CRO Woe
February 08, 2006
Have you ever had to deal with the CRO forms? They could do with a large dose of plain English rammed down their throats followed up by a helping of instructional language poured all over them.
Recently I had to change 2 simple pieces of information on a limited company. My favourite financial advisor and I both read the form and came to the same conclusion: that the retiring Director must sign the form. Did that. Sent it in. They sent it back. Wrong. The incoming Director must sign the form.
Downloaded the form again. Travelled (out of Dublin) to get the incoming Director to sign the form. Got it in to CRO. They sent it back. Wrong. The retiring Director and the incoming Director must sign the form.
Both times the letter back from CRO was from a woman who gave her telephone number. I tried to telephone that number throughout the month of January at various times of morning and afternoon, but it was always on her Christmas out of office voice mail. (Maybe she died and never returned to CRO and quite frankly I wouldn't blame her)
When I finally got through to a person, a man gave me incorrect information - he told me that the incoming Director must sign and that was that. Ignored his advice, worked out the signature combination that we hadn't tried yet and the form went in again - third time - and this time got sent back because it didn't have the fee attached.
ARGH. I ask you now to visit the cro.ie website (sorry but it doesn't even warrant a link from this fine site!), download any of the forms on there and you will see that there is nothing at all mentioned about fees . I should have guessed there would be fees of course, after all we're dealing with the Government here, surely they must be after our cash in some shape or form.
Last week I presented myself at the CRO office, smiled my way past the angry old man on reception, presented myself at the cash desk where 3 people sat at counters and only 1 was taking customers. I find that maddening - it happens in banks also - where 1 industrious one does all the work, and the other ones who are supposed to be client facing, have their heads down and are playing on their calculators or texting or whatever it is they do....
More maddening again was the sign that told me that I would be exempt from fees if I used the internet. I would have if the website told me I had to pay fees. When I got to the top of the queue, I asked the guy on the counter how they could accept my form over the internet given that it had to be signed in pen by a real life person. He looked at me blankly. I decided to leave it. Quit while I was ahead.
The one good thing about CRO is the floors. When you walk at speed from the cash desk to the exit, past the narky reception guy, towards the freedom of Parnell Square, they echo and make you sound like you're a Woman with Purpose. Or a Woman Who's Glad To Be Done with CRO. Or a Little Person Who Has to Work with the System Making Herself Heard.