| One way to help keep your business afloat during | | | | simple cell phone. |
| these troubled economic times is to ensure that you | | | | Four...asset management. In conjunction with |
| are not paying to much for your telecom services. It | | | | E-Procurement, asset management will allow you to |
| is entirely possible to save hundreds...even thousands | | | | generate an accurate and real time inventory of all |
| of dollars a month, depending upon the size of your | | | | your telecom assets. If you have been in business |
| business by making every dollar spent on telecom a | | | | for more than a week, you realize that you cannot |
| wisely spent dollar. | | | | run a business without knowing what you have, who |
| As companies grow, their need for expanded wireline | | | | has possession of it, and where they are. |
| and wireless telecommunications grows with it. | | | | Five...invoice validation is an important aspect of |
| Imagine trying to conduct business today without the | | | | Telecom Expense Management. Invoices are just |
| great technology afforded by today's | | | | slightly less complex than building a space shuttle. |
| communications companies. You simply could not be | | | | Cryptic at best, they are generally just paid by |
| competitive. As your staff increases in number, you | | | | accounts payable without anyone scrutinizing them. |
| slowly add cell phones, extensions, and service | | | | Studies have shown that many invoices contain |
| contracts. It is a piece-meal process that often | | | | errors, and a majority of those errors are in favor of |
| becomes out of control. It creeps up on you, and | | | | the vendor. (Hard to believe, right?) Paying them like |
| before you know it, you have an out of control, | | | | that is just like burning money in the fireplace. Using |
| inefficient monster gobbling up funds. | | | | the reports from other aspects of TEM, the team |
| You Do Not Need To Get Rid Of Phones, Devices or | | | | can compare the invoices to your actual inventory |
| Service. | | | | and usage to discover the errors and recover |
| Yes, you can significantly reduce your telecom | | | | eliminate the overcharges. |
| expense without simply shutting off cell phones and | | | | Six...Help Desk Support provided by a Telecom |
| wireline services. Keep them all...just make them more | | | | Expense Management team can smooth out the |
| efficient. This can be done in several ways. | | | | inevitable wrinkles that are inherent with a complex |
| One...ensure that your company is not overpaying | | | | system of wireless devices, landline phones and |
| telecom taxes. Easy, right? Well, not really. It requires | | | | switchboards. Instead of saddling the employee with |
| knowledge and skill to be able to check your | | | | the responsibility of trying to resolve various |
| expenses and compare them to the vendors' | | | | problems, they can call Help Desk who has the |
| invoices, which generally reflect all those taxes. The | | | | knowledge and resources to fix it fast, keeping your |
| professionals who can do that will make sure you are | | | | employee productive. |
| paying your fair share, but no more. | | | | You Can Do It Yourself, If... |
| Two...optimize your telecom expenses. As noted | | | | ...you have someone with the proper tools, skills and |
| above, this is not something that can be done by an | | | | experience who can comb though every aspect of |
| hourly employee who has some time on his or her | | | | your telecom expense, including taxes, contracts, and |
| hands. Experience is needed to accomplish this task. | | | | equipment. |
| A professional Telecom Expense Management (TEM) | | | | Or... |
| team will sift through every dollar you spend and | | | | ...you can employ a professional Telecom Expense |
| make recommendations that will reduce your | | | | Management company to do it for you. The choice is |
| operating costs. Those recommendations might | | | | yours, but I'd prefer a knowledgeable professional be |
| include switching wireless service providers, | | | | in control. You hire professionals for your IT |
| renegotiating contracts, and simply finding the best | | | | department, right? When your building needs new |
| deals from all available sources. | | | | carpet you call on a professional carpet layer, right? |
| Three...a system called E-Procurement should be | | | | So why would you try to reduce your telecom |
| implemented. It is a system through which every | | | | operating expense without having a professional |
| purchase or lease, every service contract, and every | | | | doing it? |
| return or exchange of anything related to telecom | | | | Contact a reputable TEM company. Ask what they |
| must pass. E-Procurement assures that only | | | | can do for you. Have them supply you with examples |
| approved equipment and services are acquired, which | | | | of their ability to save money for businesses. This |
| eliminates employees from wandering in to your | | | | article cannot explain all the details, of course, so it |
| vendor and ordering the most expensive device and | | | | only makes sense to call, send an e-mail message, or |
| elaborate service contract when all they need is a | | | | walk in their door and find out specifics. |