Mercer : Pensions managed by Mercer- Very poor non existent customer service.

Re: Mercer - Pensions.

I am constantly getting a reply of "on annual leave back such and such a date" but when I contact that person again after their due return date I am getting the same email but with different holiday dates?
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

I cannot get the administrator of my pension fund in Mercer, the person directly dealing with it, to answer a couple of simple questions. These questions were asked over a month ago and a reminder sent recently.
They are absolutely dreadful to deal with.
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

I had a pension with Mercer. I was dealing with one person from Mercer for 2 months, just after that every time I rang I was transferred to voice mail. 3 weeks later I find that they have actually left the company so I had to post in all my info again. This happened to me 3 times and after almost 9 months I got sorted. All post was sent via registered mail. Very poor service indeed ...
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

I find that they will answer the basic questions, just about. However when you look for a little more detail about your pension policy, they are suddenly very difficult to get hold of. I am waiting for a reply for over a month now to two emails sent.
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.


Just an update on my posting. I still have not received a response from Mercer about my pension.
Does anyone know the name or email address preferably of someone senior in the organisation that I can complain to?
As a previous poster said, it appears that people are leaving the company, being transferred within the company and just walking away from their file cases. Email addresses are not being closed or emails forwarded for these people. Voice mails are not being closed either. Their queries are not being passed on it seems.
Like fools we are left sitting at home thinking that our queries are being dealt with when in fact nothing is happening to them.
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

You could try getting in touch with Deirdre Cantwell. Its a few years since I have dealt with her but she was very good to deal with (hopefully she still works there, she was a manager in the group pensions area last time I had dealings with her). If its not her area in Mercer, she could certainly point you in the right direction to lodge a complaint.



www.CheaperLifeAssurance.ie
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

Long time lurker first time poster, in my previous job one of my add-on duties involved the day to day managing of the Groups Pension Scheme. I can agree with the poster who puts them in the top 5 worst companies to deal with. To the original poster perhaps you should contact the trustees of the Plan or the Pension Ombudsman and you might eventually get some joy out of this tension provider (sorry just a joke we had in my place regarding this pension provider)
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

I have waited for 6 weeks for a reply to a query to be told that they don't offer tax advice on pensions. The thing is I didn't ask them for tax advice I simply asked them to clarify something that they had written in their blurb that they sent me. I have since written back for clarification and I am back to waiting for a reply.
What sort of fees do Mercer charge companies to administer their pension schemes and do companies even care about the service that Mercer is giving?
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

I am constantly getting a reply of "on annual leave back such and such a date" but when I contact that person again after their due return date I am getting the same email but with different holiday dates?

This is what is happening to me. I am regularly getting an automatic response of away on annual leave message. It seems my contact is taking holidays every month!!
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

I agree with all negative sentements above. Found them very unhelpful and dismissive of my queries. Still waiting for a reply to a query lodged with them 2 years or more ago.

Patrickf
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

Why don't a number of posters get together and make a complaint to the Pensions Ombudsman. You might then start to get answers instead of the run around.
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

I'm finding from some of my ex staff who left on a redundancy package that they get little or no response. However if I raise the query on their behalf, I tend to get a response far quicker. Might be an idea for anyone who does have an issue to ask their boss or HR dept(if they have one) to raise it with Mercers
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

I am absolutely disgusted with these people. I sent a private query direct to an individual in Mercer.

Separate to this I was raising an issue about my pension with my ex employer totally seperate from Mercer. No doubt he had to contact Mercer looking for information.

However when the person from Mercer was responding to my private query to her she CC my ex employer as well. What gave her the right to do this?
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

Again first time poster but I felt that this was something I sould post to as well. Had the same problem dealing with Mercer, at the time I worked for a company that has their plan with them approx 500 members so it's a decent sized plan that you'd think they'd take care of but there was nobody available to deal with queries whenever you ring, I then sent 3 different letters with no reply so I had to get onto the HR manager who gave them a call on my behalf and I finally got an email from them but no action from it. I then resorted to emailed this person back everyday asking for a call and after about 2 weeks of this I finally got to speak with him and would not allow him to end the call until I received a copy of my leaving options into my inbox.

I'm really at a loss to understand how things can be so bad is it that they don't want people to transfer their funds due to the loss in AMC's or is policy to put everyone through to voicemail in the hope that they won't have to answer to query regarding the default strategy, fund switching etc
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

Those who are having problems should make sure to let their pension fund trustees (particularly staff rep trustees) know of these problems. Find out when Mercer's contract is up for renewal.
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

Might me a bit pointless complaining to the trustees if they are the same company as Mercer. Head against a wall comes to mind
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

Might me a bit pointless complaining to the trustees if they are the same company as Mercer. Head against a wall comes to mind
How could the trustees be 'the same company as Mercer'? The trustees are part of the company whose employees are members of the scheme. The members are legally entitled to elect a trustee if they wish.
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

How could the trustees be 'the same company as Mercer'? The trustees are part of the company whose employees are members of the scheme. The members are legally entitled to elect a trustee if they wish.

Many Schemes have a Corporate trustee (no internal company trustees, save on costs of trustee training and who wants to give their time for free as pension plans take up quiet a bit of time) Mercer are the same company as Irish Pensions Trust.
 
Re: Mercer - Pensions.

How could the trustees be 'the same company as Mercer'? The trustees are part of the company whose employees are members of the scheme. The members are legally entitled to elect a trustee if they wish.



Not necessarily true - depends on size of the scheme. I think 50 members may be the threshold needed.