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Any business owner will tell you that quality assurance is critical to success. Mistakes or defects in the design or production processes can be costly in terms of recalls or customer dissatisfaction and can also leave your business vulnerable to liability concerns. Small mistakes can mar reputations – and the internet is an elephant that never forgets. In this business age, quality assurance is more crucial than ever.

It’s essential to have ingrained processes regarding quality assurance and measurement in order to avoid error. One of the most effective and data-driven of these measurement processes is Lean Six Sigma, a tool that can be used across industries and companies. In fact, our own firm has embraced Six Sigma as we constantly look to improve and streamline our processes at Gilmore Jasion Mahler (GJM).

In the first of a three-part series on Lean Six Sigma, we’ll explore a definition of the methodology as well as its main tenets. You’ll also come away with a good handle on what Six Sigma is all about and how it may fit in with your business.

What Is Lean Six Sigma?

At its core, Lean Six Sigma is a management practice that allows companies to leverage data to virtually eliminate defects within business processes. To be Six Sigma qualified, a company’s defect rate must be less than 3.4 per million produced.

Six Sigma has the potential for application in virtually any capacity and in any business, from honing a business strategy and creating benchmarks to goal setting and statistical measurement.

A Quick History

The Six Sigma certification was developed by Mikel Harry and Bill Smith of Motorola, a company that was among the first to receive the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Award. As the concept has evolved, it has become a multi-dimensional approach that helps drive businesses to:

• Improve processes
• Decrease defects
• Reduce variability within processes
• Lower costs
• Increase customer satisfaction
• Increase profits

The Stages of Six Sigma

The phases of Six Sigma can be explained in the acronym DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. This acronym is applicable to both operational and organizational issues, and businesses of all types and sizes.

• First, a business defines a problem that needs to be resolved, as well as how it has affected the organization.
• Second, a business uses various processes to measure the problem through mapping, data gathering, and the validation of the data measures.
• Next, an analysis of the data is considered the heart of the Six Sigma philosophy, as it helps determine the root cause of the problem, which will guide the steps ahead.
• After a complete analysis, a business takes steps to improve their processes, using several suggested strategies.
• Finally, control focuses on continuous quality improvement through monitoring and reporting.

The Lean Six Sigma methodology has helped businesses of all types, including GJM, to identify and eliminate errors in business processes. Next in the series, we will learn more about its benefits and applications. We’ll also share some specifics on how GJM has applied Six Sigma principles and seen results.

Established in 1996, Gilmore Jasion Mahler, LTD (GJM) is the largest public accounting firm in Northwest Ohio, with offices in Maumee and Findlay. Locally owned, GJM offers cloud-based accounting and provides comprehensive services including assurance, business advisory, tax, risk advisory, healthcare management and outsourced accounting. The Firm’s professionals specialize in industries including construction & real estate, healthcare, manufacturing & distribution and utilities.

Running a business isn’t for sissies. You bring in good people to manage the office, handle human resources and oversee the financials for you, but in the end, you know you’re ultimately responsible.

Did you double check that last invoice that went out to your best customer? What’s the balance on your business loan? How much cash is available right now? 

What if you could stop fretting over questions like that and know someone’s got your back around the clock? That’s the basic concept behind Gilmore Jasion Mahler’s Outsourced Accounting Services. We’ll call it the best of both worlds: a team of specialists is on the job, and you get to see the numbers anytime you want right on your cell phone.

Your team is there to answer questions, advise you on business decisions, if desired, and yes, to handle the books.

Advances in technology are changing the way many businesses handle the business manager role at the office. That includes many healthcare entities, including physician and dental practices. Many are embracing the technology, letting a specialized team handle the work, and turning their attention to growth strategy and other priorities. Outsourced accounting can also be an excellent fit for nonprofit organizations struggling to fill positions with knowledgeable, capable individuals.

Picture this: real time financial key performance indicators you can see any time of the day or night on your cell phone or other device. More importantly, a team of professionals working with you who not only look at today’s numbers, but help you plan and strategize for the future.

