On June 1st, we told you in an article that Intuit had announced price changes for QuickBooks Online which would impact new, existing and accountant-billed subscriptions effective between July 15th and September 1st of 2021. Toward the end of that article we also told you that Ted Callahan, the Accountant Business Leader for Intuit QuickBooks, had told us several enhancements these pricing changes were going to support for QuickBooks ProAdvisors. I promised you that we would have more details on those enhancements, and today's article is a fulfillment of that promise.
Fortunately, I was able to break Ted away from his role focusing on deepening the partnership with independent accounting professionals to answer a few questions related to the enhancements I have eluded to.
Murph: Ted, in an earlier interview you mentioned that some of the changes that would be coming about related to requests ProAdvisors had made regarding technical support. You noted that Intuit would be increasing the number of experts providing accounting team support. Can you tell us more about this service enhancement, and when the ProAdvisor and accounting community should begin to become aware of this expanded support?
Ted: There are several areas related to ProAdvisor support that we are focused on improving:
- the number of qualified agents dedicated to ProAdvisors;
- the agents’ knowledge and expertise of QuickBooks and the end-to-end QuickBooks platform;
- the speed at which ProAdvisors can connect to an experienced agent; and
- where those agents are located.
We are already moving forward on all aspects of these priorities. We have hired hundreds more agents based in the U.S. to support ProAdvisors. Over the next 60-90 days, Platinum and Elite ProAdvisors will notice a marked improvement in the speed at which agents are able to resolve issues and contact you via our call back service. This is a result of more training and rigor around the caliber of agents hired. Silver and Gold ProAdvisors will start to see improvements later this year.
Murph: You also mentioned during the same interview that Intuit planned to ‘on-shore’ all of their technical support for ProAdvisors. Because we know our readers have a keen interest in this aspect of support for QuickBooks, do you have a more specific date (approximately) as to when the vast majority of technical support requests from ProAdvisors will be assisted by only US-based personnel?
Ted: We have already started the process of hiring and bringing more agents ‘on-shore.’ Within the next 60-90 days, Platinum and Elite ProAdvisors should start seeing improvements in the caliber of agents answering calls coupled by a decrease in wait-times when ProAdvisor do contact us. Our goal is to complete the majority of on-shoring ProAdvisor support over the next 9-12 months.
Murph: Too many ProAdvisors report that Intuit Customer Support simply doesn’t have the answers they need to their technical questions regarding QuickBooks, or QuickBooks Payroll, or QuickBooks Payments. Can you explain what Intuit is, or will be doing, to enhance the level of expertise of technical support personnel supporting ProAdvisors and the accounting community?
Ted: Absolutely. As part of my many conversations with ProAdvisors, I kept hearing that the knowledge and training of our agents, especially in the areas of payroll and payments, needs improvement. I am excited to share that we are tackling this head-on. We have kicked off a 6-month robust training plan focused on payroll and payments to improve the knowledge and expertise of our agents. This training program is designed for both new and current agents. As agents complete this training, we are confident they will be prepared to answer the caliber of questions ProAdvisors ask us. In addition to improved training, we also are focused on hiring experienced agents, including those with accounting, bookkeeping and payroll backgrounds to provide the best ProAdvisor experience possible.
Murph: Ted, as the leader of the QuickBooks Accountant business at Intuit, is there anything else you are really just ‘itching’ to tell the ProAdvisor community. We recognize that you have hardly had the chance to meet many of them in this time of COVID-19, a lack of face-to-face meetings, virtual conferences only, and a new position. Insightful Accountant wants to give you the opportunity to reach out and share with our readers anything you care to voice.
Ted: First and foremost, I want the ProAdvisor community to know that we value you. We recognize you as our most valued partners and are committed to helping you grow your expertise and your business while scaling your impact.
I also recognize that this past year has been more difficult than anyone could have imagined. Yet, I saw how tirelessly you worked and continue to work to help your clients survive, pivot, and succeed. There’s no doubt that small businesses need your guidance now more than ever. By building the absolute best solution for small businesses, and continually innovating to drive greater collaboration between you and your clients, we see endless possibilities for you to grow and scale your practice with QuickBooks. Recent product innovations we are really excited about include Statement Auto Import, the payroll dashboard in QuickBooks Online Accountant, and the upcoming QuickBooks invoicing improvements launching this month.
In addition to product improvements, we have an entire team focused on further developing and improving the ProAdvisor Program. From new training that helps you confidently advise your clients to connecting you to more businesses through Find-a-ProAdvisor to capturing your feedback to shape every part of QuickBooks Online, we are working hard for you every day to deliver world-class benefits.
Our commitment is steadfast, and I can’t wait for you to experience everything we have in store for you from improvements in support to innovations across the QuickBooks platform.
And finally, I would close with this: I can’t wait for when I can connect and meet you all in person. Until then, I want to stay connected and hear from you about how we can continue to improve the products and services we deliver for you and your clients. Please connect with me on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedcallahan/) or Twitter (@_tedcallahan).
Murph: I personally want to thank Ted for taking time away from his busy schedule to respond to my questions formally and to provide such informative responses. Every QuickBooks ProAdvisor should not only take interest in these replies, but value the interest Ted shows in the ProAdvisor and accounting community. I suspect that a good many of us will get to meet him for the very first time at Scaling New Heights in Fort Worth (TX) later this year.
I also want to thank Intuit's Kim Amsbaugh for coordinating the exchange email and zoom interview process between Ted and I. Over the years I have found that far too many of 'my requests of Intuit' simply would not have gotten accomplished without 'Kim', "Thanks Kim!"
About Ted Callahan:
As the Accountant Business Leader for Intuit QuickBooks Ted's responsibilities, in addition to those elaborated above, also include:
- developing new innovations specifically for accountants across the QuickBooks platform,
- improving our current accountant offerings, including QuickBooks Online Accountant, and
- further evolving the ProAdvisor Program to include more and better benefits, and small business connections.
Before his current role, Ted held several positions across the QuickBooks platform focused on small businesses. Prior to joining Intuit, Ted worked in consulting for several years. This background gave him a real appreciation for the craft of client service and the role accountants play as coaches and strategic advisors. When he’s not working, Ted can be found biking, playing his guitar and enjoying family time with his wife, an interior decorator, and three children.