Maria Ali
Derby,Derbyshire
Summary
A results-driven banking professional with extensive experience in complaint handling, customer advocacy, and dispute resolution within a high-pressure environment. Skilled in balancing empathy and professionalism to investigate concerns and resolve customer dissatisfaction, whilst ensuring regulatory compliance. Proven ability to manage workload autonomously in remote and branch settings, while maintaining a strong record of customer satisfaction and operational leadership.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Complaints specialist
Capital One UK
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
2025.10 - 2026.05
- Handled customer complaints fairly from receipt to resolution across phone and writing channels.
- Investigated complex concerns by reviewing account history, records, policies, and evidence.
- Issued clear, professional, compliant written replies using plain customer-friendly wording.
- Provided empathetic support in vulnerable situations to de-escalate concerns and signpost when necessary.
- Applied sound judgment to balance customer needs with regulatory and business requirements.
- Recorded accurate case notes by assessing evidence and maintaining complete records.
- Identified recurring complaint themes and flagged process inefficiencies for improvement.
- Managed a high-volume caseload in fast-paced conditions while meeting standards.
Customer Experience Advisor
Santander UK
Derby, Derbyshire
2018.01 - 2025.10
- Managed a wide range of financial services including current accounts, direct debits, fraud investigations, and customer-initiated disputes both in branch and telephony.
- Resolved complex customer issues with a focus on fair and positive outcomes, strengthening brand loyalty.
- Regularly logged and handled complaints in branch, gathering relevant evidence and escalating when appropriate.
- Led training sessions for new staff on customer service excellence, company standards and product/process knowledge.
- Developed and maintained a comprehensive knowledge base on Fraud, Data protection, Economic crime, SARs etc. keeping up to date on mandatory training as part of risk management.
- Proficient in using CRM tools like Salesforce for case tracking and customer management, and Excel for performance tracking and reporting.
Internship - Assistant Relationship Manager
Royal Bank of Scotland
Derby, Derbyshire
2016.10 - 2017.02
- Conducted due diligence on potential clients, evaluating creditworthiness to tailor services to financial objectives.
- Coordinated with compliance team to ensure adherence to regulatory standards and internal policies during all client interactions.
- Represented organisation at industry events and conferences, enhancing brand visibility and fostering valuable connections.
Education
Diploma of Higher Education - Gym Instructing and Personal Trainer
Active IQ
Derby, Derbyshire 2022.01 - 2022.04
GCSEs -
Derby Moor Community Sports College
Derby, Derbyshire 2010.01 - 2013.01
Skills
- Complaint and dispute resolution
- Customer service excellence (NPS consistently above 80%)
- Case management
- Evidence gathering & root cause analysis
- Regulatory compliance
- Financial product knowledge
- Systems: Salesforce/CRM, Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, Word)
Affiliations
- Painting
- Weight lifting
Languages
English
Native
Urdu
Intermediate
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Complaints specialist
Capital One UK
2025.10 - 2026.05
Diploma of Higher Education - Gym Instructing and Personal Trainer
Active IQ
2022.01 - 2022.04
Customer Experience Advisor
Santander UK
2018.01 - 2025.10
Internship - Assistant Relationship Manager
Royal Bank of Scotland
2016.10 - 2017.02
GCSEs -
Derby Moor Community Sports College
2010.01 - 2013.01