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The IRS has been one of the more dysfunctional federal agencies in recent years.  One of the few consistencies at the agency has been their long hold times for callers.  Fortunately, thanks to a new start-up company, there may be a solution to combat IRS incompetency. 

EnQ has created a system that will allow customers to avoid lengthy hold times while maintaining their spot in the IRS system.  Generation Opportunity were able to describe the affordability of the system,

“The fees are dependent on how much time the robots are able to save for each customer. Typically though, the fees range from $1 to $7. For some, this amount is well worth the freedom of not having to be glued to your phone waiting on a representative.”

Instead of calling and being forced to wait, the company can bypass the hold queue by calling up the customer service centers themselves and picking out spots in the queue.  No, there are not a bunch of people being paid to be on hold.  Instead, they have software that will hold the spot in line for a subscriber.  When this customer calls, they enter their personal information and bypass the lengthy wait times.  

Since it is tax season, many Americans will be turning to the IRS for help.  Unfortunately for them, the IRS has not been very efficient or effective in answering calls.  According to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the IRS has fielded only 6.3 million calls out of a total of 40.5 million attempted calls, a total of 15.6 percent.  

Last tax season wasn’t much better in comparison.  According to the Taxpayer Advocate Service, during the thick of tax season of 2015, only 37 percent of calls made to IRS reached customer service representatives.  With an average wait time of 23 minutes, and “courtesy disconnects” that would end the call when no representatives were able to take the call, only added to a caller’s frustration

To make matter worse, the IRS abolished the option to leave a voicemail requesting an in-person meeting.  They now force taxpayers to send an email requesting such appointments, placing a burden upon the elderly, disabled, and those without email access. 

The American tax system is too complex and the IRS too busy targeting conservative groups to give people answers.  This creates a problem for the hardworking, taxpaying Americans.  Fortunately, the free market has and continues to fill the void created by government ineptitude.