Stefan Knoll will lead Frankfurt
AWhen Stefan Knoll, who has a doctorate in law, starts working in sales, he is in for a big surprise. Door-to-door contact with unknown people, the so-called cold calling, was also part of Allianz’s business at the time. Successful salespeople have to prove themselves to the toughest enemy on the front line: the customer who isn’t even looking to close a deal. Knoll rings, wants to say his line (“My name is Knoll from Allianz, may I come in?”). And then a man in yellow jersey pajamas stands in front of him, who immediately calls him on the first name terms.
“Where would your family be if you had fallen over yesterday?” the young insurance salesman unwinds from his routine. But what he hears isn’t in his employer’s answer book, Knoll remembers today. “If I pinch my ass, my old woman should go dingling,” the other person counters. Knoll’s reaction: He decides to improvise to switch to you and go on the offensive: Were you with the Bund? An hour later he knows every incident with his comrades. At some point Stefan Knoll says: But you want to protect your old one, don’t you? Handshake, signature on the contract, folder with the documents.