For the second consecutive year, AIC Group of Funds has captured DALBAR’s mutual fund service award, given to the Canadian mutual fund company providing the highest quality of service to English-speaking investors.

“2004 was a challenging year for AIC on a number of fronts, but they continued to ensure that their clients were treated with courtesy, professionalism, and with extremely knowledgeable representatives,” said Mark McDonald, client relationship manager at DALBAR.

Other companies finishing in the industry’s top quartile were Altamira Investment Services, Franklin Templeton Investments, and RBC Asset Management.

Second quartile firms were BMO Mutual Funds, AIM Trimark Investments, Scotia Securities, CI Mutual Funds, and Fidelity Investments.

Companies placing in the third quartile were Mackenzie Financial Corporation, Talvest Fund Management, and AGF Group of Funds.

Fourth quartile firms were CIBC Securities, Dynamic Mutual Funds, TD Asset Management, HSBC Investment Funds, and Investors Group.

The award is based on evaluations made over a calendar year in four main categories: quality of telephone service representatives, effectiveness of e-mail communication, telephone wait times, and e-mail response times.

By playing the role of the unitholder, DALBAR agents actively experience the service that the average Canadian mutual fund investor would receive from each company.

Evaluations contributing to DALBAR’s 2005 rankings will begin in January, and periodic rankings will be available from the company throughout the year.