We all know it. Sales tax is messy. It involves thousands of jurisdictions, constantly changing rates, and complex filing requirements.
In an environment this complex, even the best of teams and the smartest of providers will eventually run into an unexpected situation.
While perfection is a nice marketing slogan, in the world of sales tax compliance, it isn't realistic.
What is realistic, and what you should demand from your sales tax partner, is accountability.
The difference between a transactional vendor and a true partner isn't who makes fewer mistakes. It is what happens after a mistake is made. Do they hide behind the fine print, or do they own it?
We frequently speak with business owners who are migrating to TaxValet from other providers. Their stories are often the same:
This is the standard operating procedure for many software-first sales tax companies. They view themselves as a tool, not a service. If the tool breaks or the operator makes an error, your business is left paying the bill.
One of the core values we live by is called Own It. It means taking responsibility, even when things don’t go perfectly.
When we make an error that directly impacts your filings or payments, we take responsibility. We don’t just acknowledge what happened, we also focus on resolving it and making things right, including covering penalties or interest that result from our mistakes when appropriate.
What that looks like in practice is simple:
We believe accountability should feel human, not transactional. You should never be left wondering whether your provider will step up when something goes wrong. Our goal is to earn trust not by claiming perfection, but by how we respond when perfection isn’t always possible.
But facing the mistake is only part of Owning It. The other part is to ensure it never happens again, which also aligns with another one of our core values: Shape It.
We have an internal process to review and evaluate when mistakes happen. Most important to us is to turn mistakes into improvements and prevent them from happening again.
If you are currently shopping for a sales tax solution, or if you are unsure about your current provider's stance on liability, ask them these two specific questions:
“What is your specific process when you make a mistake?”
“How do you prevent repeat issues?"
If they stutter, point you to a help article, or reference their ‘Terms of Service,’ you have your answer.
If you want a partner who has your back even when things get bumpy, we’re here to help.
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