Ernst & Young have launched an internet-based advice service to offer clients 24 hour access the company’s advice services.
‘Ernst & Young Online’ is an interactive professional services portal where clients post a questions and a response is mailed back as quickly as possible. Ted Yates, Ernst & Young’s e-leader in the UK says the services provides customised information and bespoke advice across a range of services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
‘Clients receive unlimited access to comprehensive databases containing the firm’s latest reports, thought leadership statements and reference materials. It also provides access to UKGAAPplus.’
‘In addition , clients seeking specific advice on tax and financial reporting matters can use Ernst & Young’s Online Tax Advisor and Online Financial Reporting Advisor to access Ernst & Young professional advice.’
For financial reporting the internet advice centre provides an electronic question and answer facility for the firm’s audit clients, providing fully documented advice incorporating the latest reporting regulations and international accounting standards. The electronic version of UK GAAPplus is offered online with real time updates.
For tax advice the portal assesses individual tax questions and routes them to the appropriate tax specialist within the company. The range of tax-issues covered by the service include capital allowances and corporation tax, to stamp duty and VAT.
The cost of the service is based on how quickly you need an answer. For tax it typically averages stg?1,2000 and will never exceed a cap of stg?3,5000. Financial reporting advice is available to E&Y’s audit clients and the average fee is stg?500 - ?600 with a maximum cap of stg?2,000.
‘Ernst & Young Online’ is also offering access to quarterly economic forecasts written by the E&Y ITEM club, free of charge to selected users. There is also a link to the E&Y associated law practice Tite & Lewis through a monthly review of the legal issues surrounding IT and e-commerce law.
Although Irish clients will be able to access the information on the site most of the advice is UK-specific at the moment. However Ernst & Young plan to expand the service to Irish clients in the future. |
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| Article appeared in the August 2000 issue.
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