HRB my view.

[Don B]

I have just completed my first season as an H&R Block tax associate. I have been reading all of the jokes and slurs on this forum concerning Block employees, and how there is no competency in the offices. I can't fully agree with this, but can't disagree either. It seems to me that Block management is too involved with mass marketing their products to see that the first goal should be complete, and accurate returns. I noticed that during the opening "Skills for Success" meeting (course) the main concern was coupons and marketing the tax professional to new clients. This was twenty-two hours of time that should have spent training first year (and for the most part second and third year) people to use the TPS software.

After being assigned to an office I did not see much improvement in the attitude of the management. Marketing, marketing, and more marketing seemed to be the main goal.

There were meetings that stressed marketing, and ways to outdo Jackson Hewitt, not how to do a better job on tax returns, but how to get more coupons in the hands of prospective clients.

Don't get me wrong, I learned a lot because I spent my time studying and concentrating on taxes. I did not make as much money as most did, but then I wasn't there to make money this year. I am a retired electronics engineer that does not need the income, so I can make becoming a competent tax professional my number one goal.

Will I return to HRB? Probably. Will I fall into the marketing trap. NOPE.

There are, after all said, many very good tax people working in the offices that I have been. There were two enrolled agents in the office that I was assigned, that's pretty heavy for a small Block office.

DonB

[Bees Knees]

There are a lot of H&R Block employees who contribute to this message board. I learned how to do taxes from H&R Block. I don't think it is fair to generalize about people who work for Block. There are good and bad employees in all kinds of tax offices, not just H&R Block.

[OldJack]

DonB,
I have never been in an HRB office and don't know anything really about them. I have had, on occasion, received tax returns that were prepared by HRB. I believe that they do a good job for a simple tax return for an average worker with mostly W2 income. I am not in competition with HRB as I do not seek the individual income tax customer and am glad there is a service like HRB so I don't have that type client. I mainly do business tax returns and the executives thereof.

I have had a couple of occasion where an HRB employee tried to tell me that a return that I prepared was wrong when the HRB tax preparer was simply not aware of prior years tax laws when the tax return was prepared. One example was the HRB employee was not aware that there was a depreciation method of ACRS before MACRS so they insisted my depreciation life was wrong and was going to file an amended tax return. HRB seems to like to file amended tax returns prepared by other preparers without asking the prior preparer why it was prepared the way it was. They just want to make a refund for the taxpayer and even advertise that they want to amend prior returns. They evidently have no concern about the running of the statute of limitations on tax returns and how an amended tax return can end up costing a taxpayer much more than the refund.

I agree that their promotion and marketing techniques may be profitable. But personally, I think the recent example of their sale of not profitable IRA's hurts the reputation and honesty of the industry as a whole.

[oceanlovin'ea]

Ex-HRB employee

I too worked for HRB, started there in the 80's. I learned a lot working there and always felt the courses they offered every year were very good.

Actually the office I worked in and all in the city and area were owned by a franchise. That company were very interested in the clients and also in the preparers. They treated us very well. In fact, that is the only place I ever worked that the office manager went out every day and picked up lunch and brought it back to the office. She said the preparers were needed in the office doing returns and that was one way she could help the ofice run more efficiently.

But when the owners died and the son took over, then it was just a money business to him and that is all we heard too - sell, selll, sell other services. Which I never would do.

Anyway that was one of the reasons I left HRB. In the office I worked in we had we had several ( 6-8) seasoned and very diligent preparers. Actually there is also where I learned so much. When we started, the "seasoned" preparers were so very willing to help us learn how to do things.

Well, to shorten this, I value the time I spent at HRB. I learned so much and enjoyed the people I worked with. But I am very happy with my own business now because I can "do it my way".

Linda F

[taxea]

Hrb

DonB you hit the nail on the head...HRB does not care about its employees. I worked first in CA and the Marin County office, at the time, had their stuff together. Even though the below holds true even for them in some instances.
On Oahu they have first year preparers doing returns that are way over their heads...the employees are treated like sweatshop workers, the office managers like slaves, the trainers are extremely incompetent...last summer the Aiea branch had the computer tech teaching basic tax classes and he was way out of his league. I took a corp course, some years back, from the District Manager and he wasn't any better.
They have many good preparers who work for slave wages and HRB's quality control is very lacking. I encountered 3rd year preparers that can't do a Sch E.
You are right in saying that marketing is all they are interested in and they are finally getting nailed for "Peace of Mind" which is a crock to push onto the general public and relative simple returns.
Region is no better. Employee complaints are ignored. I could go on and on.....but the bottom line is I just don't understand why anyone would do more than one season at HRB, just for the experience.

[Gary]

I could go on and on.....but the bottom line is I just don't understand why anyone would do more than one season at HRB, just for the experience.

I will tell you why I have remained with Block "more than one season" (actually eight years). First of all, I am retired and do not work because I need the money. I enjoy preparing tax returns, and can do so without any of the responsibilities that most of you that are self-employed have. I set my own hours, don't have to worry about purchasing software, don't have to solicit clients. Block offers many excellent classes, and most of the instructors I have had are superb. I don't have to spend great sums of money to take courses from private companies or the IRS to maintain my EA.

I have many clients that have been coming back to me year after year. I love them, and they love me. I also work with some wonderful people.

I do not make excuses for many of the criticisms of Block. I have been critical and express my opinions openly to co-workers and management. That being said, every company has its pluses and minuses. Block has been good to me.

I am in awe of most posters on this board. I can only imagtine how much effort is required to be self-employed in this business. I feel very much at home here, and consider all of you my friends, even though I don't know you personally.

