Why does Turbo Tax rely on cheap gimmickry for their support?

[Loueloui]

I understand the concept of asking common questions in a forum for self-help for users of TurboTax. This can be beneficial to end users, who can research and solve simple, but common issues. 

However, when done poorly or implemented excessively, it interferes with the end users ability to seek out support directly from the manufacturer. Public forums are not a replacement for direct support, and it appears that Intuit is doing just that to save money, and discourage users from seeking direct support. 

Additionally, the 'badges' seem unprofessional and gimmicky. These sort of pseudo incentives might be fit for leisure or entertainment venues, but seem out of place and distracting when dealing with personal finance. 

[xmasbaby0]

Phone support is not provided with the Free Edition.  If you are using a paid version of the software or if you purchased PLUS you can get phone support when customer support is there.  Otherwise, post your question here and someone will try to help.

To call TurboTax customer support

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899263-what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number

Customer support is available from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time daily