Cost reduction of Telecom

Failure to Control Telecom Expenses Costs Industry Millions by Peter Verhoeff

According to an analysis by The Aberdeen Group, 85% of typical enterprises do not audit their telecom bills at all, but simply pay them in full. Yet, 7% - 12% of telecom charges are incorrect, with the majority of the errors going in the carrier's favor.

This lack of oversight is costing large companies an estimated $8 million per year. Thus, the first area of defense in Telecom Expense Management (TEM) is cost reduction by verifying telecom invoice line items against Call Detail Records (CDRs), catching errors and getting them corrected.

That, however, is only the start. In order to verify the correctness of invoices it is necessary to take accurate inventory of the telecom resources the company has. It is not unusual to continue receiving telecom bills for a branch office that has shut down because of downsizing. Another aspect of the same problem is ex-employees who are still having their former company's cell phones paid for.

Taking accurate inventory of telecom services and resources may also reveal inefficiencies, such as duplication between departments of services that would much better be integrated and combined. Knowing what you have and what you ought to have can produce considerable savings through elimination of waste and improving efficiency. Centralized ordering and payments will assist greatly in bringing about increased savings.

A third area of savings is in detecting fraud and abuse of resources. For example, janitors who were hired to clean the premises of a large company every night used the company's phones for months to make international calls. That cost the company over $20,000 before the problem was discovered.

A fourth area of savings is to analyze existing contracts and rates with regard to telecom services and to compare them against what other offers are available. When usage is known, more favorable rates can be negotiated. More optimum configurations can also be devised for increased savings and greater effectiveness.

Computer-based call accounting software systems can produce great ROI and pay for themselves in eliminating labor-intensive manual analyses of invoices and bill tracking, as well as alert personnel to possible fraud or misuse of resources.

For more information on Telecom Expense Management, visit Telsoft Solutions.

Author, Peter Verhoeff, writes articles on the business benefits of call accounting and call detail record technology. More information can be found at http://www.telsoft-solutions.com.

Communications Improvement thru TEM

Telecom Expense Management Improved by Better Internal Communications by Peter Verhoeff

According to a recent Aberdeen Group study, 7 to 12 percent of telecom service charges are in error. Such billing errors on the part of the carrier can be caught when accurate Call Data Records (CDRs) are kept. However, there is another area of over-billing that occurs as a result of lack of coordination between a company's departments and can affect telecom expense management.

The IT department, for example, orders services that are paid for by the finance department. The two departments seldom liaise to make sure that the bills correspond to what was ordered and received, and that the best rates were obtained. With improved communications and liaison, these obstacles can be overcome.

Another potential area to eliminate waste is to ensure that the carrier stops billing for discontinued services. This happens with upgrades as a result of expansion, as well as when layoffs occur.

For example, according to one source, a carrier overcharged a company by $50,000 after that company had sold several of its locations. The carrier had omitted to transfer the charges for those locations to the new owners.

A computerized Telecom Expense Management (TEM) system can vastly improve the situation, but the best computer system cannot function properly with inadequate or incorrect data. Therefore, it is vitally important that there be a centralized point where the relevant telecom data is gathered and processed.

Some internal reorganization may be necessary to make sure that any time resources are moved, added, changed, or disconnected (MACD), this fact is recorded in the system's database. In many cases, it would make sense also to centralize telecom approvals so that the best deals may be negotiated with carriers.

While creating an accurate and complete database of existing inventory is vital, continued vigilance is needed to ensure it stays that way. Many companies, for example, inadvertently continue to pay for the cell phones, pagers and phone cards of employees who have left. Good interdepartmental communications and periodic inspections are needed to help keep the telecom records up-to-date. With a complete and accurate database in place, a telecom Expense Management (TEM) system can realize significant savings and pay for itself in short order.

Author, Peter Verhoeff, writes articles on the business benefits of call accounting and call detail record technology. More information can be found at http://www.telsoft-solutions.com.

Toll fraud detection in TEM

Toll Fraud Detection an Important Part of a Telecom Expense Management System by Peter Verhoeff

In the aftermath of 9/11, security has become a major concern for many companies. An important aspect of this is the protection of telephone systems from toll fraud. Security.ITworld.com reports that the FBI and FCC estimate over $4 billion in losses due to toll fraud, with a typical incident amounting to around $30,000 in fraudulent long distance charges. Furthermore, the FBI considers that some of these infringements may compromise our national security. To be fully effective in fraud detection and prevention the use of an automated Telecom Expense Management (TEM) system is indicated.

