top of page
SaTechRo

THE FINAL IRS TECH CRISIS COUNTDOWN: This Evening on the Extended Tax Day


THE IRS TECHNOLOGY CRISIS

Although taxes were originally due on 4/17/2018, the IRS extended the date for an extra day after its website crashed on Tuesday’s original deadline. You must file your 2017 taxes by 11:59 p.m. on April 18, 2018 to be safe.

The IRS issued the following statement:

 

IRS STATEMENT TO THE PUBLIC

The Internal Revenue Service announced today that it is providing taxpayers an additional day to file and pay their taxes following system issues that surfaced early on the April 17 tax deadline. Individuals and businesses with a filing or payment due date of April 17 will now have until midnight on Wednesday, April 18. Taxpayers do not need to do anything to receive this extra time. The IRS encountered system issues Tuesday morning. Throughout the system outage, taxpayers were still able to file their tax returns electronically through their software providers and Free File. Taxpayers using paper to file and pay their taxes at the deadline were not affected by the system issue. “This is the busiest tax day of the year, and the IRS apologizes for the inconvenience this system issue caused for taxpayers,” said Acting IRS Commissioner David Kautter. “The IRS appreciates everyone’s patience during this period. The extra time will help taxpayers affected by this situation.” The IRS advised taxpayers to continue to file their taxes as normal Tuesday evening – whether electronically or on paper. Automatic six-month extensions are available to taxpayers who need additional time to file can visit https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return.

 

SATECHRO'S TECHNOLOGY OBSERVATIONS

Whether caused by:

  • a technology system that should have been upgraded,

  • a lack of bandwidth (basically the capacity to transmit a certain amount of data through the Internet or another network within a certain period of time),

  • a cyber attack etc.

many of us (software and hardware developers, IT trainers, BEP Techs, software engineers, service center agents, vendors, and other service providers) on technology program implementations and operations around the world have experienced more than enough:

  • technology crises,

  • scrambling for solutions,

  • pressure,

  • stressful deadlines,

  • emergency fix-its,

  • internal and external complaints,

  • and all-nighters for different employers, different projects, and different customers.

We’ve become very well-skilled in creating workarounds to temporarily fix problems until a more permanent solution is funded, found, or implemented. We've become so good and innovative at this non-ideal process that we've been able to create solutions with limited resources until decision makers hear of and understand the extent of a crisis and then provide the proper resources. Sometimes, decision makers are so impressed by and comfortable with operational technology professionals' workarounds that they do not approve the proper resources in time.

Ubiquitously, because of:

  • a high-performing work ethic amongst team members who have limited resources and

  • the under-utilization and under-regard of BEP Techs and other performance improvement experts,

problem solving for technology crisis has come at a costly price of employee health, resources, innovation, and politics. Nevertheless, many of us work hard regardless in the operational level so that end-users do not feel the full strain of the behind-the-scenes burden that technology implementation and operational team members endure to fix issues immediately. The idea is to stop any further disruptions to services and discomfort to customers.

So, please don't forget to be grateful for those team members who you may never meet who are solving your various technical problems behind-the-scenes. They are carrying a lot of burdens that you don't see so that you aren't affected by them.

Also, don't forget about the BEP Techs who are striving to mediate the burdens and communication disparities between leadership and operations in order to make your customer service experiences even better.

BEP Techs not only can:

  • create IT training,

  • serve as technology performance improvement managers,

  • function as advisors to strategic-level executives and upper and middle management, or

  • serve as clones to decision makers,

they also assist with solving issues of risky business politics that contribute to technology implementation and operational failures.

If used correctly, BEP Techs can preventively identify and thwart brewing business politics, product, service, and human performance roadblocks before they occur. These roadblocks are those that would typically cause implementation and operational failures, internal employee discontent, and unnecessary public embarrassment.


32 views0 comments
bottom of page