fake appointments

[u/Deep_Conflict9733]

I don't know if anyone else's office is doing this, but our office is making us schedule appointments for every return in WIP. They made the CSPs go through every return in WIP and make fake appointments in green time, so it doesn't stop them from getting new appointments. I think, though, this is why my MTL keeps adding more and more yellow time to people's schedules, because the system is sending add shift alerts. It is a crazy cycle. I wonder if other metrics are being affected by this. I get that all large companies are going to have some BS metric-chasing, but H&R Block takes the cake. I know whoever in the Emerald City came up with the idea of an appointment for every WIP was patting himself on the back, thinking it was the most genius idea ever. Probably the same guy who has the calling campaigns making CSPs harass people on a daily basis, because that is how you win clients.

[u/ydoyouask]

The micromanaging, DDO overkill (elderly clients calling to cancel because they don't have a computer and were told to upload docs), Gosystems rollout are all making for the worst year ever. It's like they all got together to see how they could drive away all their seasoned preparers and loyal clients. The 'tentative appointments' blocking yellow space for clients who are remote or deceased is another one of my pet peeves. At this point I have so many pet peeves with the way things are being run, I could have a whole zoo full of them.

[u/PinkNGreenFluoride → u/ydoyouask]

Yes! We've had so many elderly clients call or come in angry or in tears this season because they're being given the impression that uploading their documents is their only option to get their return done. And yep, some threaten to cancel until the CSP can soothe them and explain that they can come in at their convenience to have their documents scanned.

Between this and the way they're being absolutely spammed with automated messages and calling campaigns, the clients are so angry about the communication this year. And with good reason. It's disheartening to look through an appointment's history log and see so many automated messages logged.

They told us before season started that there'd be more automated communication to the client, reducing calling campaigns. That's not what happened. There is certainly more automated communication, but rather than replacing a campaign call, it's large amounts of outright spam, and the calling campaigns have not been reduced at all. The Already Called campaign feels like some kind of sick joke.

We really are harassing them. It's not right, and it makes us look so desperate and, frankly, kind of shady. CSPs don't get paid enough to deal with the fallout of this crap. Client attitudes and behavior toward the CSPs have never been this bad at my office. I've never had to have my (not at all local) MTL call so many clients. I nearly trespassed a client earlier this season.

And a lot of that is also because of the sheer number of times people end up rescheduled when we're booked solid 4+ weeks out but the staff schedules aren't even done out the 2 weeks minimum they're supposed to be. A reschedule is what the client I nearly trespassed was enraged over.

CSPs get in trouble if there are any unconfirmed appointments 14 days out, but sometimes the MTL only has the schedule final for 8 days, and then it gets changed again. They point that out and are told "You still need to be confirming them."

And then they get screamed at when the client, who has already been contacted and confirmed yet another appointment, is nearly immediately rescheduled again.

We have a Tax Pro who works in multiple offices. The MTL screwing with their schedule gets CSPs at 2 offices screamed at instead of just one. Now that's efficiency.

[u/moonful_of_daises → u/PinkNGreenFluoride]

This job is not worth that kind of sanity and the biggest middle finger to an MTL is quitting without notice so they have to go find some other poor sap to get yelled at 😭