A telecom system can be compromised in many ways, not all the result of hackers gaining unauthorized access. For example, one company set up an 800 number for traveling employees. Somehow, a group of prisoners found out about this 800 number and used it call their favorite 900 adult services. Thousands of dollars in call charges later the problem was discovered. Had the company placed a 900-number block on their telephone system, this would not have occurred.

Industrial espionage is another matter of concern. It has been estimated that employees are the culprit in 85% of corporate espionage cases. According to the American Society for Industrial Security, losses as a result of corporate espionage could amount to as much as $63 billion annually. Thus, it is important to have the ability to track the source and destination of a call, as well as the time it was placed and its duration.

Increased and continuous vigilance, such as the development of appropriate policies and closely monitoring telecom usage, can do a great deal to avert such catastrophes. Security threats require fast corrective action. Modern call accounting software systems can circumvent many of these threats. Advanced security features alert personnel about anomalies in usage. With the addition of real-time call detail records (CDRs) and advanced phone bill tracking features, a quality call accounting system can soon pay for itself due to telecom cost savings.

Author, Peter Verhoeff, writes articles on the business benefits of call accounting and call detail record technology. More information can be found at http://www.telsoft-solutions.com.

Defeat bill errors with TEM

Telecom Expense Management Defeats Billing Errors by Peter Verhoeff

How do you tell if your company's telecom bill is correct? Even a home phone bill can be so intimidating that most people just pay it without much inspection. According to the Aberdeen Group, telecom is one of the largest and most poorly organized spend categories in most companies. Eighty-five percent of telecom invoices are not audited, even though seven to twelve percent of all charges are in error, which indicates the pressing need for better telecom expense management.

With the average enterprise spending about 4% of its revenue on telecom, billing errors can amount to many thousands of dollars at large corporations. The above figure does not even take into account inaccurate inventory records. Horror stories abound about telecom billings continuing for employees' cell phones long after they have left the company, or being billed for branch locations that no longer exist.

Telecom Expense Management (TEM) is the body of knowledge that deals with telephone bill tracking, call detail recording and related issues. This involves three important data sources:

1) Inventory of telecom equipment 2) Telecom invoices 3) Contract and tariff information

Inventory is needed to ensure that the company knows what it is paying for, the invoices tell what they are getting billed for, and the contract and tariff information determines how much the company should be paying for these services.

But that is only part of the story. Large corporations receive large volumes of telecom invoices every month that would be extremely difficult and time-consuming to verify. Computers can help, but the sheer volume of data is such that even computers are often unable to keep up. In fact, it was not until the advent of in-memory databases, capable of processing data at lightning speed, and applying that technology to telecom data processing, that it has been feasible to process all the needed data in real-time for large enterprises.

With a telecom expense management system of this type, companies can expect to save between 10 and 30 percent on telecom expenses, in addition to better control of their telecom inventory.

Author, Peter Verhoeff, writes articles on the business benefits of call accounting and call detail record technology. More information can be found at http://www.telsoft-solutions.com.

Software preventing havoc on Telecom use

Call Accounting Software's Telecom Expense Management Can Thwart PBX Hackers by Lisa Santora

According to Ken Lewis' article "PABX hackers rack up $9000 phone bill," an Australian company's PBX system was cracked by hackers who ran up a huge telephone bill by making lengthy calls to the United Arab Emirates and other unauthorized destinations. Deploying a full featured call accounting system can help reduce vulnerabilities by providing real time call detail records for all calls. Today's sophisticated call accounting software systems can track all PBX, calling card, wireless,3 and VoIP calls in a centralized database. Through the security features alone an enterprise can realize ROI from a feature-rich call accounting system with telecom expense management.

Ken Lewis' article mentions that the Australian enterprise fell victim to hackers who made numerous lengthy unauthorized calls. "Over a one-week period there were an enormous amount of calls made - there were two and three-hour calls made to the Arab Emirates, Somalia, and other countries in Africa and South America." A call accounting software system immediately detects suspicious call activity so action can be promptly taken to resolve the situation before it gets out of hand.

A call accounting software system is also essential to telecom cost management. A quality call accounting system can not only help increase security, but also identify telecom service cost savings, is compatible with all PBXs, and can support an unlimited number of PBXs. Any enterprise or organization that needs to ensure its telephone network security can benefit from installing a call accounting system, including government offices, colleges and universities, hotels, convention centers, healthcare facilities, law firms, and nursing and retirement homes.

