There are several providers in the market today offering to deliver tax return status information to your clients. If you are an ERO who depends on these services to communicate with your customers you should know not all are created equal. This post will walk you through some of the key questions to ask when evaluating a provider.
Does the provider support my tax preparation software?
Arguably the most important question to ask is if the provider supports the tax preparation software you currently use. The support for such preparation software may include an agent that runs on the machine which hosts your tax preparation software or may include back end integration with the tax preparation software vendor where the tax return information may be directly shared with the provider on your behalf. Clearly not having to install any agent software on your machine should be the default choice as who wants to maintain another software installation.
Does the provider offer all popular forms of communicating tax return status information; email, SMS text messaging, phone calls, IVR, and Internet.
Not every provider offers all communication options. Some are limited to inbound only options such as calling into toll-free numbers supported by an IVR system or checking the return status over the Internet. Others however support outbound communication options such as email, SMS text messaging, and phone calls. When choosing a provider it’s important to understand that while outbound communication offers the best user experience not all of your clients will have email addresses or cell phones for text messages so the ability for them to receive an automated phone call is important otherwise they will have to revert to using one of the inbound methods such as the Internet or calling into a toll-free IVR system.
Does the provider offer a way to pay for only what you intend or desire to use?
No one wants to pay for a service they do not use nor do they want to pay too much. It’s important the provider demonstrate it knows how EROs do business and offer a plan that allows the ERO the ability to recover their cost for the service. For example, some providers require an upfront expenditure to use their service before the ERO even knows how many returns they may have. This makes it very difficult for the ERO to build in a pricing structure to cover the cost of the services as the cost will be variable depending on the number of tax returns the ERO submits. Look for a pay-as-you-go plan where you only pay for those tax returns which require the provider’s service. In addition, this method offers a fixed price per tax return which allows the ERO to not only build in the correct pricing adjustments per return but also better predict the total costs given an estimated number of returns.
Does the provider offer multilingual communications?
Not everyone speaks or is comfortable with the English language and this is why it is important a provider support multilingual communications when communicating tax return status. Most providers support both English and Spanish but you may want to confirm their support includes all forms of communications and not just inbound communications; SMS text messages, outbound phone calls and email should all support multilingual clients.
Does the IVR system which my clients call into support input using a touch tone phone as well as natural language/speech in my customer’s preferred language?
Most modern IVR systems these days offer at least two ways for the caller to communicate with the system. The first is called “DTMF” or more commonly referred to as typing onto you’re phone’s keypad your response. In addition to DTMF newer systems support natural language or speech which means callers can speak to the system which some users find more natural and friendly. Either way the IVR the provider uses should support both methods.
Does the provider’s IVR support both English and Spanish via one toll-free number?
Most IVR systems support multilingual interaction over a single phone number. Requiring a different phone number for each language is senseless and can cause confusion among tax payers when providing them with multiple phone numbers. Ensure the provider you choose can support having callers choose which language they are most comfortable without having to call an alternative number. In addition, if the IVR supports natural langue and speech your clients should be able to speak in the other languages as well.
Does the Internet website were my clients will be checking the status of their return convey a professional appearance?
For the most part your provider is your face to your customer and the Internet website where you customer checks their return status is a direct reflection of your company. It’s important the website is professionally developed and offer not only the tax return status but additional information such as hours of operation, a map to the office, and the address to your office.
Does the provider offer a way to track a specific return’s entire history?
Sometimes clients are so anxious to receive their refund check they will claim to have received a message telling them their check is ready when in fact it is not. It may be necessary to validate the entire history of the individual tax return, including all status changes, inbound queries, as well as outbound notifications. Ensure your provider allows you to check a returns history otherwise you really have no way to verify what may have transpired with that customer’s return.
Does the provider allow me to configure and manage my office locations individually?
Some EROs have multiple office locations which may be managed individually or have different needs when it comes to configuration. It’s important the provider offers a way to configure each office location to meet that location’s specific needs.
Does the provider offer reporting for each individual office as well as my entire account?
Some EROs have found fostering a bit of friendly competition between office locations as a helpful way to grow their business. Others may use reporting metrics as a measuring stick to understand when their business tends to drop off so as to not have tax preparers sitting idle. Providers which offer a reporting solution can help achieve these goals by offering a view into what each office is doing as compared to the other offices or how well they may be doing as compared to previous years.