CV - PAUL SWAIN

I am a customer service-oriented individual with experience in physical retail, telephony and email operations. I have been developing a keen interest in the financial world in the UK, with a particular emphasis on investment and retirement options.

An important motivator for me is the use of statistics and metrics that help me quantify my current progress and efficiencies. I believe this stems from my interest in computers and technology, which has become an integral part of my day-to-day workload and my own personal hobbies.

I am looking for opportunities to combine my interests in the financial world, data analysis and technology to further my own skills and development in a professional and personal capacity. I am not afraid to give and receive constructive feedback in the name of progress.

A Levels

Maths - IT - Welsh Baccalaureate

GCSE

Maths - English - IT - Welsh

Legal and General – Retail Annuities Intermediary Support Specialist

March 2024 - Present

Role Purpose: To facilitate the generation of annuity and other retirement product quotes for financial advisers that are working on behalf of their clients. Offering further guidance on any features of the products available.

Role Objective: To reduce contact wait times via the phone lines and dedicated mailbox to a reasonable level. Discovering potential leads and referring them to the relevant business development managers to convert into business placed.

Key Achievements:

• Successfully reduced phone wait times from 2+ hours to 30 seconds, and email replies from 12 weeks to within 48 working hours.
• Developed an in-house Microsoft Power App to increase the quality and consistency of any lead referrals, with over 95% of quotes being referred.
• Full knowledge and skills to complete quotes for every relevant annuity and retirement product, including some underwriting capabilities.
• Part of a project team that redeveloped the adviser facing website to offer a more streamlined way to access product information.

Legal and General – Retail Protection Customer Service Advisor and Early Resolution Complaint Specialist

September 2022 - February 2024

Role Purpose: To service any queries or requests from customers and financial advisers regarding their life insurance or income protection policies via telephone. This later evolved to include investigating and resolving regulated and non-regulated customer complaints received by any means within the department.

Role Objective: To ensure customer requests are dealt with on a “tell us once” basis, and that the product and processes in place are working to the benefit of the customer. Ensure that any regulated complaints are investigated, and contact made within the first 4 working days with any unresolved complaints referred to the central complaints team for further analysis.

Key Achievements:

• Surpassed the right first-time target of 80% with a score of 86.1%.
• Collaborated with the central complaints team to understand the reason for most unresolved complaints and implemented a new process to tackle these during first contact with an agent.
• Became the subject matter expert for complaints within the department.
• Runner up in every single possible peer-nominated award within the department.

Marks and Spencer – Food Hall Team Support Manager

November 2020 - July 2022

Role Purpose: To manage and delegate tasks during the through-the-night operations of the store, assist with resourcing staff hours and reporting any health and safety events.

Role Objective: Ensure that all stock intake is completed and worked thoroughly. Efficiently utilising shelf and floor space to maximise sales. Provide a full handover to the morning management team for a seamless workflow.

Key Achievements:

• Developed the start-to-end process for the night operations as we were at the vanguard of this new way of working for the entire company.
• Developed a spreadsheet to fully understand each staffs preferred working hours and availability, which was then used to resource the hours effectively.
• Successfully increased the number of sales on frozen goods by reorganising the walk-in freezer and overhauling the process on receiving deliveries.
• Progression into this role happened organically from my own skills and self-development.

Marks and Spencer – Food Hall and Bureau de Change Customer Assistant

March 2018 - October 2020

Role Purpose: To assist customers with their shopping needs, including any accessibility requirements. Working the Bureau de Change, where I would ensure customers could exchange currencies for their travel abroad.

Role Objective: Ensure shelves and floor space are stocked with our full range of products to increase our sales figures. To facilitate the exchange of the correct currency for the customers intended destination while adhering to FCA and other financial regulations such as sanctions.

Key Achievements:

• Received dozens of positive feedback comments from customers that I had assisted.
• Regularly received feedback for the level of commitment to working stock which resulted in higher sales.
• Stopped a potential fraudulent exchange of currency by following guidelines and “sticking to my guns”.