Installing a telecom expense management feature can help identify threats made from inside the enterprise as well. Studies show that over 85% of corporate espionage is perpetrated by employees. Employees can knowingly or unwittingly assist outside agents to crack a telephone system. A call accounting system can help track employee productivity by indentifying where all calls originate, so administrators can trace any suspicious calls made from within the organization.

Author, Lisa Santora, writes articles on the business benefits of call accounting and call detail record technology. More information can be found at http://www.telsoft-solutions.com.

Telecom software tracks activity

Telecom Expense Management Software Can Track Employee Activity by Lisa Santora

Ellen Muraskin's Call Center Magazine article "Call Accounting: All About ROI" states that telecom expense management software, while it is valuable for reducing telecom billing expenses, can also help track employee activity: "Call detail summed up by extension may serve as a good gauge of employee productivity, or lack thereof." By allowing administrators to trace calls to their source, employee productivity at each station can be tracked, providing a method to help companies maximize staff efficiency.

Today's advanced call accounting software offers robust reporting features, including Web access to all data, not just a report subset. Users can either pre-schedule reports or run them on the fly using custom criteria. Call detail records reports can be emailed, stored, and shared with workgroups, providing quick access to actionable information. Real-time call collection and processing capabilities allow business users to address security, business and legal issues without waiting for reports. Via a Web browser authorized users can access call data from any desktop computer.

With toll fraud a growing concern within enterprises, government agencies, and non profit organizations, administrators are turning to call accounting software to provide security safeguards. According to the State of California Office of Network Services, "Toll fraud activity is a major problem that can cost users thousands of dollars in long distance bills. Fraud can happen when an outside caller calls a Centrex user and then requests to be transferred to an unauthorized destination. Once the caller is connected via an operator, or by the Centrex user, the state is charged for any call resulting from the transfer." Call accounting software can track suspicious call activity including calls to unauthorized destinations such as Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Columbia, El Salvador, China, Russia, Egypt, Ghana, Pakistan, and India. By deploying a full featuredcall accounting software solution, organizations can effectively track incoming and outgoing calls and ensure that employees will not be the weak link in their network security

Author, Lisa Santora, writes articles on the business benefits of call accounting and call detail record technology. More information can be found at http://www.telsoft-solutions.com.

Reining In expenses in telecoms

Telecom Expense Management Systems Can Rein in Wired and Wireless Expenditures by Lisa Santora

Recent research by In-Stat indicates that "The highest-spending business travelers averaged more than $450 per month spent on wireless services." Enterprises that deploy telecom billing and expense management software systems can help rein in wired and wireless telecom expenses. Today's call accounting software will perform telephone usage billing to increase revenue, phone call tracking, VoIP call accounting, PBX billing, telephone usage monitoring, corporate bill back, toll fraud detection, and trunk usage analysis and reporting. Typically enterprises waste 12-18% of telecom expenditures through a reactive approach to telecom expense management, according to the Aberdeen Group.

A full featured call accounting system will provide Web access to call detail records (CDRs) and allow users to create customized reports on the fly, and schedule reports to include a variety of telecom billing information. Reports can be viewed live, saved to a file, or emailed to one or a group of recipients, and allow for call accounting to individual departments and stations. Today's sophisticated call accounting software offers users the convenience of running reports from any desktop via their browser.

A robust telecom expense management system provides the ability to manage and bill Voice over IP traffic. Enterprise VoIP call accounting solutions accommodate multiple clusters at different locations, support hybrid networks, record and reports on all inbound and outbound, station to station, IP intranet and external gateway calls, and offer hundreds of reporting options.

By installing a telecom expense management system enterprises can spend less time reconciling carrier telecom bills, improve telephone network security, determine telecom expenditures by division, and free up administrators' time for use in other critical areas. With the burgeoning usage of VoIP and wireless networks it is more important than ever for companies to know what they are spending on telecom, to ensure that these expenditures are providing maximum advantage to the enterprise.

Author, Lisa Santora, writes articles on the business benefits of call accounting and call detail record technology. More information can be found at http://www.telsoft-solutions.com.

