Telecom “To-Do” List and Action Steps for 2008
Success in any endeavor hinges primarily on one thing: getting things done. Ask any successful person how they became that way and chances are good that they will attribute a portion of their success to a daily regimen of writing and completing a “to-do” list. This handy tool can be simple or complex but the desired outcome is always the same: to increase effectiveness and efficiency of personal or work time.
The “to-do” list helps us stay focused. It serves as a timeline and scorecard for helping one achieve much larger goals. Without “to-do” lists we all run the risk of losing sight of the “big picture” - i.e. the desired goal that results when a series of tasks are completed.
When it comes to increasing efficiency and reducing expenses for telecommunications products and services within your business, certain tasks that could lead to success can often be delayed unnecessarily or even ignored altogether.
The following “to-do” list will help you stay focused on the goal of reducing and managing your corporate telecom expenses for 2007. It outlines the tasks to be completed, as well as a number of action steps to take immediately to help you get started. These action steps are intended to begin the process of completing the task. You will want to add your own action steps to the list as they arise. When you have completed the task, simply check it off.
Task #1:
Analyze Local Phone Service Plans and Regrade if NecessaryGetting a handle on local phones service charges is an important first step in helping to reduce and gain more control of your corporate telecom expenses. Many business owners make the mistake that telecom costs savings can be found in big ticket items such as long-distance services. Choosing the local service package that fits the usage patterns of your business is crucial for keeping costs down.
Action Steps:
Call local carrier representative for information on all available plans; Gather and organize all local bills; Determine current plan, analyze usage patterns, and upgrade/downgrade if cost-savings warrants it; Download free booklet “27 Ways to Slash Your Telecom Costs;
Task #2:
Renegotiate Telecom ContractsA telecom service contract is an easy way for a service provider to lock you into a predetermined rate structure and set of conditions for a specified period of time. The telecom industry changes constantly, however, and the conditions of a contract you agreed to 24 months ago may be totally outdated and costing you a bundle today. It is best to keep all telecom contracts handy and always know when they come due. You can often negotiate a new contract with an existing carrier before the old one expires.
Action Steps:
Gather existing telecom contracts and make note of expiration dates; Contact vendors to determine if renegotiating or cancelling contracts without penalty is possible; Assign individual, committee or outsource negotiations when contracts become due;
Task #3:
Wireless usage is quickly becoming a larger part of corporate telecom expenses each and every year. No longer do employees simply carry cell phones - wireless PDAs and laptops have become indispensable tools for conducting business as well. Since virtually all wireless devices today have data transfer capabilities, keeping an eye on costs is crucial. The subject of wireless cost management is too broad a topic to cover here. (This topic will be the subject of a future newsletter) One task you can begin immediately however is the inventory all wireless devices.
Action Steps:
Collect all wireless bills that are sent to the company; Collect all wireless bills submitted as expense reports; Create spreadsheet that lists employees’ names along with all wireless devices in use; Determine all wireless devices not in use and eliminate wherever possible;
More information on how to establish a wireless company policy
Task #4:
VoIP seems to be the buzzword these days and for good reason - using data networks for voice traffic could save you a bundle. But as good as it sounds, it certainly does not fit every business situation. In many cases, making a complete transfer to a VoIP environment can cost a fortune and is simply not as cost-effective as vendors would like you to believe. It sure doesn’t hurt to find out though, since every situation is different.
Action Steps:
Learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of VoIP for voice traffic; Determine if current corporate network is capable of handling VoIP; Contact telecom consultant to determine if cost savings warrant the migration to VoIP; Estimate ROI and amount of time needed to recoup investment;
Task #5:
The Treasury Department has finally given in and agreed to refund taxes for long-distance service billed to businesses for the period after February 28, 2003 and before August 1, 2006. For now, the refund only applies to long-distance services for landline and wireless service.
Any and all U.S. businesses and tax exempt organizations are eligible for the refund providing they were in operation at any time during the period from March 1, 2003 through July 31, 2006. This would include any corporate entity, S Corp., partnership, Trust, etc. In addition, the business must also have incurred phone expenses from April 2006 through September 2006 for it to be eligible for a refund.
Action Steps:
Gather and organize bills from March 2003 to July 2006; If not possible to gather all bills, collect April and September 2006 bills; Determine refund through either calculation method; Contact accounting with figures;
Task #6:
Many companies now rely on outsourcing for a variety of non-core business activities. Telecom is one area where outsourcing can be quite cost-effective. Viturally any telecom function can be outsourced: everything from contract negotiation to moves/adds/changes to complete bill paying solutions.
Action Steps:
Determine what telecom duties could be easily outsourced; Contact 3 telecom consultants to determine what areas are most cost-effective for outsourcing; Compare current costs with costs incurred by outsourcing; Download “How to Select a Telecom Consultant“;
“To-do” lists are only effective if you take the action steps necessary to complete the tasks. Try to block out a few minutes each week to focus and help you stay on track with your telecom cost-reduction efforts. The time spent is well worth it in the long run. If you are someone who is a “to-do” list maniac, try using this free online version.
