Author: blogger

Every business maximizes its profits by minimizing its expenses and so cost-cutting is a hotly sought after concept in every business. Expenditures are analysed and ways and means of cutting costs are determined. The telecommunication services contribute immensely to cost-savings when a micro-analysis of cost incurred is done and effective corrective and preventive actions are taken. The expertise required to do analysis may not be available within the business, and thus paves the way for the entry of a telecommunication consulting company.
There has been a mushroom growth of telecom consulting companies which offer all types of services at different payment bases such as hourly, monthly, project-based, etc. So, it is a challenge to make the most appropriate choice. The past history of the company should be analysed: Answers to questions like when it was started, what type of services it has been offering all these years, how it has withstood periods of recession, hardship, etc. should be obtained and analysed. It is essential that the company has been in this business for a long period of time as expertise comes only with experience.
Next, the check will be on the clientele of the company. Whom does the company have as its customers will silently vouch what the company is, as the customers are the mirrors that reflect the quality of the services provided by the company. The contact details of the customers should be obtained and information relating to customer satisfaction should be collected and analyzed. The consistency in quality and the period of service with the customer are important points to be considered.
Every company has its expertise in certain areas of telecom services. The expertise of the company when compared with the requirements of the business should be a perfect match. This is a very important criterion as skill and expertise are two main reasons to seek the services of a consulting company.
The operational structure of the company should also be taken into consideration. Who is the contact person, will one person be responsible for all the services, does the company supply the services or does it subcontract to other companies, the expertise and skill of the companys employees, if there is a subcontract, the history and efficiency levels of the subcontractor, the reliability of the analysis, what methods are used for analysis, are they appropriate methods, etc. are significant questions to be answered before a decision can be made on the choice of a company.
The competitive costs offered also have a major role to play in the selection of the company as this entire process is to save costs. Competitive costs do not always mean the lowest price. It means the best services that can be obtained for the price paid. Lowest prices could include some hidden costs in future or biased decisions and recommendations. These could prove futile to cost-cutting.
The period for which the service is required should be compared with the period offered by the consulting company and an advantageous decision should be taken. The legal formalities involved in drawing up contracts, the back-up systems which the company has, the contingency plans in hand should all be considered before a decision is made.
Our decisions today determine our future tomorrow. A detailed initial analysis of a consulting company results in correct business decisions.

Telecom expense management is a complex field. Its easy to make mistakes, driving up your companys wireless, landline and other telecom costs far above what you should actually pay. As firms become more budget conscious in an uncertain economy, they increasingly opt to use a professional telecom expense management company. For ten years, GILL Technologies has provided professional landline telecom expense management and mobile management solutions for mid-sized to enterprise level clients. Companies often engage GILL Technologies after trying to cut costs themselves. The company has identified four common mistakes firms make when they try to address the problem themselves:

Failing to Identify Their Business Needs

Telecom expense management should begin with one simple question: What does my business use the phone (or cell phones, or Internet access) for? In other words, you need to begin by defining exactly how your telecom assets fit into company operations. Every company needs its own phone line but beyond that, your telecom plan should be specifically tailored for your business. Define your needs and the hardware and services you need to the point where you can justify every item and expense. Naturally, youll have to adjust your plan over time as the company evolves and you get a better understanding of how you use landlines, wireless and the Internet in day to day operations.

Missing Key Developments in the Industry

Professional telecom consultants are invaluable for many reasons, but one of the most important is that they keep up with the latest development in telecommunications. Telecom expense management is about making the most cost effective use of the best technologies for the job. That means you need to know about new offers from major carriers, unadvertised policies and new products. For example, if you identify the need for a smart phone (a wireless phone with internet access and productivity tools) its a mistake to just choose a brand leader. Your preferred carrier may not offer as competitive a contract on that particular phone, or there might be another phone that meets your needs for a fraction of the price. Unless you closely follow the industry with an eye for critical details youre likely to make a less than optimal choice.

They Dont Compare Billing to Usage

Dont just look at your bills raw totals, but link them to usage. Unless you know your per-minute costs you wont really know your wireless voice expenses. The same principle applies to any telecommunications service. Monitoring usage and comparing it to your expenses will help you detect possible errors and inefficiencies as well as understand your telecommunications needs. The drawback is that bill auditing is time consuming and often difficult for a non-specialist to implement.

Failing to Identify When They Need Professionals

As you can see, an effective telecom expense management plan is time consuming and requires more than a little knowledge to put into action. The truth is that most businesses cant enjoy the best results through in-house efforts. This doesnt mean the company has failed just that it does have a team of telecom experts on hand. You can only accomplish so much using your own staff, and the time it spends tracking telecom expenses is time it could be spending on revenue generating core business activities. If you have more than the most basic telecom needs, youd probably benefit from employing a professional telecom expense management firm.