Prospect of TEM

Telecom Expense Management (TEM) Will Become a 1.5 Billion Dollar Industry by 2010 by Lisa Santora

According to a recent TMCnet IPCommunications.com article, Eric Goodness of Gartner predicts that telecom expense management (TEM) will become a 1.5 billion dollar industry by 2010. Universities, law firms, hotels and convention centers, healthcare organizations, and government offices are but a few of the organizations that can benefit from telecom expense management solutions. Today's call accounting and telecom billing software works with any combination of PBX types and models and is compatible with Nortel, NEC, Avaya, Cisco, Intertel, Mitel, Intecom (EADS), Ericsson, Hitachi, etc.

TEM systems can save enterprises money and time identifying phone billing errors in telecom carrier bills. Analyzing carrier phone bills by line and by call is possible using today's call accounting software and electronic billing by carriers. By installing a centralized, enterprise wide, large-scale, high speed, call accounting and telecom billing software solution companies can detect phone billing errors and recover costs. Administrators can examine which departments make the most calls, and assign costs to individual divisions.

Documenting and responding to threats can be rapidly accomplished using automated call accounting software technology. Data is made available in real-time allowing users to act quickly when they need to respond to security threats and other alerts. The best call accounting systems process millions of calls a second and provide instant reporting so companies can examine large volumes of data fast.

Users of today's call accounting software technology enjoy convenience features including Web access to their call data records. System access can be easily provided to many users because call accounting software applications reside on a server and do not require installation and maintenance at individual workstations. The scalable designs of current call accounting systems allow companies to add sites, modules, users, and call volume as their needs change.

Author, Lisa Santora, writes articles on the business benefits of call accounting and call detail record technology. More information can be found at http://www.telsoft-solutions.com.

Software for TEM

TEM Software - Telecom Expense Management Software in US by TEM Software

Organizations always are looking for decreasing the expense and complexity of handling telecom arena They are looking for means of decreasing yearly telecom budget which is one of the top five costs for most businesses Telecom expense management and associated network services runs and command the growing telecom expense of enterprises that helps you to concentrate more on your business An effective real time cost elimination program is Telecom Expense Management (TEM) software. The telecommunication expense management software is a cost reduction tool that facilitates manipulating the surviving services thus the task of end user is easily performed and they make attractive profit.

The main advantage of telecommunication expense management (tem) software is its automation technique The extremely efficient tem software has the potential to follow up all elective tasks thus free the staffs to focus on their main responsibilities. Further the TEM software is able to improve the business' ability to operate the volatile monthly telecom expense and efficiently predict the future postulates.

Automation: Keeps record of single as well as multiple data of total telecommunications usage of telecom unitsunits Releases accounting staff so they have the opportunity to use of their work hour in important task. Helps to interlace voice with data units Gives in periodic, month by month and annual analytical reports, for establishing future easy telecom purchase.

Telecom Cost Handling is an unseparable need of many organization. Small and large firms are noticed to waste hundreds of their valuable man hour's monthly tracking company cell phones or landlines as employees are promoted, leave or are newly hired. After the software is implemented to the enterprise's unique requirement, it monitors inventory, usage and billing. Telecommunication Expense Management Software assists your company to perceive visibility into plus manage all telecom outlay of your business concern. TEM software moreover assists you to slim down the tele-communications expenditure ordinance lifecycle of commercial enterprise. The spending equates ten to twenty-five percentile of the organization's entire annual savings. Likewise the Telecommunication Expense Management software helps you to simplifies those remonstrancing jobs in telecom domain.

While the recognition of Telecommunication Expense Management software raises, there appears programs to meet whole organization's requirements. Single search in the internet for Tele-communication Expense Management software will bestow you heaps of options, the application of which can be equated to associating with your local telecom provider. Following list displays roughly some of the most demanding solution providers.

Today you will come across a number of Telecom Expense Management providers on-line but we'd propose brushing up Vocio's TEM solutions.
The telecomexpensemanagementsoftware.com web portal is a complete information website giving you complete solution about managing the telecommunication needs of a company with its Telecom Expense Management Software. This web portal is very useful for people in search for reducing their telecommunications expense which is considered as one of the top five costs for most businesses.

Hiring a Telecom Conslting Firm

Important Questions to Ask From a Telecom Consulting Firm by johnmak

Every company at certain extent uses external consultants help to reduce the cost and help in managing specific projects. Telecommunication is one such area where consultants can only help your company to reduce expenses, but also provide complete support as your company grows and your telecom requires change.

