Abdullahi Farah
Self-directed projects and family care (career break)
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About
A customer service professional at their best in the hardest conversations. Three and a half years at Volkswagen Financial Services supporting customers in arrears, including vulnerable customers, and negotiating fair, affordable outcomes under FCA regulation while meeting call-quality, collections and compliance targets. Earlier experience in fraud investigation and front-line retail.
BSc (Hons) Accounting & Economics (2:1). Recently used a career break to care for a family member and to build practical skills in AI tools, website building and workflow automation. Available immediately for a customer-facing role.
Experience
Self-directed projects and family care (career break) - Milton Keynes
(2025-11)
- Researched and tested early-stage business ideas from concept to go/no-go — market research, building the online presence, assessing viability — and made the call to stop when they didn't prove viable.
- Taught myself practical AI and automation: built working websites, mapped step-by-step workflows and automated repetitive admin tasks using AI assistants and no-code tools — skills any modern customer service team can use.
- Caring responsibilities for a close family member were the reason for the break; arrangements are now in place and I am fully available for full-time work.
Customer Collections Advisor - Volkswagen Financial Services
(2022-05 - 2025-10)
- Managed a caseload of customer accounts in arrears, handling inbound and outbound calls to resolve missed or late payments while keeping the customer relationship intact.
- Assessed each customer's financial situation and negotiated affordable, sustainable repayment plans in line with FCA regulations and company policy.
- Supported vulnerable customers with empathy and patience, offering appropriate support options and taking the time to get the outcome right.
- Resolved queries, disputes and complaints clearly and professionally, reducing escalations and formal complaints.
- Consistently met individual and team targets across call quality, collections and compliance.
- Handled sensitive personal and financial data under GDPR and kept records accurate and audit-ready.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of financial products, payment options and regulatory requirements.
Laboratory Technician - UK Biocentre / NHS - Milton Keynes
(2022-01 - 2022-04)
- Operated automated laboratory systems (Tecan LiHA, KingFisher Flex, Thermo Fisher Multidrop Combi) to strict SOPs and health and safety standards.
- Trained new starters, troubleshot automation and LIMS issues, and quality-checked plates and XML data files.
- Raised non-conformance and health and safety incident reports promptly and accurately.
Fraud Advisor / Call Operator (part-time, alongside study) - TSYS Managed Services - Milton Keynes
(2018-01 - 2019-10)
- Investigated allegations of fraud, produced clear case reports, and prevented and detected fraudulent activity.
- Guided customers through stressful situations with practical financial and cyber-safety advice.
- Developed and implemented performance-improvement strategies.
Customer Service Advisor - Costco - Milton Keynes
(2017-06 - 2017-10)
- Delivered high-quality service in a high-volume retail environment while helping to grow revenue; led in-store promotions and events.
- Monitored performance metrics and turned them into practical insights to improve service.
Education
BSc (Hons) - Accounting & Economics - Aston University (2018 - 2021)
A Levels; three BTECs - Economics, Maths, Finance (A–C) - Shenley School (2016 - 2018)
