss, if I get the according feedback from my team.
What do you say to people who see insurance sales consulting as merely a way to rip off clients?
Insurance is important and at the end of the day, if there’s a claim to file, you’re happy to have it. It’s only right to compensate someone for a service they’ve done, just like other people go to work – no one can survive on gratitude alone. When you buy bread at the bakery, you don’t ask how many percent of the bread price the baker’s keeping, and how much the electricity for the oven costs. Like in all industries, there are bad apples. I am firmly convinced, though, that this is not the norm.
You like talking about insurance as much as Gunnar does? Apply now and become part of the team!
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