Deciding on which telecom consulting company to bring on board can be quite difficult. Options are enormous. Most of the companies are reputable, but the industry is chocked full of “fly by night” firms looking to make a quick buck by conducting insufficient telecom audits or hawking telecom services under the semblance of bring a “telecom consulting” company. Before you select a company, make sure to ask few questions that will help you sort the good from the bad.

1) How Long You Have Been In This Business - Select a telecom consulting company that has been in business for at least 10 years, preferably 20 years or more. A reputed company that is in the telecom consulting market will have an excellent track record for success for their success.

2) Area of Telecom Consulting Is Your Expertise - While seeking for telecom consulting companies, make sure to ask them what areas they feel their strong points. A prospective consultant will assume that you have narrowed down your own specific telecom needs or problems that you want and need addressed. Check out your concerns regarding telecom consulting. Once you have pointed out your own particular telecom requirements, it becomes more convenient for you to match those concerns with the perspective consultant’s strong areas of expertise.

3) Size of the Consulting Company - Check out the size of the telecom consulting company. How many employees they have? Before contracting with any telecom consultant, ensure that you understand exactly who will be doing the work and identify the contact person responsible for status reports, updates and to get your questions properly answered during the course of the project.

4) Ask for Some Particular Case Studies and Results of Your Current or Past Clients - A reputed telecom consulting services provider will have experience in a massive range of industries. While asking for references, don’t just get a few names and numbers to call. Ask them to show one or two successfully accomplished projects which are similar to your industry. Seek for a company that gives consistent success in a variety of industries.

Patni, a leading name associated with telecom consulting services, provides proven IT infrastructure assessment tools and methodologies to design solutions which are closely associated to the customers’ business technique.

Reducing company telecom expense

5 Tips To Reduce Your Company's Communication Expenses
By Victor Fisin

Second only to Payroll, communications is the largest expense facing most businesses today. Below are 5 tips for reducing your company's communications expenses.

1. Check Your Bills for Errors: This tip is so obvious that many companies overlook it. In fact, companies typically overpay six to eight percent on their telecommunications invoices because of billing errors. The most common problems are circuits that have been disconnected but have continued to be billed, and invoices that do not reflect new, lower rates.

2. Renegotiate your contracts: If your telecom contract is set for automatic renewal, you might be cheating yourself out of a better deal. Talk to other providers and see if they can beat the price you're currently paying or can offer more services for the same price.

3. Consider VoIP: You've probably heard the buzz around Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). It's already taking the enterprise world by storm, and adoption among small and mid-size businesses is gradually increasing. VoIP enables you to use your data network -- which you already use to access the Internet -- to place phone calls. It can be more cost effective than owning your own private branch exchange (PBX), not only because the equipment is cheaper, but also because you can make many of your calls without ever using the public switched telephone network or paying for long distance.

4. Assign appropriate plans for cell phone users: Avoid small business cell phone plans that offer more minutes than your employees actually use. If they need to make more phone calls at certain times of the year - like during tradeshow season, peak sales visit periods, or other special projects - consider buying more minutes during those times or carrying forward minutes from previous months. That way, you aren't paying bloated prices year round.

5. Use conferencing instead of traveling: Conference Calling has quickly become a popular system of business-related communications. Company representatives may now promote their product or service and present business proposals to remote clients without need for actual travel and the incident expenses of lodging and utilities. Aside from money, the company's time is also used more efficiently since scheduling conferences over the phone can be done by just dialling the phone. This can be used in conjunction with Web Conferences as well.

GILL Technologies is a solutions firm that specializes in helping businesses to manage their communications expenses and reduce over all costs by up to 50%.

For most companies the above suggestions can be quite daunting and expensive to handle internally. Outsourcing the management of telecom, data, wireless and new technology costs, can often be your best solution. For information on how GILL Technologies can help in the areas of communications expense audits, management and reporting, and a dedicated ClientCare support team, contact us at 1-877-507-6988 or visit us online at http://www.gill-technologies.com/

GILL Technologies provides cellular and telecom consulting services encompassing Cost Audit, Cost Management and Reporting, and Single Point of Contact services for businesses and their cellular and telecom needs.

Our consulting services include cellular, telecom, data, and conferencing consultation, as well as, internet, web site hosting consulting, web site design consulting, and internet marketing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Fisin

The challenge of telecom use

Telecom Expense Management Isn't For A Weak Stomach by Robert A. Barber

I wouldn't want the responsibility. Would you? I mean being totally accountable for your company's telecom expenditure would require you to keep track of every wireless device, who has it, what kind it is, what service plan that device/employee requires, what to do if it is lost or destroyed, and suggest upgraded devices as needed. That's just the beginning.

