Institute Tardiness

There's something that has got on my nerves for quite a while now, and I just wondered if anybody else feels the same way.

Don't you think that the customer service of the Institute is generally very poor and that there are instances where their standards are just not up to scratch?

EG cases like CT results being published late on recent occasions. Also, I've sent emails to ask them short questions - it takes days for a reply.

Now, the Institute have delayed publishing the examiner reports for the higher level exams. There's just no excuse for it. The reports should be ready when the results are published, and using eg, the XMas holidays as an excuse to publish them late is just not good enough.

I know cases where people have to chase up the Institute for things like Certificates that weren't sent out to those that had eg, passed all the CTs etc. That should never happen - especially since the list of those eligible are published in their own lists.

Very,very poor service, methinks.

 

Agreed.

They also seem very poor at getting right the list of people who have finished the CTs or qualified.

 

Or sending your DAT proof.

 

Do you think this could be one of the reasons why the South Africans decided to branch out and form their own Actuarial Association? It's going to be interesting to see how their service to members will rank relative to the Faculty and Institute. If better, it could be time for a switch to these guys.

 

I don't think it was given as one of the reasons, but it may help.

But given all the other issues I have with the SA system, I do not think it makes up for it (which is why I am NOT switching).

 

We have the unfortunate situation were while we are indeed their customers we are treated as unequal till we pass the exams. Since the power lies in those who are fellows I really wonder at times how much this attitude encourages them not to really try and improve on the many complaints people have including on the examination system. This is one of the situations were the customer is not the king/queen and really has not much choice but to put up with it.

 

Well, recently, there have been cases in the Actuary magazine about how some actuaries have been disciplined because they were late in submitting CPD or making errors in determining which category of actuary they fall into.
Now, I don't condone the actions of those poor souls who have been fined / disciplined, because they were supposed to conform to whatever rules the profession have in place to maintain the image of professionalism, but I do feel a tad sorry for them.
The reason is that they were late, or made a mistake, but at the end of the day, it really only affects them - it wouldn't bother me to know that my qualified actuary colleague has forgotten to submit his CPD etc cos as far as I'm concerned, forgetting to submit his CPD doesn't mean that he's incompetent.

SO - when actuaries are late or make minor mistakes for something that really doesn't affect anyone other than the actuary concerned, they get disciplined and/or fined.

However, what happens when the Institute are late in publishing results, answering queries, publishing examiner reports, updating exam histories etc, making mistakes in pass lists, forgetting to send certificates, ........??????

Shouldn't the Institute have to display even HIGHER standards of professionalism by getting these things right the first time?

Oh, and I still haven't seen the examiner reports for the later subjects. It's sort of embarrassing that they couldn't upload them after the results were published on the 22nd December, and I was quite surprised that they weren't there on the first working day of the year. I don't even know what to make of the fact that they're still not there.

 

Some of the later Examiners' Reports are now available, but still not "CA1, CA2 or SA2" By CA2, I assume they mean CA3

 

are they not supposed to have some sort of examiner report ready before they even start checking scripts?

 

Whilst we are moaning...

Why does the institute always post one or two sheets of paper first class in a C4 envelope (which costs 50p)? If they sent it second class in a DL envelope then it would cost 25p. This might not sound like much of a difference, but every time they write out to all 19,723 members they would save £4,930.75 of our money!

Plus, is it just me or when they send letters does the address on the letter never line up with the address window so the postman has to rip the envelope to see your address?

I always know when I have a letter from the institute on my door mat because it's in a large torn envelope!

One final moan: Why does it take them "up to six months" to issue qualification certificates?

 

Still waiting for mine...

 

more evidence of dodgy Institute Actions

...on the first page of the Institute website, there's a link to the lists of newly qualified Fellows and Associates.
I got really confused for a while.
It appears that their hyperlink for the "Fellows" list diverts you to the "Associates" list and vice versa.....

...really, there's a 50% chance of getting it wrong, but it's as if you should EXPECT that they'll get it wrong nowadays

 

I spotted that as well Snake. Much worse thought is that they've presumably put those links up to compensate for their apparent failure to put the qualifiers list in the Times today as promised! (Unless it's there and I just can't spot it...?)

The list of those completing the examinations required for the classes of Associate and Fellow will appear in The Times on Friday 15 January 2010.

Their sloppiness is an insult to those who have worked so hard to qualify.

 

I wouldn't worry Zebedee, only your Mum will read it!

 

Can't find it

Yeah, I can't find the lists in the Times either.
Has anyone else managed to track it down or had any news about what's happening?

 

In fact she couldn't when I qualified (last year) due to a similar problem!

 

I'm sure she is very proud and I do feel a little guilty putting that quip up. I seem to remember you putting up some complementary things about me when I was probably the only poster on here predicting the scale of financial carnage that the bursting on the credit bubble would cause. You are one of the better posters on here yourself!

 

I spoke to The Insitute this morning...turns out they sent the list to The Times and they failed to print it. It will be in a copy soon and they will let us know when. I was told that they were going to put a note on the institute website to tell everyone but it's not appeared yet. I might demand my £1 back!

 

It looks as if they've corrected the hyperlink error now, but there's still no sign of an apology or update on what's happening with the published list in the Times.

 

at least they've sorted that bit out!

 

Update on the institute website:

"We announced that the full list of those who qualified for Fellowship and Associateship would be published in The Times on Friday 15 January. Unfortunately this list appeared on Thursday 14 January. The Times has agreed to publish the list again on Friday 22 January.

We hope this has not caused you disappointment or inconvenience."

Genius. Absolute gold. Funny, I didn't buy a copy yesterday!

Oh well, next Friday it is then.