Mercer Super Australia Superannuation Financial Advice

I didn't realise that Mercer managed RBF, but that may explain things. I sent payment insructions to RBF and waited for the payment. Three weeks later I rang them and the customer service person was very nice and helpful. The money was with the payments team for processing and was ready to go. I imagine that means deducting tax and pressing OK to send to my account. She had asked them to prioritise the payment. Nothing happened, so a few days later I rang and was told the estimated processing date for the payout, 40 days from sending the payment instructions. Again the customer service rep was fine, but the delay in processing and the conflicting information surprises me. Some places have a set processing time, like 30 days or 5 working days, but there was no such time mentioned and I felt as though I'd actually been put back in the queue for ringing to query them. I am still waiting.
Quite happy with the financial return - it was only a small super account - but I am not happy about the fact that they won't actually give me the money nor say why.

Had been with mercer super for about 15 years because my employer had an employer account with them. I retired and kept my super there. I live overseas and trying to contact mercer was a constant pain. Dealing with the phone people was ok but if they couldn't answer the problem, you get passed to the people who couldn't give a toss about you. Mercer seems to forget that they are dealing with your money. Had enough eventually and changed super companies 3 months ago. Now they don't want to give me a statement for the period when I rolled over the money. Take your super money and run to someone who treats you as a valued customer.

As a person who has been employed for many years I was looking forwards to my retirement and collecting the super owed to me by Mercer.
I went about providing the necessary documentation which had to be certified. An officer of the ATO provided the first certified copy of my drivers licence. As we all know this shows enough to positively identify me in a myriad of circumstances.

Not good enough for Mercer, the date had been omitted when I asked why the money has not been paid.
Mercer claim to have sent two letters about this matter of which I have received neither.
Okay. Next I send in to them an identical photocopy of the same drivers licence. This time certified by an ex JP of NSW and currently a serving member of suitable rank in the ran.
This time I actually get a letter stating that my certified document is a photocopy, and again not suitable.
They now have two certified copies of the same drivers licence with two separate witnesses.
Neither certification is a photocopy. I understand what the word "original " means. So too do the persons certifying the document.

When I rang again, I was told that Mercer have to be careful because of terrorism and identity theft and a pile of other irrelevant [censored word removed].
To have the Financial Services Ombudsman follow up on this matter will take months as Mercer are allowed to waste 45 days of my time before they respond.
My advice to potential Mercer clients. In my opinion I believe you would be wise to seek super investment elsewhere.

Footnote: even my email address is invalid according to this site

Excuses, excuses and inflammatory statements.

It has taken me nearly 6 months to move my money from this fund. They have without question the most inept record keeping and customer service processes I have ever encountered. Despite repeatedly providing them with certified documentation to facilitate a name change and transfer of funds and two separate phone calls from their administration staff assuring me they have received the documentation and the transfer would be processed I have just received another letter in my maiden name (after it receiving letters which acknowledge my name change) telling me that they have insufficient documentation to process the change. This appears to be a pattern with Mercer who I can only imagine do so stop people taking their money out of a fund with unreasonable fees. I am still waiting for this to be resolved.

If you ever have to deal with them take notes of names, date and times, as they are completely inept at keeping their own records.

I dread to think how much money they are making of the average Australian who can't be bothered with this much aggravation for something that doesn't affect them while they are young.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

I recently checked my statement for the first time in ages. I discovered that Mercer had taken two lump sums out of my account totalling over $12000. I rang them and they stated that there had been an ongoing administration error with my insurance premiums since 2013 and they took the $12k out to pay for their error. On further inspection I noticed that my insurance premiums had increased by over 300% in the last 2 years. I complained and they assured me they would get onto it within their 90 day complaints policy. I rang them after 88 days and they refused to speak to me. It has now been nearly 5 months and they still have not wrote back to me. It is now in the hands of the ACFA and Mercer did not even respond to their deadline. If it is happening to me, you can guarantee that it is happening to other customers.....spread the word!!

