The irony of Intuit’s, the maker of TurboTax and QuickBooks, new Connected Services proposal is that it really isn’t about the services. QuickBooks Online has been around for quite some time, and TurboTax has always provided community and information-sharing features.
But the fact that Intuit felt the need to call attention to their new strategy speaks of a need to get tax software users on their side in a bid to stay relevant in a “changing landscape.” That landscape is really the battleground between government and commerce, where Presidential candidates’ calls for a simpler tax code are threatening to render the tax software industry unnecessary.
What is Intuit’s response? “Small business network,” “connecting customers to solutions,” “communities,” “support,” “help,” “forum.” They are really trying to hammer into consumers minds the notion that government doesn’t take care of business like business does, which has been and always will be quite true.
To the average American filing simple returns, the distinction may not make much of a difference. Or does it? I’ll leave it up to you to decide.
Contact:
Jennifer Silva
Zilker Ventures, LLC
