Customers must feel that they are more than just customers

Astrid Grossert has worked at Orange Cyberdefense for four years – first with Inside Sales and now in a combined role as Account Manager. In both functions, she handles clients of all sizes and various industries across Denmark. What they all have in common though is that they always receive a responsible and dedicated personal service from Astrid, who does not believe in quick sales tricks. It is the good, long-term customer relationships that strengthen the business - and make Astrid extra happy with her job.

Building strong IT security is the art of many balances. It must both fit the customer's risk profile and budget, and it is always about creating the best results for the money. In that process, Astrid Grossert plays an important role. As Account Manager, she ensures that her customers' security needs are continuously covered in the best possible way.

"All my customers are different, but no matter what, the collaboration is about more than the bottom line. My approach is to show that it is personally important to me that we succeed in the deliveries we agree on. Every time a customer writes that they are happy with the collaboration, it all adds up into a higher unity. It's good for the business, and it's good for me", Astrid explains.

Before Astrid joined Orange Cyberdefense, she worked with sales and purchasing in the clothing industry. But after a few years, she wanted to change industries. The leap into IT security surprised many of her friends, who initially saw it as a "bit of a fun choice".

She can still face that reaction. But when she explains more about her role as an Account Manager and how important good IT security is to the organizations she helps secure and protect their IT environments, her choice of the security industry immediately makes more sense.

When Astrid took the leap into IT security, it was naturally with the awareness that there are quite an overweight of men in the industry. Therefore, she thought that she might have to prove something extra because she was a woman. But that was far from the truth – on the contrary a different experience awaited her.

"It was with an eye on each finger that I started. Would such a "male workplace" really be open to welcoming a woman into its ranks? But I could have spared myself that fear. I didn't have to prove anything because I'm a woman. On the contrary, ii experienced that it meant that I got extra good support. The industry really needs more talented women, so it is quite logical to welcome those who dare to take the leap. I hope that many more women will find the courage to discover this in the future - because it is also about us having the courage to seize the opportunity", says Astrid.

Until then, she does not see the preponderance of male colleagues as a problem. The IT security industry attracts many types of people, and for Astrid the great variety is a clear plus. In fact, she doesn't think the cliché of the introverted male computer geek fits any of her colleagues - not even the most technical of them. Some are introverts, others are extroverts, and all of them are much more than their technical know-how.

One of Astrid's biggest career wishes is to work abroad. Preferably with assignments across several countries. E.g., from one of Orange Cyberdefense's other country offices. It is especially the interaction between several national markets that fascinates her.

"Different countries have different needs, different laws and different work cultures, which must work together. It interests me, and I would really like to experience that firsthand – preferably within a position in Orange Cyberdefense, where my role and tasks brings me even more in contact with colleagues and customers from several different countries", says Astrid.

The first step on that journey is Munich for Astrid and her husband, who has just accepted an exciting new job, and with the great freedom and flexibility Astrid has in her job at Orange Cyberdefense, moving to Germany is no problem.

“The fact that I will be based in Munich just means that I will be solving most of my tasks remotely in the future. And this is something both I and Orange Cyberdefense are comfortable with. Whether you work from home, from the beach house in Denmark or from Munich doesn't make a big difference because of the great and flexible online collaboration tools we have today”, says Astrid.

In Orange Cyberdefense, everyone already works quite a lot across teams and locations - both nationally and globally. All employees have access to online collaboration tools and platforms, which make it easy and secure to log into all systems and participate in online meetings, regardless of where you are. This make it possible – and very easy to explore new adventures and seek new career opportunities for everybody within Orange Cyberdefense.