More Spin from Accenture

Letter to the Editor: System Is Careful With Data

(My comments are in */* throughout the article)

 

San Antonio Express-News
4/18/2006

 

Carlos Guerra's April 9 column, "Privatizing social services assistance hasn't been a smooth process," contained several inaccuracies about Accenture and our role in implementing the state's new eligibility system.

 

Neither the U.S. Marine Corps nor the Canadian province of Ontario "fired" Accenture. And a statement about our call center locations fails to mention an important fact that may be significant to San Antonio residents: The largest center will actually be in San Antonio. Between 500 and 600 residents will eventually be employed at the center, which currently has more than 400 employees.

 

Finally, the allegation that Accenture has "lost" information has no basis in fact. *I beg to differ, being that each and EVERY problem the local office has had has involved clients who have submitted not just one- but many applications to TAA only to be told that there is NO record of an app being received, and the clients then being referred BACK to the local office to do ANOTHER application- effectively causing the applicant to LOSE benefits because the file date changes...not to mention the fact that when and if TAA DOES find the application, the clients are often told that the app is TOO OLD and that they need to reapply* Accenture has a proven process for capturing all inbound correspondence that includes imaging everything, including the front and back of the envelope the correspondence came in, to ensure we have all the information provided by the family. *Then why is TAA denying that they have received applications when they are sent overnight to them?  Then why are TAA employees telling clients that the reason their app is NOT there is because WE need to be faxing them rather than mailing them, which in turn makes the clients mad at US as though it is OUR fault their information is nowhere to be found....*

 

Every document we receive is processed and entered into our tracking system on the same day we receive it to avoid the possibility of losing any client documentation.

We are proud of the work that we are doing, and we are committed to giving Texans more choices and flexibility in applying for benefits.

James McAvoy

Accenture spokesman

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