I have been struggling to get back into my H&R Block account, but I needed to get to some old taxes because I got audited. Therefore, I knew it was time to break the ice and do it, but I am not handy at the computer (which is probably how I ended up audited in the first place), so I figured I would just get a call to get help. Admittedly, there are probably a lot of people who end up calling H&R Block for the same reason. There are so many issues that can arise with the internet and taxes; I bet the company gets a lot of phone calls.
This is probably why I eventually shifted to a virtual assistant, but in the end, I didn't mind. I thought I would end up needing to talk to a customer service representative, but I was able to troubleshoot quite well with the bot. The only thing I would complain about is that this number didn't actually work. I called it, and it just kept ringing endlessly. Either it is a dead line, or something was going on with the phone lines at H&R Block. However, I went online and found a second number, 1-800-472-5625, which worked wonderfully.
An automated voice answered and said, "Thank you for calling HR Block. This call may be recorded for quality assurance. I can help you with things like login issues, refund status, and get a copy of your return." I then replied, "login issues," and it said that it could help me and to please let it know if I needed help with an online tax preparation account or a different account. I chose the online account option.
The voice assistant said, "I can help you access your account. Before we get started, are you locked out now?" I said no, and it asked if I was able to get online. I answered yes, and the next instruction was, "Open a browser and go to account.hr.com. This will bring up a login page. Click, forgot password. Let me know when you are ready for the next step."
It went on like this for a while, and I was on the phone with the virtual assistant for about ten minutes, but the time could be shorter for those who can follow instructions online faster. In the end, I was able to get back into my account and access my tax records, so it worked out just fine. I'm not sure how I would have gotten to an agent if I actually needed one, but this worked out surprisingly well. In some ways, the bot may have been clearer than outsourced customer service.