Goodbye, QuickBooks

I am ecstatic to finally be rid of this company.

I look forward to writing about great customer service and how I was treated so well by a business. This is not that time.

This is a story about how a company treated a six-year customer like crap, and only responded to fix the situation after being called out on social media.

Another email about my QuickBooks subscription renewal, followed by one stating that the price is going up.

Again.

I had already been thinking, since the last time I renewed, that I no longer want to use QuickBooks. Sure, it’s convenient and easy. I can see why people, especially small businesses like mine, like it. It makes bookkeeping simple. Well, once you understand it all!

Two things are going on that make me want to end it now, before my auto-renewal in March. First, I am certain I can move forward without QuickBooks; it may just require a little more work on my end each month. Second, their politics. I haven’t put a lot of time into investigating it, but I’ve read enough that their company supports the current administration financially, and that’s a big deal for me.

I know many people love QuickBooks, and after six years of using them my business, I am ecstatic to have just received the email that my account has been canceled. My relationship with them is over.

I’m going to do my books on my own for now.

I wanted to end my relationship with QuickBooks last year, but forgot to do it before they charged me again.

Customer service for smaller accounts is nonexistent. My decision was even easier when I went to my account online to cancel and found out I had to call. Once I got someone (their hours were incorrect on the website), they put me on hold for five minutes while they processed my cancellation. Total of 10 minutes on the phone.

The main reason I left was that each year their fee went up a lot. With no added benefits for me. Then there are political donations supporting those who support what ICE is being allowed to do.

I’m super happy.

Lesson for businesses and nonprofits: be good to those who support you.

The saga continued. Although I canceled on February 4th, they resubscribed me on March 1st and charged my card.

I called, and they said I did not cancel. If I wanted to cancel, to do it online. I clicked cancel online, and it said I couldn’t because I had just resubscribed. I need to add here that it isn’t easy getting someone on the phone. And each time I was able to do that, the person was not helpful.

The notes left on my account said I was calling to cancel because I was dissatisfied, and that I couldn’t cancel online as I was not at my computer. Both are false. I was at my computer the whole time.

I was put on hold as the person I was speaking with said she couldn’t help me. I waited 15 minutes, and I hung up.

Unbelievable. Or is it?

I shared this on my LinkedIn account. The Intuit account posted on my post that someone would be in touch with me, and indeed, a couple of hours later, I received a phone call.

They said they would refund the amount I had been charged. They also said they would look into the calls and how their employees worked with me.

My LinkedIn posts about this have received more views than any other post over the decade-plus I have been on the platform. Unfortunately, a company treats customers in such a way that, rather than getting kudos or thanks online, platforms are used to share how terrible they have been treated, resulting in lost opportunities for sure.

QuickBooks is a huge company. They can do so much better. Unfortunately for them, I won’t be around to see any changes, that is, if any are made.

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Take a risk. Be of service. Support your friends and colleagues. Be kind.