Anybody else having difficulties contacting Mercer?

We have had similar experiences as Steven has had with several clients with Mercer. These clients were unfortunately INM pension scheme members and thus were caught up in the various Sect 50 orders and pension transfers etc so they weren't simple cases.
In fairness to Mercer we found them very responsive and helpful when dealing with the various queries we had.
 
I found them absolutely appalling to deal with. They were not prepared to help in any way with my pension questions and only answered what they were asked. I found out most of the information that I needed from the helpful people on this site, Joe & Steven. Thank you.
 
I also have found them totally unhelpful.

As if they were afraid of the consequences of giving wrong advice.

They eventually phoned me back and dids they could give one to one advice for €500.
 
Yes having big problem with an agent getting any pension info out of mercer at all no letter no contact .This should have all been in place in November .Utter rubbish .Perhaps there isn't a pension pot !
 
I really hate having to contact Mercer. A simple request has led to delays in their response....... eventually responding......then asking a number of security questions.......answers all provided......and then silence!

Why can they not answer a simple question quickly?
 
SoylentGreen said:
I really hate having to contact Mercer. A simple request has led to delays in their response....... eventually responding......then asking a number of security questions.......answers all provided......and then silence!

Why can they not answer a simple question quickly?
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Without knowing the question it's very difficult to answer that :oops: When it comes to personal finance, or anything that's requiring a specific answer, there's nothing simple anymore.
 
noproblem said:
Without knowing the question it's very difficult to answer that :oops: When it comes to personal finance, or anything that's requiring a specific answer, there's nothing simple anymore.
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They've gone backwards, my wife contacted they 2 weeks ago simply asking how can she add more AVC to her pension outside of payroll.
They came back and asked her personal questions like employee number DOB and they have this information anyway and has had it since 1991 .
She even enquired via her personal portal.

Its not a very good service now.
 
Paul O Mahoney said:
They've gone backwards, my wife contacted they 2 weeks ago simply asking how can she add more AVC to her pension outside of payroll.
They came back and asked her personal questions like employee number DOB and they have this information anyway and has had it since 1991 .
She even enquired via her personal portal.

Its not a very good service now.
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Yes, it's annoying, but after all that, did they then answer your query?
 
You can count me in as one of those people having difficulties getting a response from Mercer. I asked them a question. It took them almost a month before responding. When they did, they only responded to part of the question asked. I then had to go back and ask them about the bit they left out.....another month.

I see Mercer UK have a complaints department. Do Mercer Ireland have a complaints department?
 
Sure, before I can process your complaint I'll need you to confirm your employee no., DoB and pension balance.
 
Tintagel said:
You can count me in as one of those people having difficulties getting a response from Mercer. I asked them a question. It took them almost a month before responding. When they did, they only responded to part of the question asked. I then had to go back and ask them about the bit they left out.....another month.

I see Mercer UK have a complaints department. Do Mercer Ireland have a complaints department?
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My wife called the Irish number today no reply so, rang international number only to be answered by an Irish lad working in Ireland.
He answered her question vaguely but still no response from 3emails sent over the last few weeks.
 
Paul O Mahoney said:
They came back and asked her personal questions like employee number DOB and they have this information anyway and has had it since 1991 .
She even enquired via her personal portal.
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I was asked name and address, date of birth, employee number, date I joined company, date I left company, company employee number.

Difficult enough for me to find this information but eventually found it. I emailed this information to them.

A week latter and I am contacted by a different person wanting....my name and address, date of birth, PPS number, the name of the scheme I retired from and receive pension benefits from.

I understand that they have to be careful but I don't understand why I was not asked all of the information in the first request. Why I had to wait a week to get a reply and to be asked the same information already supplied the week previously, plus additional information.

I always get the feeling from Mercer that they couldn't care less and nobody reads previous correspondence.
 
Have people register for the Mercer Online service? That allows you to track your fund value and move money between funds at will, no customer service delays involved.
 
RetirementPlan said:
Have people register for the Mercer Online service? That allows you to track your fund value and move money between funds at will, no customer service delays involved.
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My wife has and yes you can see everything but they still insist on verification of everything by email. And as I said earlier phone for Irish clients off the hook but international clients no problem answered by an Irish lad in Ireland.

To expand she just needs to know how to add avcs to her pension outside of payroll. Theres a form somewhere online, haven't found it yet a link would be handy but I fear its going to take another 2 weeks
 
Paul O Mahoney said:
To expand she just needs to know how to add avcs to her pension outside of payroll.
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She can always do this via an AVC PRSA with a company of her own choosing. In an ideal situation she would get details of the AVCs that Mercer are offering in her scheme and compare it with the AVC PRSA offerings elsewhere. But if she's getting nowhere with Mercer and the tax deadline is looming she can get an AVC PRSA set up quite quickly.
 
Dave Vanian said:
She can always do this via an AVC PRSA with a company of her own choosing. In an ideal situation she would get details of the AVCs that Mercer are offering in her scheme and compare it with the AVC PRSA offerings elsewhere. But if she's getting nowhere with Mercer and the tax deadline is looming she can get an AVC PRSA set up quite quickly.
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Dude it was difficult enough to persuade her to do this, her fund should have a bit more in it so shes happy to put it there., and to be honest the fund is well managed and life styling of it has begun. It's just annoyance with Mercer since 1991 , was a trustee of another fund they have all her details.
 
Paul O Mahoney said:
Dude it was difficult enough to persuade her to do this, her fund should have a bit more in it so shes happy to put it there., and to be honest the fund is well managed and life styling of it has begun. It's just annoyance with Mercer since 1991 , was a trustee of another fund they have all her details.
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Understood. You can bring a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead. ;)
 
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