Your wireline system is equally important, and it can be just as complicated to manage. As the one in charge of the phones, do you know just where each wireline phone is? What happens when an employee moves to another office? Who keeps track of extension number changes? You?

At the end of the month, the mailman drops a stack of invoices from the wireless company on your desk. It looks more like the instruction manual for piloting a space shuttle than a phone bill. Your job is to go over it with a fine tooth comb and discover all the errors and discrepancies, and follow them through until they are all taken care of. That's when you tell your boss that you quit and are going to find a job that is easier...like piloting a space shuttle.

The Solutions

All joking aside, controlling your telecom assets, optimizing your expenditures, analyzing the invoices, and ensuring that everything works together is a difficult process for anyone without the training, skills and tools needed for the job. You wouldn't hire someone to run your IT department unless they were qualified, would you? Why would you expect someone to efficiently manage your telecom assets, one of the greatest sources of expenditure in a business, if they were not qualified?

Which Solution Will You Choose?

There are two answers. One, choose an employee and have him trained in Telecom Expense Management, provide the needed tools to him, and allow him to dedicate himself solely to the task. He will need some assistants if your company is of any size at all. The other solution is to have a professional Telecom Expense Management team be responsible for every aspect of your telecom system and usage. They will:

Keep accurate and real time inventory of your telecom assets. Check all invoices for errors and discrepancies, and follow through with them until properly resolved. Optimize your telecom expenditure by whittling away waste, ensuring that every dollar you spend on telecom is spent wisely. Provide Help Desk Support to handle troubleshooting and other problems.

That list is obviously an abbreviated one. I suggest that you contact a reliable and proven Telecom Expense Management team so they can explain in much more detail about the services they provide. A good TEM team will find enough savings to more than pay for their service. Give them a call.

Robert is currently working for Integrity Communications, a business specializing in Telecom Expense Management. A retired police dispatcher, he now resides in the country with his wife and 2 of his 3 sons. He is a freelance writer who has created articles on subjects such as police work and motorcycles.

Savings for telecom use

Credit Crunch Telecoms by Simon Millions

It’s easy to classify mobile phone contracts and subscriptions to broadband as unavoidable operating expenditure. But is this really the case? What savings are available and what’s the best way to attain these rates?

Shopping around for the cheapest deal is time consuming and making ‘like for like’ comparisons between networks
and providers is notoriously difficult. And buying solely on price when reliable communication is the lifeblood of many commercial organisations is, in itself, fraught with peril.

There are however a couple of approaches that can really generate significant savings without compromising quality of service.

Firstly, differentiate between requirements that are variable and may differ substantially from month to month, as opposed to any ongoing provision that is absolutely necessary day-in-day-out.

If you employ temporary staff at certain times of the year, it makes no sense financially, to commit to 24 month mobile contracts for these people. Do you have key staff that travel abroad for business, or attend infrequent events and seminars? If so, then providing them with year-round mobile broadband access on their laptops or letting them ‘roam’ abroad on UK airtime won’t be remotely cost effective.

The answer here is to only rent the equipment and airtime as and when it’s needed, rather than commit to expensive and binding long term contracts. Voice and data solutions start at only £5 per week, there are no minimum call spends, no compulsory top ups and no onerous contractual obligations. And the call charges and airtime are discounted too, so it’s a winner from every perspective!

For the proportion of mobile spend that definitely warrants a contractual relationship, why not work with a Service Provider (SP) that deals with more than one network? In this way, you will get the best deal for your particular requirements from across the marketplace without having to put in any undue ‘legwork’. This approach is analogous to an independent financial advisor, who isn’t tied to a limited product range from a single institution and so can offer clients the best solution from multiple providers.

A common misconception in dealing with SPs is that there must be another ‘hidden’ margin and that it’s therefore more expensive than going to the network direct. This simply isn’t true. SPs employ far less staff than the networks and operate from much smaller premises, so their overheads are much less. SPs also receive connection bonuses from the networks for new business generated and these are often passed on, at least in part, to the customer. The overall result is very often a proposition that’s actually cheaper than the network equivalent!

Finally, once you’ve found the right balance between short-term renting and market-leading contracts, don’t forget about service provision. Choose and SP with dedicated, named account management and a good reputation for quality after-sales support. There shouldn’t be any incremental charges, but the reassurance this provides is as vital as any cost savings, if not more so.

