Last year, I felt adamant about finding another company to handle our taxes. After speaking with…read morethe wife, we felt that seven years with Shaub, at the very least, warranted another go.
The religious part aside, as well as my pride, we called up our go to girl at Shaub and expressed our concerns over the constantly escalating prices over the last few years. Nothing, on our part, has changed one single bit yet the cost goes up double digits each year. She said she would look into it. So, we brought everything in.
Every year for the last seven years, our return has been processed with 24-72 hours. Usually, I get a call the next day. Pretty good, huh? Well, this is where the tale grows darker.
More than a week passes and still not a word. We call our girl to see what the hold up is. Oh, busy you say? More so than the last seven years? Alright, no problem. We are not really in a hurry, just concerned.
Later that same day, I receive a call from Brian Shaub himself. He demands that I take down my review from earlier this year (posted after last tax season) since it reflects badly upon his business.
I am utterly flabbergasted. Astonished. A big, slack-jawed gaping maw. Really? You have held my return hostage for a week to then tell me you have not begun it because you are confused why we are still using your business when we clearly are not satisfied with you. You, before processing work that you already agreed to, require that I remove a review that makes you look bad?
When explaining my concern over the price increases, I am told that the prices were always higher and that they were simply lowering the fee to "help us out". So, we should be paying near $300 for a very basic tax return. The reason it has gone up each year is to "catch up" with what it should be. No deal was made to bring about this "helping us out" thing. Where did this even come from?
I call absolute, unadulterated BS. You could not have told us this when the prices started jumping? We drop off the return and, understandably, you cannot give us a price until finished. So, each year we are in the dark until after the work about what we must pay. When the issue was brought up before, "Oh, that is just the price this year."
I even ventured to ask if we could go ahead and process it this year. After showing confusion as to why I would write a bad review then still use them (To give you one more chance before dropping you! 7 YEARS. Really? You don't get this?) Brian explains they can but it would most likely be at the full cost since I would not take down the review. Arbitrary and damned sneaky.
I explained that the ball was in his court. This is your chance for me to update my review. Will it go from two stars to three, perhaps four? Or, will you muck it up and drop it to the lowest rung?
So, Brian, you did two things.
First, you have 100% assured the loss of my business, which I know, I know, you have resigned yourself to that (perceived) reality anyway.
Secondly, you have assured that not only am I NOT removing my review, I am in fact dropping it to reflect our experiences.
If only you had been honest. Transparent. Communicative. If only you had not called me to demand I remove the review instead of doing your part to inspire within me a better feeling about your business.
