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Vanguard's website snafu -- perhaps an unforced error, a CTO says -- has no ETA for a fix but it led to CEO Tim Buckley to read the automated message script to desperate callers

The Malvern, Pa., giant's mistake may have been chancing a code change in notoriously hazardous December, an IT expert says, though Vanguard points to a third party

Author Lisa Shidler December 30, 2021 at 1:52 AM
10 Comments
no description available
Tim Buckley: Your call is very important to us.

Tim Buckley


Scott Porter

Scott Porter

December 30, 2021 — 3:04 PM
I never had to deal with Vanguard until it was my responsiblity to rollover my late uncle's IRA into my aunt's IRA (she is 90 yrs old). Hands down, the most frustrating consumer experience in my life. I have had to go through the same process five times since November and this simple transaction has not yet happened. Hours and hours and hours waiting on the phone, five hours alone yesterday. Thank goodness I don't have my own account at Vanguard and why anyone would put their money in this company is beyond comprehension.
Stephen Michael Morris

Stephen Michael Morris

December 30, 2021 — 4:09 PM
Vanguard lost their way many years ago. Being inexpensive on fees should not be an excuse for cutting services. The most fundamental sacred service is trust and you cannot trust Vanguard with your money ...
Skip Hicks

Skip Hicks

December 30, 2021 — 5:35 PM
i know this is nitpicking.... but would have expected someone to catch it. "The markets are open Thursday, Dec. 30 but close at 2 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 31. " This is not correct. The BOND market closes at 2pm....but stock market closes at normal time.
brooke southall

brooke southall

December 30, 2021 — 6:50 PM
Good catch, Skip. Fixed.
RMR

RMR

December 30, 2021 — 9:08 PM
You can easily confirm actions by going to your online accounts and checking "activity". I have done that for accounts this week.
h

h

December 30, 2021 — 11:26 PM
I am moving all my money out from Vanguard
Charles Mik

Charles Mik

December 31, 2021 — 6:05 PM
The phone system is a cave era type setup. It is the most frustrating experience for anyone to put up with. I have been with vanguard for 23 years. The first 10 years you could get through to what department or person you wanted in 30 seconds . The last 13 years have been a nightmare. I don’t call vanguard unless it’s absolutely necessary. I have asked for a phone directory for long term clients like myself so I can not waste my time & vanguards time by putting up with the nonsense we have today & the past 13 years. Nobody does anything about it. What’s the big secret about having direct contact with any department or person. It’s just plain courtesy & personal professionalism. This info technology is another mess. This blaming of a third party is a joke. I have mentioned over the past 10 years that when you have holidays & extended days off, vanguard needs to get some info tech people on a Sunday to test the system if it was down for checks or any other reason. Never wait till Monday & find out you have screwup. Too cheap to pay someone to come on on a Sat. or Sunday? I would like to personally talk to Mr. Buckley or anyone on his staff about these problems. I even wrote letters to McNabe & his predecessors but with no response. Don’t you guys have any professionalism. It’s sickening. Vanguard needs much more personal contact with its long time clients or it will lose a many of them. It’s tough to mention having a happy near year to to top guys as to what’s been happening over the past 10 years. START DOING SOMETHING THAT MAKES THINGS BETTER.
Bob Jacobs

Bob Jacobs

January 1, 2022 — 4:37 PM
Incorrect premise. Speculation about something of which you have zero knowledge. There's an annual technology lockdown. Nice try though.
Steve D

Steve D

January 3, 2022 — 5:12 PM
It doesn’t matter how much they spend on technology if they don’t know how to spend it and they are relying on the vanguard lifelong employees to drive the ship. They desperately need to bring in outside tech leadership and somehow add a few hundred talented engineers.
JONATHAN THOMAS

JONATHAN THOMAS

March 3, 2022 — 12:09 AM
https://www.wsj.com/articles/vanguard-target-retirement-tax-bill-surprise-11642781228

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