| If your company has been in operation for two or | | | | provider, which meant the company switched from |
| more years, then it is time to have a telephone bill audit | | | | analog lines to a PRI T1. Not until after doing the |
| done by a professional consultant who is | | | | telephone audit did the company find out that it had |
| knowledgeable on the billing methods of the telephone | | | | been paying for service that it had requested |
| industry. An audit will uncover service and billing issue | | | | terminated for a year. The company was able to |
| that aren't always apparent when paying the monthly | | | | recoup thousands of dollars from the provider. Most |
| phone bill. Having this done early on enables your | | | | companies accounting personal don't have the |
| company being reimbursed quickly if there are errors | | | | knowledge or training to determine if accurately applied |
| on the telephone bills. These over looked billing errors | | | | Federal, State and Local surcharges and taxes have |
| can add up quickly, costing a company thousands of | | | | been billed, thereby reducing your possible refunds. |
| dollars. The company I work with found out because | | | | Another point in favor of reviewing your company's |
| of other issues that they had been overcharged for | | | | telephone service is performing a traffic study to see if |
| years on lines that were not being used any longer, | | | | you have the right number of lines and circuits to |
| taxes, and long distance rates. The longer the time | | | | properly handle inbound and outbound calls. Foolishly |
| frame the more difficult it can be to have the phone | | | | some company's method of doing a traffic study is to |
| company see their errors and getting them to pay the | | | | do nothing about their current number of lines until |
| overages. | | | | customers start complaining and there is nothing worse |
| Many business change telecom vendors regularly in | | | | than not being able to get thru to a company most |
| hopes of a saving, when they should be auditing their | | | | people if they can't get thru will go to a vendor with |
| telecommunications services and systems to identify | | | | enough lines providing a good customer service. But on |
| billing errors and opportunities to reduce costs while | | | | the other hand, margins are down and paying for |
| maintaining or improving service. If you do decide to | | | | unnecessary lines is not the answer either, a traffic |
| change carriers it is a good idea to have an audit done | | | | study pays for its self. |
| first because you may be eligible for a refund from | | | | There are many payment options available when |
| your current provider, but you may forfeit any | | | | employing a Telecom consultant to do an audit. They |
| reimbursements if you would cancel their service and | | | | can either be paid by the hour, a set fee or the |
| go with a competitor. | | | | Consultant may opt to take a percentage of the |
| Why should you use a trained Auditor? Well, I'm | | | | refund. |
| auditing a company's telephone bill that last year | | | | Anything that makes your company give better |
| swapped out an old PBX phone system for a Cisco | | | | customer service, profits high, and a little money saved |
| Call Manager. To do this complete switch over all of | | | | it worth spending the money on a telephone audit. |
| the new services had to be installed by their Telecom | | | | |