Telecom Resource Management and Telecom Audit Service Questions

Telecom Audit Questions

What is Telecom Expense Management?

Telecom Expense Management (TEM) is a term used to define a business approach to managing telecommunications service expenses (Voice, Data, and Wireless) with software. The software leverages a telecom carrier's electronic invoice feeds to gain detailed information, to automate workflow, and to provide greater reporting capabilities.

The scope of a typical TEM solution ranges from a company utilizing their own employees and hosting the TEM software, to having others host the software, to having others host the software and perform a wide range of outsourced services. Outsourced services can include invoice processing and payment, invoice auditing for contract compliance, validation of an approved inventory, reconciliation of orders (Move, Adds, Changes and Disconnects - MACDs) to invoice charges, order provisioning and escalation, physical inventory validation, sourcing and negotiation of contracts against databases of industry best-in-class rates, help desk, and other services.

Telecom is typically a top three expense category and with the use of electronic billing like EDI and specialized tools a company can gain visibility, control, and savings that are not feasible in a paper-based manual environment. The ROI for solutions are typically reached in the first year, many vendors provide guarantees and SLAs, and hard dollar cost reductions conservatively range from 3%-15%.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecom_Expense_Management"

We have a telecom department, why should we outsource?

Certain projects, like bill audits, RFPs and contract negotiations, require a comprehensive understanding of the carriers' contract and implementation processes, including the relationship between contracts, tariffs and pricing guides, carrier negotiation strategies, and limitations in the carriers' billing systems. Our extensive experience working for the carriers provides us the in-depth knowledge necessary to address the variety and complexity of issues involved.

Additionally, outsourcing telecom related projects will give you additional leverage with your incumbent carriers in the form of a new perceived risk of loss, as well as add an element of objectivity to the decision making process.

Why should we use the Telecom Expense Management services of Carrier Bill Audits?

Extensive telecom experience. Our business is made up of seasoned telecommunications veterans. Collectively we have more than 50 years of telecom experience, including the negotiation of hundreds of contracts on behalf of the carriers.

There are firms that offer simple phone bill audit services, others offer comprehensive audits of your entire telecommunication network and there are firms that offer contract procurement services. Carrier Bill Audits offers all three and web based online portal. This is significant because all past overcharges should be identified before the execution of a new contract. The attempted recovery of these overcharges provides you with additional leverage in your contract negotiation and is one of several variables that should be considered in the development of your procurement strategy. In addition, our contractual knowledge and experience is critical in maximizing our clients' audit recovery.

When Should we consider Telecom Expense Management services

Today. The carriers' liability for past overcharges may be limited by a defined time period. Any recovery to which you may be legally entitled could be lost by a delay in filing a claim for the recovery.

In addition, we have been very successful in reducing our clients' cost at various stages of their contracts and in improving contractual rates, terms and conditions.

Can you give us a better rate than our current carriers best rate?

Some of our biggest improvements have come after the carrier has told our client that they have been given their "best rate". As former industry insiders we know that the carriers' pricing groups intentionally keep their sales force "in the dark" when it comes to the best available pricing. What one person thinks is their "best rates" may be 10-25% higher than the rates that same carrier is offering elsewhere. We use our experience to get you the lowest rates available.

How much are we needed in the process?

In the case of a phone bill audit or a comprehensive review and audit of all of your voice and data invoices, you would essentially be limited to gathering previous and existing contracts, as well as one month of associated invoices. In the case of a contract review and negotiation, our clients are encouraged to be as involved in the negotiation process as much as they'd like.

Once the Audit has been completed, what happens next?

Based on the findings and recommendations from the Assessment and Audit, we may recommend a Network Optimization and Reconfiguration Project to consider network options and alternatives that best serve your telecommunications quality and cost needs. In conjunction with your staff, we would begin a process to review each network service, and determine the appropriate roadmap. For example, we have assisted numerous businesses evaluate and, migrate from a managed frame relay network to an IP-based virtual private network. We have assisted multiple businesses evaluate the functionality, migration costs and issues, and potential savings of various system options. We have assisted our customers in reviewing and considering various network service configurations in all major classes of service available today.

Global Communications Group Q&A

What are your Customer Service hours?
The service providers operate 24x7, 7 days a week. If you need to reach our headquarters office, we are available between 8am to 5pm MST.

How will I be billed?
For Audit services, GCG will invoice your business directly. For Telecom services, we represent multiple companies and have negotiated competitive rates with each. You will be billed for the services you use by the underlying service provider.

Why should I work with GCG instead of the Carrier directly?

Service. When you need help, we're only a phone call away, and you won't be sitting on hold waiting for us.
Rates. We have negotiated pricing for services. In most cases, our rates are lower than those offered directly through the carriers providers.
Choice. As a Master Agent representing different carriers, we work with you closely to choose the services that fit your requirements.
Additional Telecom Services. Please utilize us for your office internet, voice, and data service needs
Experience. Global Communications Group endeavors to be at the forefront of the technology. Our professional consultants have worked directly for major carriers over the past twenty five years implementing telecom services and supporting small, medium, and large business accounts.