Gary

[Donanita]

Former HRB

I started working for Block in 1984 when we did returns on paper. Taught tax school for them and worked for 11 years but left the year the living will was introduced with the peace of mind starting the next year. I just wanted to do tax returns not make a sales pitch for something I didn't think was required and yes we were required to push the sale of these extras.If the client didn't want the living will kit which we sold for $19.99 and Office Depot was selling for $15.99 we had to tell the District Mgr why.This was just not my cup of tea so I left and started my own business. Got black ball from people I had worked with for 11 years and called a traitor. Never contacted my clients but after a couple of years and the high prices Block charges they found me and my business has grown by word of mouth for the last 10 years.I don't have anything against Block as I learned a lot as the schools back them focused on the tax laws. I even taught several CPA's just out of college as the firm they were employed by suggested they take the Block course to get a hands on using forms which was not offered in college.I know by the adds that Block has changed to the marketing business but that is o.k. as I get between 5 to 6 former Block clients every year.

[Don B]

I will tell you why I have remained with Block "more than one season" (actually eight years). First of all, I am retired and do not work because I need the money. I enjoy preparing tax returns, and can do so without any of the responsibilities that most of you that are self-employed have. I set my own hours, don't have to worry about purchasing software, don't have to solicit clients. Block offers many excellent classes, and most of the instructors I have had are superb. I don't have to spend great sums of money to take courses from private companies or the IRS to maintain my EA.

Gary

Gary,
I am retired also (for four years now), and also started working for HRB because I enjoyed
doing taxes. I am not angry with Block because they want to make money for the company, that's their job. I do believe that there should be stiffer requirements placed on
preparers before allowing them to do returns that are above their heads. This is a management decision, and management is not taking the reins. Why? It seems so simple to me. The types of complaints that are discussed on this forum, to say nothing of
other forums, should be obvious to the bean counters at the top.

I'll just try to keep learning, and doing the best job that I can do at my pace.

Don B

[Jiggers]

H&RB

H&RB has good qualified preparers. And, not so good ones. Same applies to managers. Personally, when I make a mistake I feel bad. When a staff person makes a mistake I feel bad. It is extremely embarassing to make a mistake on a return and have to tell the client, especially in a small town. However, I see mistakes made by other firms and they have no regrets. "That's life!" is the comment. The same applys to other types of businesses. When someone makes a mistake at another type of business, more than likely it gets the same comment. Recently I visited a national restaurant that specializes in homestyle cooking. After 30 minutes had gone by we finally were served our food, even though others that came in after us were served first. I complained to the cashier and she just said sorry. Nothing else. I asked for the manager and he said the same. I was really disappointed in the response. I was really hoping for the comment that he would discuss it with the waitress and would definitely assure me that it wouldn't happen again. Paid my bill, no tip for the waitress and it may be some time before I eat there again. Even though I owned stock in the company at one time.

[Chief]

Tipping

You just punished the waitress for the shortcomings of the management. Waitresses and waiters do not even get the minimum wage. I can understand your frustration but not tipping the waitress was the wrong thing to do. You should write the corporate office of that chain. Even that may not change anything. That is exactly why chains go out of business. I saw the handwriting on the wall for Bill Knapps Restaurants and WT Grant years before they finally went out of business. I predict the same for Cracker Barrell Restaurants.
Don't punish the little guy for the short comings of the place you shop.

[Gary]

. Personally, when I make a mistake I feel bad. When a staff person makes a mistake I feel bad. It is extremely embarassing to make a mistake on a return and have to tell the client, especially in a small town.

I have to admit that I made at least one mistake this tax season that I know of. My own return, When adding up my estimated payments, I included a check from the previous year. Very embarrasing!!

Gary

[Bird Legs]

Gary, that was

not a mistake, just an oversight.

[Jiggerss]

Not tipping waitress

You just punished the waitress for the shortcomings of the management. Waitresses and waiters do not even get the minimum wage. I can understand your frustration but not tipping the waitress was the wrong thing to do. You should write the corporate office of that chain. Even that may not change anything. That is exactly why chains go out of business. I saw the handwriting on the wall for Bill Knapps Restaurants and WT Grant years before they finally went out of business. I predict the same for Cracker Barrell Restaurants.
Don't punish the little guy for the short comings of the place you shop.

The waitress should have stayed on top of the service. When we questioned why others were getting served before we received our, she brushed us off. This was Cracker Barrel. Used to be that when you ordered you were brought a nice serving of biscuits and cornbread while you were waiting for your meal. We didn't get ours while we noticed that others were getting theirs right after they sat down. Different waitress for these other tables. We questioned our waitress and she said that the policy had changed and that you received it with your order. Didn't make sense that all these other tables were getting theirs. The waitress was at fault for some of the poor service. That is why there was no tip. If I could have not paid my bill for the rest of the poor service, I would have.

[jainen]

terrible service

That waitress gave terrible service. She should have checked on the reason for the delay, explained it to her customers, and helped out with a complimentary appetizer or drink while they waited.

I would not have tipped her a single dime. Except of course for the mandatory minimum of 15%.

[oceanlovin'ea]

My reason for working for HRB for 15 years was my children. When I started working there, my daughters were 7 and 12 years old. I didn't want to work full-time. I wanted to be home with them most of the time. I found that working for Block for 3 months gave me 9 months at home with my girls.

I admit the first few years the money didn't last a long time or I really had to be careful to make it stretch. Actually the year I started a preparer who had been there a long time moved to North Carolina and Block's policy was to give a new preparer the names of that preparer's clients. So I started off with a very good first year. But I worked hard and built up my clients that came back to me. The last few years I hardly ever took a new client because my schedule was full with returning clients. So I made very good money and only worked for 3 months a year.

I was able to do a lot of things with my younger daughter all through her teenage years, even homeschooled her during high school. The last year I worked for Block was the year she got married. I have no regrets working for Block that long......it served my purpose more than anything else could have.

Linda F