The concept of a trusted advisor has never been more relevant. E.W. Levingstone & Co. was established by Ernest Levingstone in 1977 in New Ross, where the main office is still located, the business also has a branch office in Pearse Street, Gorey. For over 40 years, the business has served the accountancy needs of clients across the South East region. In that time, it has built a reputation as one of the region’s foremost accountancy firms where the customers’ needs are always placed centre stage.
AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE However, by the Sunday of that weekend, he knew that his business was regarded as an essential service. “That was hugely important for us as we operate a payroll bureau and our clients’ employees have to get paid,” he said. To ensure the smooth running of the business, two employees worked behind closed doors in the office, while the other staff members worked from home. “Within a few days, the technology was set up so that we could operate”. “With the benefit of Zoom, we could attend meetings and AGMs without leaving our office. The business also provided support to clients by phone and email to help them handle the challenges posed to their respective businesses as the pandemic increased. E.W. Levingstone & Co. enjoys a reputation for professionalism that has been forged from a tradition of knowledge and years of experience. TRUSTED TEAM The team behind the scenes are all extremely knowledgeable and the personal service of the business is provided by Ernest himself, along with his trusted team composed of Breda Cashin, Paul Brennan, Olive Byrne, Pauline Lawlor, Mary Quigley, Chris Hearn, Catriona Tyrrell, and Ann Dixon. Breda and Pauline look after business clients while Paul looks after farming clients, helping them prepare their annual accounts, tax returns and VAT queries. Olive looks after the audit department which includes auditing credit unions and financial services companies.
The payroll bureau is looked after by Catriona while Mary works part-time as business administrator. The office reception is overseen by Chris Hearn, in New Ross and Ann Dixon, in Gorey. PERSONAL SERVICE There are no answering machines in E.W. Levingstone & Co. indicative of the personal approach Ernest has always invested in running the businesses. “We don’t believe in using answering machines as we believe in the personal touch,” he said. This approach means clients’ needs can be dealt with efficiently and promptly. “There is a logging system in place, therefore all calls to the office are logged and every call is followed up on the same day”. In addition to running a business in New Ross, Ernest is also very involved in the local community. He is a founding director of the JFK Trust, New Ross Community Hospital, and is a member of the Economic Development Committee of Wexford County Council. In a time of unprecedented challenges, it pays to have the peace of mind knowing that your business needs are in professional and caring hands. “It’s uncharted territory for us all but being able to help clients provides a good feeling during these troubling times,” said Ernest. “My practice as a whole is making sure that we’re talking to all of our clients,” he said.
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INSIDE WEXFORD BUSINESS | PAGE 19
Like many businesses across the country, the pandemic has presented a range of challenges for E.W. Levingstone & Co. Commenting on those challenges, Ernest Levingstone said the weekend of March 13 2020, when the first lockdown was announced was a worrying time.
