Karla Upton
Southampton
Summary
Accomplished professional with extensive expertise in project lifecycle delivery, change management, and stakeholder management. Demonstrates strong organisational skills, time management, and problem-solving abilities. Proficient in training creation and delivery, process mapping using Visio and Pro Map, and benefits realisation within the energy industry. Adept at customer service with excellent phone etiquette and administrative experience. Committed to fostering positive relationships through effective communication, creative thinking, and decision-making skills. Holds certifications in first aid and CPR, with a proven track record in choreography creation, teaching strategies, student motivation, and lesson planning.
Passionate individual with experience teaching. Plans and delivers workshops, courses and personalised tuition to maximise participant confidence and capabilities. Maintains student engagement through attentive, responsive instruction tailored to individualised needs.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
Work history
Dance Teacher
Self Employed
06.2000 - 02.2025
- Experience of marketing my business along with maintaining high standards of Customer Service for over 25 years
- Working with children incurs a lot of problem solving along with good leadership values
- Being very punctual and highly organised is crucial
Christmas Temp
Marks and Spencer
11.2025 - 12.2025
- Responsible for delivering high standards of customer service throughout the store
- Ensuring warm and positive greetings to all customers, offering and assisting with any enquiries and maintaining store stock levels
- My duties included serving customers at till points, ordering items, refunding and dealing with any discrepancies
- I was offered a Full Time permanent role, however I am now looking for a Part Time position
Business Change Analyst
Utilita Energy
11.2023 - 10.2025
- Successfully collaborated with an external company to implement an Ai BOT in the call centre, enhancing operational efficiency and customer service
- I led the project from inception to completion, ensuring seamless integration and minimal disruption to ongoing operations
- Analysing performance metrics post-implementation, demonstrating a significant improvement in response times and a reduction in Call handling time and achieving the original defined benefits
- Successfully deployed a Credit Check functionality within Utilita
- Responsible for full project lifecycle activities from initial supplier selection, legal and data protection engagement through to business readiness and deployment
- Due to a lack of resource in our L&D team I took the responsibility to create the training and deliver to over 120 Customer Service Advisors
- Responsible for the delivery of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging project to install units for BP in the Southwest region
- This included the creation and delivery of training packages to the Utilita Field planning teams so they can deliver the best customer experience
- Working on the Billing Improvements programme, I led enhancing the ‘meter read capturing' processes, significantly improving estimated billing accuracy and overall customer journey
- Developed and implemented training programs to raise agent awareness about the importance of accurate meter read capture and its business implications
- Initiated and designed key system changes to prompt agents for the correct outcomes, further ensuring data accuracy and operational efficiency
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to embed new processes, resulting in improved accuracy and customer satisfaction
- Demonstrated a continuous passion for improving work processes, resulting in receiving multiple 'Super Six' (Utilita recognition scheme) nominations from peers and senior managers
- Recognised for exceptional contributions to team efficiency and operational excellence
- Designed and implemented a tool on the knowledge base to assist agents in determining the correct outcomes for Smart Metering ‘in-home' displays
- Providing agents with clear guidelines and resources, leading to improved decision-making and service quality
- This achieved reductions in business costs and complaints, while enhancing the customer journey and overall business efficiency
- Proposed and implemented a knowledge tree tool to standardise decision-making processes for call centre agents, both offshore and onshore
- Ensuring all agents followed the same procedures, leading to consistent outcomes and improved customer experience
Business Change Support
Utilita Energy
07.2022 - 11.2023
- Within the Smart Operations PAYG Strategy I had ownership of the Servicing & Capability work stream where I delivered multiple changes / initiatives to improve the customer experience and business processes
- This has included working closely with the L&D department following the completion of the relevant training needs analysis
- As part of this work stream activity I was responsibility for improving our onboarding process for new starters to the business
- The outcome of this was a documented and signed off a new process that has been used for two new starter groups
- In recognition of my contribution to this work stream I was asked to visit the Call Centre's in South Africa for 3 weeks to identify gaps in training, identify any issues with business processes and make recommendations
- As a result of my ability to deliver I was given responsibility for a key regulatory change (Rate Zero)