Some key benefits to outsourced accounting with Gilmore Jasion Mahler:

1. Stop struggling to fill that internal business manager role (seems like there’s always an opening, doesn’t it?).
2. Real time data at your fingertips around the clock whether you’re in the office or the sidelines of your daughter’s soccer game.
3. A team consisting of accounting specialists, including a GJM partner, to handle the business finances and also guide and advise on other important financial decisions as needed.
4. Dashboard view of your financials via leading edge accounting software platform Sage/Intacct.

Interested in learning more about Gilmore Jasion Mahler’s Outsourced Accounting Services? Read up on our team's capabilities. You can also contact our Accounting Specialist Team to start the conversation.

Gilmore Jasion Mahler’s Judy Anderson, CPA contributed this blog. Judy leads the GJM Outsourced Accounting Specialist Team. With over 20 years of experience in public accounting and private industry, Judy works with clients across a number of industries, including healthcare, nonprofit, and professional services.

Established in 1996, Gilmore Jasion Mahler, LTD (GJM) is the largest public accounting firm in Northwest Ohio, with offices in Maumee and Findlay. Locally owned, GJM offers comprehensive services including assurance, business advisory, tax, risk advisory, healthcare management and outsourced accounting. The Firm’s professionals specialize in industries including construction & real estate, healthcare, manufacturing & distribution and utilities.  

Gilmore Jasion Mahler Tax Partner Deanna Hall has over twenty years of public accounting and private industry experience. She works with businesses across many industries, with a focus on manufacturing.

Established in 1996, Gilmore Jasion Mahler, LTD (GJM) is the largest public accounting firm in Northwest Ohio, with offices in Maumee and Findlay. Locally owned, GJM offers cloud-based accounting services and provides comprehensive services including assurance, business advisory, tax, risk advisory and healthcare management. The Firm’s professionals specialize in industries including construction & real estate, healthcare, manufacturing & distribution and utilities.  

New lease accounting standards will go into effect for public companies for years beginning after December 15, 2018 (2019 year-end) and for private companies for years beginning after December 15, 2019 (2020 year-end). Those affected by the changes should be aware of the details and begin planning for implementation now. Planning will include heavy training for accounting departments as well as vendors and customers.

New Lease Accounting Rules

The Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued new rules to improve the financial reporting of leasing transactions. New requirements dictate that companies leasing facilities and equipment to others recognize the assets and liabilities of leases. Balance sheets must record the transaction details. Prior to this implementation, capital leases were the only type to require such documentation.

Establish a Committee

To guide the transition process, affected companies should establish committees to attend training events and become knowledgeable about the new standards. The group should be comprised of both accounting personnel and cross-functional project managers. The committee can then work to implement the process in a way that will work for the organization.

Educate Dealers, Vendors, and Customers

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association has created a helpful white paper outlining the new method’s changes and benefits. Stakeholders should engage in conversations directly with the companies and receive this reading material for reference.

Corporate Accounting Teams

There are three factors for companies to consider, in addition to those listed above:

1. Accounting teams will need to identify all leases, preparing a current and accurate inventory. Once complete, the accounting team will be able to determine which leases the new mandate affects. It is also important to break out leases that are less than a year (and not reasonably certain that they will be renewed) as they may not be required to be capitalized as a right of use asset.

2. Accounting departments will need to examine how the new rules will change financial reporting and transactions, specifically for the company. In addition to examining basic paperwork changes, teams will also need to determine possible ripple effects, including those on taxation and business processes. It is important to accurately record the leases by breaking out the lease and non-lease components.

3. Accounting teams will need to determine whether current accounting systems can adequately handle the required changes. If accounting software or systems cannot handle the change, the team will need to work toward a solution. To assess the current systems, determine how easy it will be to create the proper accounting procedures. Not all software is designed to handle the change to the leasing standards. There is software that purports the use of algorithms to extract lease components from contracts to help with the efficient review of the contracts for lease components.

Making the Transition Smooth

The key to making the transition smooth for everyone is to plan early. Ensure everyone is onboard and educated before changes take place. With cross-functional collaboration, employees will be able to identify potential challenges and opportunities. Begin planning now to ensure a smooth process by meeting with your lessors to discuss the impact of the new leasing standards.

