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.