September 2000

TechCenter

Lack Time? Register Online

By Kevin Lewis

This month I am going to digress from technology in order to address some problems that members have recently experienced when registering for CPE courses. Many members have complained that they couldn’t get through to the Foundation for Accounting Education Customer Service Department. The department has had a large turnover in the last six months, and new employees were still in training when the current CPE catalog was mailed. The staff has been working as hard as they possibly could, and internal changes should alleviate some of the issues, but I would like to point out some things that can make registration even easier.

The Society’s website, www.nysscpa.org, is the fastest and easiest method of registration. The time required to register online is minimal compared to the other available methods. The search and grouping capabilities recently have been expanded, and the system is smart enough to know whether a registrant is a POP Pass holder and charge accordingly. Moreover, online registrants have the added benefit of up-to-the-minute information: As course information changes, it is instantly updated online. Online registrants receive a confirmation card by mail about a week after registering.

The most popular method of registration is via telephone at (212) 719-8383 or (800) 537-3635. Unfortunately, this is also the most time consuming method of registration. Nevertheless, registrants can expedite the process by having their member ID number and the course code, date, and location of the class they want to attend ready before calling.

A third way to register involves filling out the registration form in the back of the CPE catalog and faxing it to (212) 719-3365. Despite the "black hole" fear that often accompanies fax registrations, a verification card should arrive by mail within a week of registration.

I would like to encourage everyone to register online at www.nysscpa.org/FAE/index.htm. The staff hopes that the drastic changes made, coupled with this information, will make registration less frustrating and solve some of the problems registrants have experienced.

For more information, please contact NYSSCPA Chief Technology Officer Kevin Lewis at (212) 719-8340, (800) NYSSCPA (697-7272), or klewis@nysscpa.org