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Website
of the Month: Eisner LLP
By Susan
B. Anders
Note:
This column periodically reviews the websites of some of the larger
public accounting firms, as well as the smaller firms with particularly
good websites.
MAY 2007 - Eisner
LLP is a regional public accounting firm ranked by Crain’s
New York Business as one of the largest New York City–area
accounting firms. Eisner is also included on the Inside Public Accounting’s
list of the 100 largest accounting firms in the United States. The
firm recently upgraded its website, www.eisnerllp.com,
and offers good examples of using a website to market services to
new and existing clients, as well as to attract potential job applicants.
Eisner’s
homepage and main pages reflect a consistent mission, and are
designed to provide the user with an understanding of the firm’s
culture and a personal connection to the organization. The graphic
and text design are the same throughout the website, but the uniform
message goes deeper than the design. The website’s focus
is on connecting with the user from the user’s perspective,
rather than the firm’s view of its own accomplishments.
The firm makes use of client testimonials in several locations.
The homepage
devotes the prominent center space to a large graphic that shows
the firm’s five core values. The main pages, and their related
subsidiary pages, present a stationary shot that unifies the topical
grouping. The home and main pages provide a top menu bar containing
the main features of the site: About Us, Services, Industry Areas,
Careers, Our Professionals, Online Library, Emerging Issues, and
Global Reach. Navigation is aided by a link to the homepage at
the top and bottom of every page.
The homepage
uses the space below the graphic to provide individual links to
each individual Service and Industry Area, which can also be reached
via the top menu bar. The right side of the homepage offers a
selection of news and events listings. One convenient feature
of the website is the print function at the top of each page.
Depending on the user’s computer setup, a webpage can be
printed in portrait format, which is helpful when hard copy is
needed.
The main
and subsidiary pages offer several features that increase the
user-friendliness and appeal of the website. Each webpage is fairly
simple and uncluttered. For topical areas with a substantial amount
of materials, the main pages present indexes of hyperlinks to
subsidiary pages. Eisner takes every opportunity to provide links
and background information on specific contact personnel so users
can find out more information on a particular topic, as well as
firm publications related to a page’s subject matter. Some
pages include links to external websites that pertain to a page’s
subject matter. Articles and newsletters are available in printable
format and as downloadable PDFs.
Potential
Clients
The Eisner
website presents excellent examples of a firm website used to
attract new clients and retain existing clients. About Us connects
to a firm overview describing the organization’s mission,
office locations, and client testimonials. The main pages of the
Services and Industry Areas describe the specific services the
firm offers and include other features as well.
Audit &
Accounting, Eisner Retirement Solutions, Health Sciences, and
Internal Audit & Risk Management provide links to outside
websites pertinent to the field. Eisner Retirement Solutions,
Internal Audit & Risk Management, Personal Wealth Advisors,
Sports, Media & Entertainment, and Tax Advisory Services offer
links to firm newsletters and other publications with articles
on that subject area. Litigation Consulting & Forensic Accounting
is particularly well-developed, with details on recent engagements
and a longer listing of firm personnel who work in that area.
Not-for-Profit includes an extensive selection of links to outside
websites, a sampling of specific clients, and connections to several
firm personnel.
One of the
most important features on the Service and Industry Areas main
pages is the inclusion of firm employees who can be contacted
for more information. The personnel information includes the name,
title, phone number, e-mail, and a link to the individual’s
background and specializations. Our Professionals, on the main
menu bar, presents an alphabetical index of the firm’s partners,
principals, and directors. The names are hyperlinked to an individual
contact form offering a photograph, professional biography, specializations,
and e-mail.
Potential
Employees
Job seekers
will be interested in the Careers feature on the main menu bar.
Specific firm personnel contact information is provided, as well
as tools to search available positions and apply online. The position
information includes job title, department, location, date posted,
and a link to a description of responsibilities and qualifications.
Applicants can upload their résumés.
General
Information Seekers
The Eisner
website does not take advantage of providing general information
as an opportunity to attract users who surf the web but not specifically
for an accounting firm. The site makes a start, with some news
and events items on the homepage; however, these could be better
targeted to attract general information seekers. The Online Library
provides a topical index of links to PDF files for firm newsletters
and reprints from other publishers.
The website
has other good resources, such as the 87-page Eisner 2007 Personal
Tax Guide, that should appeal to the general public, but are not
featured on the homepage. Accounting students and other job seekers
may find the Crain’s and IPO accounting firm listings valuable
(which were linked from the homepage at the time of this review).
A good selection of links to outside websites is available, but
they are not all presented in one location.
Susan
B. Anders, PhD, CPA, is an associate professor of accounting
at St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, N.Y.
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