For more information visit www.cellhire.co.uk

Telcom innovator EZwim

Economic downfall forces enterprises to cut telecom cost by Britney Simpson

Telecom Expense Management innovator Ezwim offers five key insights on how to control telecom cost. The recent economic downfall has been more profound and long-lasting than people thought. The economic conditions faced by enterprises around the world force companies to be more cost conscious. Saving on discretional costs and indirect spend helps enterprises to realize quick wins; telecom costs has traditionally been a top 3 expense category. With enterprise telecom costs rising every year and annual bills per mobile user in excess of 1,500 EURO it is time to take control of what enterprises are paying for. To help enterprises realize savings Ezwim, the European leader in Telecom Expense Management (TEM) services offers five key insights on how to control and reduce enterprise telecom cost immediately. Five key insights on how to control telecom cost 1. Get insight into telecom costs The first step of any plan to gain control of telecom expenses is to get insight into the telecom usage and costs of the organization. While this may sound obvious many businesses are simply unaware of how many devices and services are being billed to their accounts. Understanding telecom spend: per country, cost centre, per user etc. helps to identify potential areas for savings. A typical organization can decrease the telecom usage costs with 15% - 40% by implementing TEM practices, commented Ron van Valkengoed, CEO of Ezwim, one of the main advantages of TEM is that it makes it easier to enforce corporate policies centrally and automatically. This enables organizations to make and apply tailor-made policies for employee (groups). 2. Better ongoing management and forecasting Telecom Expense Management services help enterprises to better stretch tight telecom budgets; it helps to be more prepared to accurately predict future budget requirements. It also helps to keep the employees aligned to the telecom business objective of the enterprise and to detect abuse. 3. Enable your employees to get access to personal telecom cost Private use of the company mobile is common representing 30% of costs. Enhancing cost awareness of employees is a major step; as insight into personal telecom costs helps employees to make smart decisions on how to use telecommunications. Especially using mobile phone or Data Cards internationally contributes heavily to the enterprise telecom expenses. Understanding cost enables employees to make informed decisions about which in-country mobile telecom operator to use and can help an employee to choose using a local WiFi Spots rather than a Data Card. This is especially important as Data Costs are growing 100% every year as the use of data cards and Blackberries is becoming more mainstream among employees. 4. Negotiate with telecom operators based on your corporate profile Many companies don’t routinely examine their bills and find that when aggregating their total services, they are spending much more than planned. Understanding your telecom profile in terms of amounts spend on mobile, data, roaming enables improved contract negotiations with operators. 5. Make informed decisions on telecom innovations Decisions on technology innovations are often based on gut feeling and not on a rational assessment of current telecom usage and traffic streams. Telecom Expense Management services offers the right telecom usage information for the business case (e.g. VOIP). After implementation the uptake and cost can be monitored. And this is just the start. Once you are in control of your costs and usage, you will be able to reap the benefits of improved staff productivity and efficiency and will be able to make more informed decisions on what new technology and services you should be investing in to gain a competitive advantage. “Most organizations do not have a clear understanding of their telecommunication usage and cost; this lack of visibility often results in significant wastage. Excess cost comes from issues such as misuse, billing errors, lack of management etc.” commented Ron van Valkengoed, CEO of Ezwim. “In today’s economic climate, Telecom and Finance Directors need to focus on long-term telecommunications management strategies rather than using an ad-hoc approach and one-time price reviews.”

Ezwim helps enterprises to calculate their potential savings when using Telecom Expense Management services on www.ezwim.com. This easy to use calculator is based on Ezwim’s experience with savings generated for its enterprise clients. If you want to learn more on Telecom service management, then you will have to pay a visit to the company’s web page.

Control your costs

How to Control Wireless Telecom Costs by Peter Verhoeff

Many enterprises are becoming aware of the increasing costs of wireless telecom. According to the Aberdeen Group's The Wireless Costs and Performance Benchmark Report, 75% of professionals are using wireless devices and this number is increasing steadily. Yet wireless is one of the least controlled areas in many enterprises. This article examines some of the reasons for this and offers suggestions on how to improve the control of wireless costs, including telecom expense management (TEM).

Wireless devices include laptop and notebook computers, PDAs, pagers, cell phones and more. There are various reasons for the rapidly increasing wireless costs in corporations. One of them is technological innovation. New developments and features are occurring almost daily. This "featurism" tends to render existing devices obsolete in the eyes of the user. Another factor is that calls on cell phones are generally much more expensive than on landline phones. And, because wireless devices are portable and mostly used outside the office, they are prone to being lost or stolen.

