03Lightningrocks wrote:
I am about half afraid your right on some level. I could picture Simone pounding her chest as she decides to teach a person a lesson by making them wait longer. She gets angry about folks asking the status way to easy. In typical government worker fashion, she acts as though she is doing us a favor. They cry that people asking questions is slowing them down...which I believe is a lie...but they don't use the very system that was designed to alleviate unnecessary phone calls. If it is such a bother to them answering the phone while taking a smoke break, maybe they should get a pin out and update the status page on a daily basis.
I know one thing that would stop the messing around. If there was a law in place that they had to wait until the application is complete to cash the check, I bet it would take no longer than a month to get our plastic. As it is now, they have your money so they couldn't care less how long you wait.
Actually, what I have heard is they read this forum and see who complains about it being slow and move them to the back of the stack.
Yes, they have a problem, they have stated so, and are way behind the curve on processing. They need more staff, and like any corporation, apparently are having trouble getting it funded from above.
However, the more calls or emails they have to field does take time away from processing. Last year between September 1, 2006, and August 31, 2007 they processed right at 100,000 applications. That averages to about 365 applications a business day they approve/deny. Factor in they have to handle these application multiple times even with no errors, even more if they have to send back for those that do have errors, etc. The volume is pretty huge.
Now, if you multiply the number of applicants pending times an average of 2 calls or emails from each applicant during a 60 day window,
that works out to be about 90 calls/emails they have to field AN HOUR! That for sure takes up at least 2-3 folks time.
I understand it is torture waiting, I felt the same while waiting on mine, but the best you can do is wait and if you haven't heard anything within the expected times, then contact them. Before that, let them focus on getting the applications completed.