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Kathrin Kühtreiber-Leitner (47) has been on the board of Upper Austria for six months. Insurance. The fact that she is the first woman in such a role in the company’s 210-year history is nothing special for her: “You don’t think about that. But if it is a positive sign for other companies, then it does have a certain meaning for me. “She herself has always been in management positions in her professional career (“ About the person ”).
At OÖ. Insurance, Kühtreiber-Leitner has been responsible for sales, among other things, since October 2020. She has not only been familiar with the insurance business since she started working for Upper Austria, as she was previously responsible for representing the interests of insurance agents at the Chamber of Commerce.
The fact that she has already been with the company for ten years was definitely an advantage. Most of this time she was entrusted with the management of the largest in-house sales unit, her own field service. “I’m glad that the empirical values were there from the start and that this subject area is nothing new to me.” The board member explains why she has a certain weakness for sales: “You have a lot to do with people and experience a lot every day New. Sales always bring surprises. “
To person
After completing his studies, Kühtreiber-Leitner worked for the WKOÖ (GF specialist group insurance agents and young business and women in business) until 2011. Then she moved to Upper Austria. Insurance.
In addition, she was mayor of Hagenberg from 2009 to 2019. Kühtreiber-Leitner is married and has one daughter.
The previous sales strategy is currently being scrutinized
When it comes to sales, the regional insurer has always relied on a dense network of consultants. While there used to be a representative in almost every community, today they rely on the so-called “no worry centers”. There are a total of 32 of these customer offices – 25 of them are in the state above the Enns. In addition, the Upper Austria. Insurance still 16 additional registration offices. “We want to have someone in every region who has the technical and human skills and who fits our values,” emphasizes Kühtreiber-Leitner.
An internal company process is currently underway in which the previous sales strategy is being scrutinized. It is determined how the “customer of the future” ticks. The results should not reveal what the insurance company wants, but what the customer needs: “Some want appointments at home, others prefer to come to the customer center and still others prefer digital support. We will position ourselves accordingly broadly, ”explains the sales manager. In any case, there is no question that there will be different approaches to communication with customers. But the way is going in the direction of more digitization. This is confirmed by a trend that has emerged more and more over the past twelve months. Many customers have increasingly opted for electronic mail requests. Although it has been possible for three years, this digital tool was not really used until the beginning of the pandemic and the associated lockdowns. The daily numbers have quadrupled since then.
The Upper Austrian does not want to completely overturn the well-known distribution system. “Our strength is to know the customer and to be on site quickly in the event of damage. This is what sets us apart as a regional insurer and sets us apart from large corporations. Talking to one another must and will remain our core competence in sales, ”says Kühtreiber-Leitner.
Special products for farmers and their farms
The roots of Upper Austria. Insurance as a rural fire insurer can still be felt 210 years after it was founded. In 1811 the first policy was issued for a hereditary farm, which is still insured with the Upper Austrian – just like 60 percent of all farms in the state. A fifth of the in-house business volume is also related to agriculture.
The strong connection to agriculture is also reflected in numerous special products. For example, there is legal protection insurance for AMA recovery notices, liability insurance for Hoftracs and other agricultural vehicles that have not been registered, liability for grazing cattle and the no-claims discount especially for farms. “Advice on insurance benefits in agriculture is very complex because every company is set up differently and some of them also go into business. Our employees specialize in this, see a farm with different eyes and know where the farmers’ shoe pinches. What good is a cheap premium if a lot is not covered in the event of a fire, ”says Kühtreiber-Leitner.
In general, insurance benefits in the fire division have increased. In 2020 alone there were 445 claims – an increase of 22.3 percent. But natural disasters are also increasingly threatening buildings and agricultural land. Last year, for example, there were 9,600 storm damage with a total damage amount of 16 million euros. In this area, I am working closely with the hail insurance company, which Upper Austria. Co-founded insurance company. “We have a close connection when it comes to issues such as spatial planning or soil sealing,” explains Kühtreiber-Leitner, who was recently elected to the supervisory board of the hail insurance company.
– Image sources –
- DSC 4732: BZ/mursch-edlmayr
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