» Telcom Expense Management:

Telcom Expense Management (TEM) can reduce your telcom expense.  Unfortunately many companies are unaware of the need and uninformed as to the impact of not having an effective TEM process in place.

U.S. businesses will spend over $650 billion on Information and Communications Technology this year.

• Small businesses alone will spend over $228 billion this year.
• A typical mid-sized businesses spends $300,000 per year.
• The average small business will spend in excess of $8,000 each year.
• There are 29.6 million businesses in the US, spending an average of $1,830 per month.

Carriers have very complex pricing, contracting, service delivery and billing systems.  Each time a service is ordered, installed or modified, a half dozen or so carrier personnel will input critical information into these systems.  All to frequently, the information entered is incorrect.  Even if the information is entered correctly at the time of installation, future service modifications often result in a billing change that was unintended and higher than what you agreed to in your contract.  In fact, the carrier systems supporting sales, order management, servicing and billing are not fully integrated and there is no cross checking to ensure that you are billed correctly.  If you don't have a Telcom Expense Management system in place, your billing is out of control.

Published reports indicate up to 12% of all telcom service charges are in error.  Common billing errors include billing for services that have been disconnected, billing individual services at rates above the contracted rate, and stacking unneeded optional services within your active accounts.  The potential financial impact is staggering and flows directly to your bottom line.  Annual losses as a result of telcom over billing can add up quickly. 

Typical mistakes made by businesses include:

• Telcom invoices are sent directly to accounts payable.
• Failing to recognize that telcom usage billing is higher than the contracted rate.
• No telcom expense management process; or
• Only an occasional audit of telcom bills.
  • Conducted as an additional duty, and by a person with little or no telcom experience.
  • Simply comparing current bill to previous bills; or
  • Comparing billing to contracted price and failing to consider lower rates currently available.
  • Failing to recognize billing for services that have been disconnected.
  • failing to recognize improper billing of federal, state and local taxes.
• Failing to promptly calculate, itemize and document improper telcom charges.
• Failing to promptly dispute all improper telcom charges.
• Failing to follow-up on disputes, demanding prompt credits and refunds.

Premium Value Added Support by ComHelpDesk can help you avoid over billing.