ATO provides 24/7 help initiative for small business

A new initiative has been introduced by the Australian Tax Office (ATO), as a result of feedback from people across Australia wanting easier access when using their website.

To support the ATO’s offering, it has created a new virtual assistant called Alex, which will help with general tax and super enquiries. Alex will be able to answer general tax and super questions on a number of topics, including BAS, GST, PAYG instalments, PAYG withholding, the ATO’s online services and their Business Portal, depreciation and deductions, as well as the superannuation clearing house.

In a world where immediacy is becoming more and more important to a number of consumers, this virtual assistant will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Users can simply type in their question, and Alex will supply the answer.

For any questions, that Alex cannot answer, these will be directed to pages on the website, indicating the best way to obtain the required information.

Source: https://insidesmallbusiness.com.au/planning-management/new-247-help-for-small-business

Date published 10 Jun 2016 | Last updated 10 Jun 2016