Did you know that Sikich LLP has over 90 IT professionals on staff?
When I started at Sikich almost five years ago, I was surprised by how different the company was from my expectations. Having interviewed at a few other CPA firms, I got a feel for the formula. Sikich broke that mold for me when I sat down and really learned about the company. No one else at any of the other firms sounded quite as proud of their use of technology as the Sikich employees and partners. Much of this is due to the strength of our technology division. They resell Microsoft accounting, CRM, and ERP solutions; develop custom applications; and provide any number of IT-related services.
But what has that meant for my job? Working for a technologically progressive CPA firm has allowed our audit teams to employ the best tools available. Many firms today are still not paperless, but Sikich went paperless over seven years ago. Our portable networks in the field are optimized to be as efficient and painless as possible. Our custom scheduling software keeps everyone updated. Most of our meetings and training sessions are webcast to all of our offices. We are routinely updated with cutting-edge tools that keep us efficient without sacrificing even an ounce of our professional effectiveness.
Another factor in our success in deploying and utilizing technology tools is the Power Users Group (PUGs). PUGs serves as a liaison between the IT department and our professional CPA staff. The committee tests new software, troubleshoots software issues, helps guide software selection and best practices, and provides training to our staff.
I’ve learned over the years at Sikich that such a structure does not happen overnight. We have grown carefully and deliberately into what we are now. That is a big part of the reason why our CEO was among Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential in Accounting Industry this year.
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