The challenge

A large tax preparation and software company found itself in a major bind just a couple weeks ahead of Tax Day. It had worked with five vendor partners to staff customer support related to its tax return-filing program for consumers but needed 1,000 more associates – fast. With time running out and customers actively seeking help, the company needed a partner that could move immediately.

The support program at stake was no small undertaking. Designed as a concierge-level inbound service, it guided first-time users through the filing process, helping them gather the right documents, navigate the software, and either complete their return themselves or connect with a tax professional. 

Delivering that experience at scale, under a hard deadline, required a partner with proven talent and the operational muscle to deploy it fast. The company turned to TTEC, a trusted partner that had already been supporting a separate part of the business, an SMB sales program, for the past 18 months.

Our solution

We quickly ramped a team of work-at-home Remote CX associates to help fill the client’s labor gap. We committed to providing 470 associates but exceeded that target by 17%, hiring 552.

Our Remote CX model combined proven talent, secure technology, and AI-enabled operations to deliver high-quality support at scale. Even during extreme seasonal spikes like tax season, we were ready to meet the client’s staffing needs.

Within about a week, we hired associates, shipped computers and work supplies, and trained and onboarded them. The associates were transitioning off another seasonal planned ramp-down by another TTEC client. Whenever clients have planned ramp-downs following seasonal demand spikes, we always strive to place those highly trained associates elsewhere.

Our associates answered consumers’ questions about the client’s tax preparation software. They also walked customers through what documents were needed to file their tax returns and how to navigate the software. After speaking with an associate, consumers were ready to file their tax returns themselves via the software or connect with a tax professional who could help them complete their tax return. 

The work began as strictly inbound, with associates answering phone calls from consumers, but grew to include some outbound outreach as the tax deadline neared. 

The results

Our work drove quick results and outpaced other vendors the company used. Our associates handled 30,000 calls and, even as volume spiked, our associates maintained a high level of quality. In just 13 days, supplier quality surveillance (SQS) rose more than two points to 88%.

Off the strength of what TTEC delivered, the client expanded our partnership to include year-round support for the consumer tax-filing program. Beginning in summer 2026, a core team of 20 associates will stay on through the off-season and scale to between 600 and 1,200 associates during next tax season.