solomon, You likely didn't hear from me about this because I abandoned using TurboTax this past year after using it for over a decade. I think that this is a worthy effort and I will certainly write a note.
I gather that you had some sort of personal contact with someone and that is great. It concerns me a little that the e- mail addresses given seem to be quite generic. My concern arises from the fact that over the past decade, I have provided feedback on their web site and through surveys after completing my taxes. I have always included my e-mail address and have never once received a response. Very early on, I did have some correspondence with someone at TurboTax who seemed very interested. He noted that they did not change their user interface very often preferring to keep it relatively stable. However, he assured me that our needs would be taken into account when changes were made. As you know, they have been making changes over the past several years, and I have yet to see a single change that helps us and some have made our use more difficult. I think we need to consider our approach very carefully. It is certainly a good idea to show them that there are interested people who will buy their product. However, we also need to emphasize that this should not be that expensive in the long run, that incorporating our needs and even needs of other disabled persons into their designs rather than trying to do it after-the-fact makes sense. We will probably not prevail by making them think that fixing this will make them tons of money because it probably won't. Noting that other companies are already incorporating accessibility might be helpful, though. Also, emphasizing that we already use many off-the-shelf products would be good. If you get a specific name at any point and it would be helpful to redirect mail to that person, please let us know. The "WECARE" address is likely high volume, and I am uneasy that messages there will not get filtered to the right people, but it is worth a try. Were you given any instructions as to how to indicate that messages should be directed to "Mark" or to the Office of the President? What I mean is whether this should be done in the subject or in the body? Best regards, Steve Jacobson On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:05:08 -0400, Solomon Mekonnen wrote: >Attention all, >Several weeks ago I posted a message on this listserv regarding >TurboTax's inaccessibility for blind and visually impaired users who >wish to do their own taxes independently. I received only one >response from Bernie Perella who shared a valuable information on his >own experience with the continued inaccessibility of the TurboTax >software. According to his e-mail TurboTax became progressively >inaccessible starting with the 1997 version. The 1996 version of the >TurboTax software was the most accessible to date. He also indicated >that some users feel that the online version is somewhat more >accessible than the version produced on disc but not practical enough. >I shared Bernie's information with Intuit and requested that the >office of the president of Intuit invest a serious and meaningful >effort to make TurboTax accessible as early as next year. They >informed me that they would like to see the level of interest or the >size of the service target to warrant a focused effort. Ergo, the >reason for this e-mail. >I am asking each and every blind or visually impaired person who >would like to do his or her own taxes for the cost of the software to >send feedback to Intuit at the following e-mail: "[email protected]" >attention Mark or the Office of the president. Or, you may also >access the feedback link on the intuit website, "www.intuit.com. >Please make your e-mail informative and friendly. The purpose is to >make Intuit see the legitimacy of our request. There is much greater >strength and persuasive power in amiable communication than an >emotionally charged outburst of potent expression. >I would also like to solicit the help of GWMicro's Executive Office >to communicate with Intuit on a corporate level regarding the same >issue. You may also communicate with other blind and visually >impaired individuals who do not receive messages from this >listserv. I think it might be helpful to contact advocacy agencies >or such organizations as NCB or NFB to influence Intuit's efforts on >the same issue. >I am just trying to involve every one interested to show Intuit that >the request is worthwhile. Please join me if you feel Paying H&R >Block exhorbitant fees should not be the only option we have >especially at the time when technology has made incredible advances >in software accessibility facilities. Last year I had to pay H&R >Bloc $175.00 besides the check I wrote to Uncle Sam. I could have >put those same funds to some other use if I had the ability to do my >own taxes. >I thoroughly understand that there are free services available for >filing taxes. I also realize that some of us have spouses, children, >or friends who might lend us a hand in filing our taxes. But won't >you be interested in engaging your good offices in the effort to >convince industry to take our needs seriously? If Intuit responds to >our request in one area, it should not be difficult to see what it >might be able to do for us in the remaining software packages such as >QuickBooks and webstore merchendising services. The idea is, let us >come together and form a critical mass that cannot be ignored. >Best regards >Solomon. >If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. >If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. >GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can manage >your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv. If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv.