- I managed this project successfully and delivered within the timescales to satisfy the regulatory requirements and resolve any customers issues
- In this role I have been given responsibility for delivering two critical projects (Price Change Refund / Wallets & Savings)
- I managed the full lifecycle of these Projects through the Change Process and delivered them to the satisfaction of my stakeholders
- As a result of business decision to stop using the Resolver 3rd party service I managed and delivered the de-coupling activity to remove this from our business processes with minimal impact to the operational teams and the customer
- This included working with multiple teams across the business including Marketing and IT
- Throughout my work on these deliverables, I have received 4 Super Six nominations from my peers and Senior Managers
- In June 2023 I won the Super Six for the month which was a significant achievement and shows my growth and progression
Subject Matter Expert
Utilita Energy
08.2021 - 07.2022
- Knowledge and experience of the existing Business Change process because of my work within the Business Change team as a Subject Matter Expert
- I have taken full responsibility for smaller changes within the Business Change area which has included managing my stakeholders and their expectations in terms of delivery timescales
- I have used my analytical skills to complete an urgent piece of work regarding the Mode Change process
- This has included identifying trends within the data and making recommendations to reduce the business impact
- Extensive knowledge of Utilita systems including CRM, FMS, CMS, Bold360, Jump-tech Pathway and seen as the ‘Go To' person when my peers request my support
- During my work on the Electric Vehicle Charging project, I have created training packages and delivered the training to the scheduling team and received positive feedback from my peers
- Experience of developing communications to front line teams (OSKA) to ensure agents have all the information required to support our customers to the highest levels of customer service
- Fully focused on the business values and have achieved recognition through approved bonus forms for my work
Customer Service Representative
Utilita Energy
03.2019 - 08.2021
- Responsible for delivering high levels of service to our customers and achieving consistently high NPS scores
- Multi-skilled across many business areas and therefore able to support and adapt at short notice based on customer and business needs
- Mentorship and support for new starters who join Utilita to ensure they feel confident when taking customer calls
- Continually sought out new opportunities to learn and develop which led to becoming a Subject Matter Expert within the Business Change team
Sports Massage therapist
Self Employed
01.2015 - 03.2019
- I have the knowledge and skills to treat sporting injuries, my responsibilities included:
- Helping to prepare athletes both mentally and physically
- Capacity to work well with groups, individuals and professional colleagues
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to recognise and manage risk
Car Rental Manager & Receptionist
Harwell Vauxhall
10.1998 - 06.2000
- Responsible for managing a fleet of 40 vehicles which required excellent organisational skills
- Excellent time management and meeting deadlines with regards to invoicing clients
- Delivering excellent levels of customer service to clients which resulted in positive feedback
Store Receptionist
Tesco Stores
09.1994 - 10.1998
- Delivered excellent levels of customer service through as a result of my communication skills and always ensured the customer was listened too and their problem resolved
- Responsible for daily finance reconciliation considering the float and the takings by all members of staff
Education
Qualified Sports Massage Therapist - Level 4
Eastleigh College
SouthamptonQualified Pitch-side First Aider -
Lifeline Training
Taping and Strapping qualification - undefined
St Mary's University Twickenham
Qualified Dance Teacher - undefined
IDTA
Mental Health First Aider - undefined
Skills
- Project Lifecycle delivery
- Change Management
- Organisational skills
- Time management
- Training creation
- Training delivery
- Visio
- Pro Map process mapping
- Stakeholder Management
- Benefits realisation
- Industry Knowledge (Energy)
- Customer Service
- Phone etiquette
- Problem solving
- Analysis
- Microsoft Outlook
- Administrative Experience
- Positive attitude
- Time-management
- Strong communication skills
- First aid and CPR
- Self-motivation
- Choreography creation
- Teaching strategies
- Creative thinking
- Decision making
- Relationship-building
- Student motivation
- Lesson planning
Custom
- Dancing
- Performing
Timeline
Christmas Temp
Marks and Spencer
11.2025 - 12.2025
Business Change Analyst
Utilita Energy
11.2023 - 10.2025
Business Change Support
Utilita Energy
07.2022 - 11.2023
Subject Matter Expert
Utilita Energy
08.2021 - 07.2022
Customer Service Representative
Utilita Energy
03.2019 - 08.2021
Sports Massage therapist
Self Employed
01.2015 - 03.2019
Dance Teacher
Self Employed
06.2000 - 02.2025
Car Rental Manager & Receptionist
Harwell Vauxhall
10.1998 - 06.2000
Store Receptionist
Tesco Stores
09.1994 - 10.1998
Taping and Strapping qualification - undefined
St Mary's University Twickenham
Qualified Dance Teacher - undefined
IDTA
Mental Health First Aider - undefined
Qualified Sports Massage Therapist - Level 4
Eastleigh College
Qualified Pitch-side First Aider -
Lifeline Training
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