Probably the most significant factor in wireless cost control is the fact that most companies have only a vague idea of what their wireless telecom expense is and that which cannot be measured cannot be fully controlled.

It is not surprising that wireless telecom is a relatively uncontrolled area in most corporations, because it is difficult to manage. For example, many companies are paying for a mixture of company-owned and employee-owned cell phones. This makes tracking wireless costs a nightmare, with wireless costs being lumped in under travel and entertainments expenses.

The ideal scenario, as far as corporate control is concerned, is that the company owns all wireless devices used for business purposes and that these devices are used solely for company business, with a single "owner" of all wireless telecom matters. This person should be in charge of all wireless acquisitions, inventory control, bill verification and payment processing. A company wishing to bring wireless telecom expenses under control should set out to work in that direction.

In order to establish control, the first step is to issue, implement and enforce policy that will ultimately centralize all wireless telecom under a single authority. For effective control the only wireless devices for which the company pays should be company-owned ones.

Taking away control from employees who previously might have had a free hand in selecting wireless devices and services is likely to meet with resistance. Not only that, but bringing wireless telecom under the control of a single person can take away control from other departments that previously had more autonomy in matters relating to wireless telecom. For those reasons, it is vital to obtain the commitment of senior management in providing employee education and empowering the person in charge of wireless.

When preparing to draft the policy, it is recommended to consult with an expert on wireless telecom expense management. In this respect, a reliable and experienced TEM vendor can fit the bill. He should also be able to advise on other aspects of telecom cost control, how to best implement the full telecom expense management process, as well as assist with the negotiation of telecom contracts with carriers.

For more information about telecom expense management visit the Telsoft Solutions website at www.telsoft-solutions.com.

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Going the Distance: Telecom Expense Solution Survey Shows It’s All About Fundamentals
by Nina Wales

Training for a marathon requires athletes to diligently condition their bodies to run 26.2 miles, which can be incredibly intimidating for some individuals. It begins with increasing your stamina and improving your efficiency by planning runs where your distance gradually increases in intervals, until you can reach your optimal goal: completing the marathon. By focusing on your stamina and efficiency, you are less likely to suffer injuries, burn out from fatigue and fail to complete the race.

Although not physically intimidating, choosing a TEM solution can be a straining and confusing process that requires similar discipline. Since Gartner coined the term telecom expense management (TEM) a few years ago, TEM solutions have gained considerable momentum, along with considerable complexity. This added complexity has led to growing frustrations in the marketplace because the fundamentals of a TEM solution are often being overlooked. Much like stamina and efficiency - the fundamental pillars of running a marathon - centralizing the management of telecom spend and utilizing electronic billing data are the distinguishing factors of a successful TEM solution and recent research supports this statement.

The findings from the 2008 Telecom Expense Management Benchmark Survey, conducted by Edge Research, revealed that successful companies using TEM adhere to the most fundamental aspect: centralization. The survey results were gathered from over 400 organizations, which showed that among those satisfied with their organization's TEM solution, 88% centrally managed telecom spend. Furthermore, those that have centralized management of telecom spend are more likely to know their true network costs. The end result is that that the majority of companies that centralize spend indicated that they have attained TEM savings of greater than $1,000,000 and overall, are more satisfied with their TEM solution.

It is not guaranteed that all TEM solutions will accurately and efficiently process telecom billing data, that is why companies need to 'go-the-extra- mile' to ensure that the fundamentals of their selected TEM solution is continually adhering to best practices in processing that data. The ability to load complex billing data, from multiple sources and formats into the application is the zenith of a TEM solution. If the solution cannot process data, it is like entering a marathon with pair of worn out running shoes, which eventually, will lead to pain. According to the TEM survey, if this core competency is lacking, dissatisfaction is the end result.

There is no doubt that centralized management of telecom spend and receiving data electronically are integral parts in choosing a TEM solution. Having these fundamentals in place sets the stage for realizing the benefits of a total TEM solution that includes provisioning, inventory, invoice processing, and advanced analytics. Just like undergoing the proper training for a marathon, maintaining strong fundamentals regarding your TEM solution significantly increases the likelihood of success. It establishes a firm foundation for further process improvements that will have a direct impact on bottom line performance for your organization and will help you reach your TEM finish line.

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