First Previous - Page 1 of 1 - Next Last

Come on ICB - Pull your socks up!

  • Member
  • Practice Licence
  • 87 posts
  • # 97860

I'm posting this in a few different topic areas  in the hope that more people will read it and coment!






Yesterday I read yet another post from a new member asking for help with forms and what to do next, and someone replied asking if this is the sort of thing that the ICB should be providing.

Absolutely. I think this is exactly the sort of resource ICB should be providing. I know several members who have or are thinking of abandoning ICB for this very reason. Its lack off support is pretty appalling. There is post after post on the forums about this.

It sets exams, 'qualifies' its members, encourages them to be self employed and set up businesses and then pretty much abandons them. Leaving them to flounder around with no idea how to proceed. You only have to look at the sample engagement letter for a good example, its a joke! It looks like a schoolboy wrote it in 5 minutes!

The website is stoneage and the forum is prehistoric! You can't even message other members! How ridiculous is that?! Who ever heard of a fourm where you can't contact each other?! You cant see the level of qualification the posters have and so you have no idea who you are taking advice from! They could be level 1 with no work experience whatsoever and giving advice onn a level 4 issue! There is no poll facility and no facility to thank people either. Who is it exactly that is in charge off IT at ICB? Have they been near the internet in the last 10 years?

The jobsite is a very good idea and ought to be an amazing resource, but it doesnt work properly and cant be filtered - even though all the job posts list region etc.... Most of the jobs are in London. Does ICB spend ANY money advertising this service? Or does it just rely on people who walk past the swanky new offices that seem to be where all our membership money is going....  If the ICB advertised itself and its job board a lot more we would all get a lot more enquiries! A membership benefit worth paying for...

Come on ICB, pull your socks up! We are thoroughly disappointed in you! Stop spending our hard earned money on swanky offices and swanning off to other countries - how about you concentrate on getting the basics right first and support the members you already have???! We are your best advertising tool! If your members were happy they would do the recruiting of new members for you!

Come onn ICB - you need to up your game and be a bit more professional!

Rant over :-)

 


p.s.  As there is no poll facility reply if you agree!!

  • 10 posts
  • # 101306

I must admit, I'm not entirely sure what further benefit I'm going to get since having completed my exam. But I upgraded from student, paying up for another year, so hopefully I'll be able to make some use of the forum or the local meetings or something.

  • Member PM.Dip
  • Practice Licence
  • 742 posts
  • # 101309

Hi Mary

 

Wow. Whilst I agree with some of your comments, you can actually see the level of membership of the person replying to comments. Some people do reply without giving their real names but its a forum so people should have a choice of whether they want to be known or not. To be honest you may have a student who knows more on one particular topic that someone qualified so if you feel that you can help someone then does it really matter who replies. I agree thought that basic things like letters of engagement, visiting a client for the first time etc is something that the ICB could do more of, within the membership costs. Having said that though, every time I have rang the advice line, they have been extremely helpful.

 

I must admit I love the forum, the support of all the members has been a life saver for me. Yes Mary it would be nice to see some jobs that are not in london. 

 

what does everyone else think?

 

Very best wishes 

 

Elaine 



Edited at 02 Sep 2014 07:50 PM GMT

  • 68 posts
  • # 101310

Dear Matthew,

I am always happy to have a conversation about what support you desire and how we support our members just like you.

There are many new initiatives that have been launched or will be in the near future to either support a member in employment or running their own practice.

I do hope that Mary has also seen some of these initiatives since the original post that in part acknowledges some of her original statements.

I can assure you that since joining the team I am pleased that the ICB team are totally committed to our members, listening and developing our offering as a membership organisation.

Assuring you our desire to Making You Count.

regards

Mike

  • 68 posts
  • # 101311

ICB now offer a document download page and has received over 1,000 downloads in a short time 

http://www.bookkeepers.org.uk/Resources/Running-a-Practice/Templates--Downloads

  • Member
  • Practice Licence
  • 87 posts
  • # 101340

MikeFoster said:

ICB now offer a document download page and has received over 1,000 downloads in a short time 

http://www.bookkeepers.org.uk/Resources/Running-a-Practice/Templates--Downloads


 I'm pleased to see this. Its a step in a good direction.

I haven't looked at it yet so I will take a peek and see what is there......

  • Member
  • Practice Licence
  • 119 posts
  • # 101384

I have, for some time, been thinking about setting up a Bookkeepers Defence Association/Union, which would have several functions including:

providing an organisation with which members of the bookkeeping profession can unite to hold their respective professional associations (ICB, IAB, AAT) to account;

plugging the holes in (or offering alternative) support from said professionals bodies;

defending members who are subject to disciplinary procedures from their respective body;

other legal support.

Be interested to hear what, if any, appetite there would be for such an organisation - the Accountancy, Legal and Medical Professions have their own.

  • Member PM.Dip
  • Practice Licence
  • 742 posts
  • # 101388

That sounds like a very good idea Phil

First Previous - Page 1 of 1 - Next Last
bottomBanner
loading