Victoria Fewins

I am Victoria Fewins, and I am Head of Customer Operations. I have been with Motability Operations (MO) since November 2001, and it is hard to remember a time when I wasn’t employed by them. I originally started with MO as an ‘implant’ for a company called ‘United Fleet Distribution’ who were the logistics supplier moving all the vehicles around the country. I loved the role albeit it was very manual as we had to type every movement into the system and there were often hundreds a day! I was employed to move the role from London to the new offices being built in Bristol back in 2000.

I quickly realised I wanted to work for MO as they were a great company with fantastic values and an amazing ethos when it comes to supporting disabled people. Within 18 months I had applied and been successful for a team manager role in Vehicle Remarketing (VRM). Initially I was managing the refurbishment sites of our end of contract sales, getting the cars ready for sales to dealers.

I have a severe hearing impairment which I have had since I was 9. My hearing is progressively declining, and I now wear hearing aids all the time, and have a ‘RogerOn’ hearing support provided by access to work and Motability which amplifies sound for me when I need it.

I have worked in VRM, Forecasting & Management Information (MI) and Customer Contact Services in various team manager and departmental manager roles over the past 20 years, before becoming Head of Customer Operations in November 2022.

I absolutely love what I do and know it makes a difference to our customers. Its hard work and I am constantly learning and evolving, which is why I love it so much.

I did find that I wasn’t always hearing the things that I need to, so I approached Facilities who organised a remote access to work meeting to talk about options that could be available for me, to support my hearing in the workplace. They recommended the ‘Roger On’ system which is a small tool which I can use in meetings to amplify sounds directly into my hearing aids. It’s quite discreet so no one really knows I use it.

I am not super-human however my disability has given me two strengths I am very self-aware and can read people really well. If you don’t have a good poker face, I can normally spot an issue early on!

My advice to disabled students applying for graduate positions and going through the recruitment process is to just do it! Don’t be apprehensive, at MO we want to encourage as diverse a workforce as possible and will support and help you in your chosen field. I hope that by disclosing my disability, it will be a sign to others that you can progress and develop despite and sometimes because of your disability.

I did a podcast not long ago about my hearing and so many people, some I have known for 10-15 years, have approached me to say they just didn’t know there was a problem with my hearing, and they are so inspired!