A specialty industrial services firm modernizes its AP system while simplifying expenses and getting clear on profitability.
About Groome Industrial
Groome Industrial provides specialty maintenance and industrial cleaning services for public and private utility power plants, refineries, and other production facilities across the country.
Before Center: Paper-Based and Time Consuming
Groome had a very manual, paper-based process where employees were emailing or forwarding receipts to the AP coordinator. Receipts were then forwarded to the supervisor for approval using third-party software. Upon approval, each receipt was manually entered in the general ledger.
Groome’s CFO, Mike Jacisin, described the former process as “getting the job done” but one that was not built for growth. He needed a system that was easy for its many employees in the field to use. Jacisin also wanted to have controls in place so that spending had a level of accountability and ownership. He evaluated several options before deciding to go with Center, partly because Groome wanted a scalable platform.
A Customized, Scalable Center Solution
Groome’s accounting structure needed to address both cost centers and individual jobs. The company also wanted to separate field costs from office spend. The Center team worked closely with Groome to meet all their specific needs, including customizing how and when transactions closed.
“The preset fields match our business model. I can easily put cost centers and jobs in.” Mike Jacisin, CFO
For the rollout, Jacisin started with one field crew that he thought would be particularly receptive to the new technology and process. The team’s enthusiasm about how fast and easy it was to use Center helped build momentum for the broader rollout across divisions and even new acquisitions.
The Results: Ease of Use and Real-Time Visibility
Jacisin particularly appreciates how easy Center is to use for the company’s field employees. After a long day in the field, keeping track of job receipts was a task often neglected. Now all employees have to do is snap a photo of the receipt after making a purchase and complete the remaining required fields.
Groome has also now consolidated the number of vendor credit cards used in the field from six down to one. The AP team loves the simplicity of enrollment and administration, especially the ability to easily create approval rules for card purchases. Groome makes use of Center’s automated approval process (Dynamic Approvals) to ensure each expense gets the appropriate level of scrutiny—for most purchases, that means review by the project manager and finance.
Jacisin also appreciates that Center is easily adaptable to rapidly changing business needs. As rising costs for construction materials and freight put increased pressure on margins, real-time visibility into expenses helps Groome manage margins and more accurately bid future contracts, providing a new window into profitability. Center has also helped Jacisin’s team streamline the entire AP process. In fact, the Center solution reduced the time to process credit card charges and receipts by a sizable 40%.
“Center helped me identify my costs to charge to a job so I have a better idea of where I’m making money and where I’m not.”
Find out more about how Center helps field services businesses save time and money, or schedule an on-demand or live demo today.