Whether you have a small business or a huge conglomerate, contact Gilmore Jasion Mahler to find out how we can help you prepare for the new lease accounting standards.

Gilmore Jasion Mahler Partner Michael Brough contributed this blog. Mike is a partner in the Gilmore Jasion Mahler assurance department with over 13 years of public accounting experience. Mike is a member of GJM's Manufacturing Specialist Group and works with clients in many other industries as well, including government and nonprofit.

Established in 1996, Gilmore Jasion Mahler, LTD (GJM) is the largest public accounting firm in Northwest Ohio, with offices in Maumee and Findlay. Locally owned, GJM offers cloud-based accounting services and provides comprehensive services including assurance, business advisory, tax, risk advisory and healthcare management. The Firm’s professionals specialize in industries including construction & real estate, healthcare, manufacturing & distribution and utilities.

Stamps were 32 cents. DVDs launched in Japan. Dolly the sheep was cloned and Tickle me Elmo was the holiday toy sensation. 

The year was 1996, the same year that two young professionals decided to go into business for themselves. Little did they know their decision would benefit thousands of businesses, families and individuals, and better our community as a whole.

In March of 1996, Adele Jasion and Kevin Gilmore were both working in the accounting industry in northwest Ohio. They decided to team up and break out on their own, establishing their own firm called Gilmore & Jasion. With only 11 employees, they launched their new business just a month before the April 15 tax deadline, a bold move in the accounting business.

”I was always confident that we could become the alternative to what is now the Big Four,” says Gilmore, referring to the top national firms. “I just wanted to be the best. I wanted to be the firm that people wanted to go to. That was my vision.” 

Partner Adele Jasion says there was a need at the time for a high quality local firm with diverse resources that provided personal attention to clients.  She says Gilmore & Jasion was able to meet that need.

“The timing was actually good. The big firms were shedding clients, reinventing themselves, more interested in the very large public company work, not so much in the privately-held companies. Right place, right time,” she says. “We had the skillset to service those clients.”

In the fall of 1996, Andy Mahler came on board as a partner, giving the firm its current name Gilmore Jasion Mahler, LTD. Mahler retired in 2008. Five years later, Pry Professional Group in Findlay merged into Gilmore Jasion Mahler. Now, with two offices and over a hundred employees, GJM is northwest Ohio’s largest public accounting firm.  

The last 20 years have brought remarkable change to the industry and to client service. There was no email when GJM was established. Tax returns were printed out and mailed. Now, technology has catapulted the Firm forward with cloud-based accounting services. Sharing information and documents with clients has never been faster, more convenient or as secure.  

Those choosing the profession have also changed. Adele Jasion says it wasn’t common to have a woman co-owner of a CPA firm in the mid 1990’s. She describes the accounting industry as a typically male-dominated field for decades. But, she says, that has changed slowly over time.  

“I’m very proud to say that of the fourteen partners we have today at GJM, six of them are women. We’re providing a good example for young women choosing our profession.”

“GJM is far from a “stuffy accounting firm” to say the least,” says one such young woman, Audit Associate Lauren Grana. “It is not an everyman for themselves environment where no one communicates and keeps to themselves. Everyone is encouraged to ask questions when they don’t understand, share discoveries that others may benefit from, and share victories together.”

Gilmore Jasion Mahler has challenged the typical CPA firm model from the very start, working closely with clients, getting to know their businesses and building a responsive, friendly relationship. The firm has developed expertise in particular industries, including healthcare, construction & real estate, utilities and manufacturing & distribution. Services cover a broad range from business advisory to tax to business valuation. The Firm has exceled as a community partner as well, supporting charitable causes in both the Toledo area and Findlay-Hancock County region. Many employees sit on the boards of local nonprofits and the Firm is involved in events year-round to support many organizations and causes.

Gilmore Jasion Mahler, LTD is ever evolving to meet client needs and attract new talent, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the supportive nature of a business that started twenty years ago with nothing more than a vision.

“Add good people, add good clients,” says Gilmore. “It wasn’t about being big, it was about being the best quality and with that would come success and growth. We have a great deal to be proud of.”