| Business Cost Control Strategies | | | | their existence through the actual cost savings they |
| I cannot tell you how many times I've started a new | | | | produce. |
| relationship with a client whose telecommunications | | | | For smaller companies, finding an in-house qualified |
| invoices totaled several thousand dollars a month | | | | person to manage telecommunications vendors and |
| across a wide network of locations, and the company | | | | telephone spending is not realistic. For companies |
| employed only one (unqualified) person to manage all | | | | spending less than $50,000 each month, the expense |
| their telecom billing and ordering. Unfortunately, the | | | | of a full-time employee to manage the phone bills is not |
| result is always the same: these companies had been | | | | usually a good financial investment. Instead, these |
| unknowingly hemorrhaging money for years by | | | | businesses should rent a telecommunications |
| overpaying outrageous sums and erroneous charges | | | | manager-consultant, even if it's for a only a few |
| for their telecom services. | | | | months. This person can cut spending and get control |
| Bringing in a professional telecommunications consultant | | | | of your telecommunications billing network. It makes |
| (AKA, a temporary telecom manager) with | | | | great financial sense, and it works because great |
| appropriate resources and experience makes sense. | | | | savings are always produced. |
| This can effectively fix ineffective cost management | | | | Smart business people bring highly qualified, objective |
| and show quick, dramatic results. In today's economy, | | | | and impartial outside professionals (AKA, a temporary |
| you could easily bring in an outside expert on a | | | | telecom manager) on board to manage and audit their |
| temporary basis, because many great former telecom | | | | company's telecom spending. Contingency-fee-based |
| managers are out of work and working as consultants. | | | | project management consultants are a great way to |
| Why not take advantage of this win-win opportunity? | | | | do this. Since there is no out-of-pocket cost, there is no |
| Why do so many company executives still insist on | | | | risk. If the consultant doesn't generate savings, there is |
| using an in-house employee to manage their telecom | | | | no cost. |
| billing? I have come to realize that they just don't | | | | Proven management consultants can save many |
| understand why this doesn't usually work to their best | | | | more times their actual fees by doing the specialized |
| advantage. They are stuck in old ways of thinking - | | | | telecommunications work for companies. These |
| not like the competent businesspeople they usually are. | | | | consultants understand that when entering into a |
| Not only is it unfair to dump telecom management | | | | consulting relationship that the work is not permanent. |
| duties on some unfortunate, ill-prepared employee, but | | | | They are expected to evaluate the current situation, |
| these poor souls are also destined for ultimate failure | | | | clean things up, produce dramatic cost savings and |
| and blame. Having a person inexperienced in the | | | | depart. |
| intricacies of managing complex telephone bills is not | | | | The byproduct of a consultant's participation is a more |
| conducive to running a solid, more profitable business. | | | | profitable bottom line to the clients and companies |
| A great many employees who manage the | | | | served. Some would argue that companies should just |
| telecommunications function in-house have been | | | | hire a telecom expense management company to |
| assigned the task because it's been delegated from | | | | take away the task. However, the main difference |
| management, often because no one else wants to do | | | | between a telecom auditor and a telecom expense |
| it - not because they are qualified to take on the role. | | | | management company is that telecom expense |
| These employees often fail, and not because they | | | | management companies are there for the long run, |
| don't want to do a good job. It's because they have | | | | and you might find yourself somewhat stuck with |
| not had the necessary cost-cutting education that | | | | them. With a temporary telecom manager, a |
| consultants get by routinely working with hundreds of | | | | short-term expert fixes problems and leaves you with |
| different telecom vendors, a wide variety of | | | | a smooth-running operation. |
| complicated billing technologies, constantly changing | | | | For most executives, it makes more sense to rent a |
| promotions and special offers, and executing proven | | | | telecommunications manager to manage their |
| cost-saving processes. | | | | expenses. All CEOs, CIOs and CFOs should consider |
| What's more, in the recent past throughout corporate | | | | outsourcing telecom billing expertise for just a few |
| America, many valuable in-house telecom managers | | | | months and see what I'm talking about. You can |
| were phased out as VOIP and IT-intensive services | | | | measure the actual value to your company's bottom |
| and technologies took over, making some of their | | | | line. |
| formerly valuable services expendable. Nevertheless, | | | | As a telecommunications management consultant |
| those same telecom managers are still available to | | | | myself, I have found that telecommunications |
| lend their telecommunications audit expertise as | | | | departments that are in most disarray either have |
| valuable business consultants who can still help | | | | employees lacking telecom expertise or cannot afford |
| companies save money. They have the background | | | | a full-time telecom manager. These are my best kind |
| and experience to help. | | | | of client. I am able to help them with substantial savings |
| Another reason small companies lack competent | | | | that accomplish a satisfying financial goal of improving |
| employees to oversee telecom activities is that many | | | | the bottom line. I am able to find many economies for |
| medium-sized companies believe that they cannot | | | | these clients. |
| afford to hire someone with experience. This is a huge | | | | The temporary telecom manager is able to create a |
| mistake. Employees who manage telecommunications | | | | positive impact on an organization by swooping in and |
| costs that total over $50,000 each month usually | | | | saving many thousands of dollars in real bottom-line |
| justify their salaries with the cost-saving techniques | | | | company savings. What's more, as telecom |
| they bring to their job. Your investment pays off with | | | | consultants, we can bring control and simplicity to a |
| their expert industry knowledge, negotiation skills, and | | | | chaotic situation: untangling the confusing corporate |
| ability to get your company the best price for | | | | telecom billing process, investigating and securing |
| telecommunications services. This type of employee - | | | | refunds, and showing companies how to perform |
| as well as cost consultants - should be able to justify | | | | telecom service ordering competently and wisely. |