"Another One Bites the Dust...Black Owned Businesses"

I think it’s fair to say that most people, myself included, like to patronize the mom and pop shops and family oriented businesses in their neighborhoods, more importantly we hate to see these establishments replaced by big name franchises. Maybe it’s just me but I think there’s something special about having a service provided for you by someone you know as opposed to a total stranger and it’s an even greater feeling to know that when you spend your money that you are ultimately putting it back into your own community.

Now, of course I am relatively speaking and this is all in theory because I also believe that if a business does not follow proper etiquette and protocol then patrons should feel free to take their money elsewhere without any feelings of guilt or remorse. What saddens me is that I’ve had to do just that, with regard to the black owned ventures in my neighborhood. Of course, I’m generalizing and this is not true of all black establishments but I have come across too many that just fail to exercise proper business protocol, whether they falsely advertise, don’t adhere to their set hours of operation, or provide horrible customer service (actually I think that’s New York City at large) there is always something that makes the customer want to go elsewhere.

CASE AND POINT…

A dear friend of mine had been raving to me for quite sometime about a privately owned income tax service that he had frequented over the years. He knew a husband and wife who had turned the basement of their home into an office and during tax season the dynamic duo became the neighborhood H&R Block. Due to the large number of people that the couple serviced throughout the tax season, my dear friend also mentioned to me that you had to stay on top of them thus meaning that you couldn’t drop your W-2’s off at their office and expect to have your tax return completed in a timely fashion. Considering the nature of the situation I thought that was reasonable, even when I filed my taxes with big named corporations I sat in the office of the preparer until the process was completed.

I didn’t know it then but I should have read my friend’s minor precaution as an omen of the obnoxious proceedings that were about to take place. What started out as a routine annual trip to the income tax man to reclaim that which I had overpaid the government in taxes has turned into a never-ending saga; 4 trips and 45 days later and I have yet to receive my rebate. Yes, you read correctly…so much for the standard 5-10 business days.

My first trip during the first week of February ended in my being told by Mrs. Tax Man that I would have to return to the office at a later date to have my State return filed and completed, the problem being that I lived and worked in two states during 2008 (Ohio and New York) and their office did not have the proper software to complete my Ohio State return. Now I am aware that this is a small company in Brooklyn, NY and that most if not all of their clients are residents of Brooklyn, NY but if you are offering a service and you are competing against big named companies (i.e. H&R Block) that provide the same service, it seems as though it would be in your best interest to be well equipped. I mean really…despite where you live is it ever okay for the tax man to tell you that he does not have the proper software? Especially in a cosmopolitan city like New York which people migrate to on a daily basis?

At this point I should have taken my business and my dollars elsewhere but in an effort to support and patronize black owned entities in my neighborhood, I returned to the establishment on Feb. 18, 2009. This visit was quick and painless (or so it seemed). The correct software had been properly installed and both my Ohio and New York State returns were filed within minutes of my arrival. Before departing I was told again by Mrs. Tax Man that my Federal refund would be directly deposited to my bank account on Fri., Feb. 27th.

Well, it should come as no surprise that February 27th came and went without me receiving my Federal refund. I waited patiently for another week and still…NOTHING! By Tues., March 10th I decided that I needed to pay the tax twosome another visit, so I went to their office directly after work that evening. Of course the couple appeared dumbfounded and perplexed and could not understand why I had not received my Federal return. After deliberating with one another in secret for three minutes…you guessed it, Mrs. Tax Man returned to tell me that my refund would be directly deposited to my bank account on Thurs., March 12th.

MUST I RAMBLE ON? I’M QUITE SURE EVERYONE CAN HYPOTHESIZE, THURS., MARCH 12TH = NO FEDERAL REFUND!

To make a long story short, I contacted the IRS that day only to find out that my tax return was filed and received on MARCH 11, 2009. WTF? Are my ears deceiving me? This can’t possibly be true. Do tax prepares really lie to their clients to get them off their backs? I can’t speak for all tax companies but this was my experience with this particular establishment in Brooklyn.

Given the grueling circumstances of my ordeal, does one really need to wonder whether or not I was offered any type of consolation when I confronted Mr. Tax Man to find out why I had been lied to? For those inquiring minds that yearn to know…I was offered NO explanation or consolation. Instead, Mr. Tax man provided me with yet another date to expect my Federal refund and he assured me that the person responsible for lying to me would be fired.

“THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR LYING TO ME?” SHAME ON YOU MR. TAX MAN, YOUR BUSINESS ONLY CONSISTS OF TWO PEOPLE AND I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT YOU ARE GOING TO FIRE YOUR WIFE!


Another one bites the dust…What is up with my people and their shady business practices?