Mercer manage super funds for RBF in Tasmania. I retired three months ago and I am still waiting for information to be released by Mercer to enable me to make a decision re a payout or a pension. They do not communicate, they behave like public servants, ducking and diving and blaming other agencies for the delay, and don't respond to questions put to them. I have decided to get away from Mercer as soon as I can, well as soon as they will let me! Retirement should be a happy time, but not with Mercer.

I have been with mercer for a number of years as it was a default provider with a previous employer. Over the past 9 years mercer has given no return on my super as a member of there personal superannuation division. The super I have to date invested with mercer is the sum total of what I had then plus what my employer has put into it over that time. Mercer has not passed on to my account for nine years any return for investing my money.
I have spoken with mercer on different occasions to have them review what has gone wrong, only to be told by them that its all OK. They have showed no interest in reviewing the past nine years and correcting this issue. Looking at what other Superannuation bodies have returned over the past several years, shows me that Mercer cannot be trusted to invest retirement money and to give even a modest return.
Their performance summaries show there has been returns in there investment category reviews and yet nothing has been passed on. Do I have to put this in the hands of the ombudsman to investigate and force a systems review of all Mercers practices, as Mercer themselves don't seem interested at all, after all they have my investment and they are pocketing all the returns.
If you are looking for an investment company to look after your super, I would strongly recommend going to somewhere where you can get some care and a better return than 0%.

I've been with Mercer for more than 20 years, and have just been offered a voluntary redundancy. I called Mercer to check on my redundancy benefit - after 25 minutes on the phone I was assured that it was my current balance, which I knew to be incorrect. Gave them a poor rating on their end of call survey and got given a different number to call. Told my story again, got the same answer but insisted that they check. Phone call back the next day and was told that yes, my payout would be substantially more. Making a life changing decision at a stressful time needs accurate information and Mercer is incapable of providing this.

I have been with Mercer since 2008 but have never had to deal with them personally until the last few months. They move at a snails pace when you request partial payment of your Super. You will not believe in this day and age how long it takes for them to even just get documents into their system. I have dealt with many companies here and am very comfortable saying there are a lot better super companies out there that are more efficient and professional.

If I could turn back the clock I would go elsewhere and I just may do so still as they are a very frustrating company to deal with

I recently had a preliminary consultation with Mercer but at no stage did I say I would be going ahead with them. Therefore you can understand my surprise when, at completion of the consultation I was handed a form and asked to "sign here". At that point the consultant caught me by surprise and also asked for my driver's licence of which a copy was taken before I realised what was going on. I then explained that I wanted more time to make a decision and the consultant was extremely put-out, saying that I had been nodding my head throughout our conversation. I had always believed that nodding to someone when they are explaining something to you is a polite and discreet way of letting them know you're listening and understand what they're saying. Not an agreement that you are ready to sign up and hand over more than $3000, without even having a chance to digest the abundance of information given. I was told I should sign up on the spot whilst all the information was fresh in my mind, as I was likely to forget most of it by the time I got home. When I said no, I was then handed another form which I was told I HAD to sign before I left, to acknowledge various pieces of information etc. but it wouldn't commit me to the $3000. Upon reading the fine print of this particular form, I would have actually been agreeing to the release of my financial information to other parties, among other things. I refused and was told "if you don't sign it now and decide to go ahead later, I'll have to send it to you to sign, so it's just easier to sign it now."
Really Mercer? These tactics are unprofessional to say the least.
I have never felt so pressured. A less assertive person would probably sign.
I felt truly uncomfortable and intimidated, and was shaking when I left.
The consultant implied that I had wasted their time.
I would like to give some well-meaning advice to Mercer.... please don't pressure unsuspecting potential clients to sign up on the spot. I most likely would have signed in a day or two, I just wanted to do it at my own pace.
Now I will go elsewhere.

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