Intuit and their server problems

This has been a difficult week if you are an online QuickBooks user, an Intuit Merchant services client, or an online payroll client.  The issue began in June 16th and they had another server problem on June 19th.  If you read the Live Community page, there were some nasty postings on the forum by the users of these services.  This is understandable, because in this economy, even losing one customer is one too many.

Whenever you have a computer problem, the time lost is valuable time.  And computer failures eventually happen to all of us.  While I feel for the people who suffered from  the lack of these services, you have to remember that these things do happen.  You also need to understand that Intuit does not want this to happen either.  I am sure they worked furiously through the days and nights trying to get the services back up and running. 

When I worked as a manager at a large office complex in Richmond Square in Rhode Island, we had a company that hosted client's websites.  They not only had backup servers that they could switch to if there was a mechanical problem but they partnered with a firm in another state that they could switch the entire system over to if a major power failure hit in Rhode Island (they also had a generator if there was a power failure).  I am surprised that Intuit does not have a system in place similar to this emergency plan by this much smaller business.  

We may never really be told what happened or why it happened, it just goes to show you how you need to also have a backup plan if you use online QuickBooks or online payroll. Michelle Long, another ProAdvisor wrote a wonderful blog to help people out at this time of crisis.  It was such a thoughtful thing to do and I am sure she helped out many (especially those who needed to do payroll).  

Let's hope that Intuit will get a handle on what happened and will create a better emergency plan so this does not happen again.  But we all have to understand that just like our computers can go down with no warning, this can also happen on a much larger scale.  We cannot be happy about it when it does happen, so we also need to learn and put a plan in place for when it does happen again.

Lynda
Check out my website www.artesanibookkeeping.com