To the untrained eye, all telecom expense management (TEM) companies might appear largely similar. But not all providers will give you the same level of service and value.
Some TEM providers will offer lower prices to try and set themselves apart. However, with TEM, price isn’t everything. And if you’re not sure what a good TEM deal is supposed to look like, you might lose out on quality of service.
Here are five key things you should look for in a telecom expense management company.
5 Things to Demand From Your Telecom Expense Management Company
1. Ongoing Audits and Optimization
Telecom expense audits are a core element of fully managed telecom expense services. They give you full visibility of all your assets in every location. This visibility is vital for getting on top of your telecom spend and driving cost savings.
Check how frequently your provider will audit your telecoms environment as part of the contract. Many only carry out one audit at the start of the relationship and some will only do it if asked. But one audit is not enough.
Your services are constantly changing. Think about how often you deploy new technology, infrastructure, and devices. That’s why Cass audits every line-item charge on every invoice, every month.
We also optimize your environment at least once every quarter. Again, many providers will only do this as a one-off, but you need a continuous service to find real cost savings in an agile and evolving environment.
2. Telecom Inventory Management
For TEM to be effective, you need to keep track of every one of your assets – physical and virtual. From POTS lines to mobile device plans, if the item isn’t deployed anymore but the carrier still records it as active, your organization will pay the fees for something you’re not using.
Most enterprises don’t have the tools or time to compile, manage, and maintain a telecom inventory. But without one, your provider can’t find invoice errors and help you claim back charges on assets you shouldn’t be charged for.
That’s why it’s important to ensure your provider will help you maintain an accurate telecom inventory as part of your TEM service. When Cass works with a new client, we start building an inventory right away. By capturing data and comparing it to carrier billing records, we can usually account for the majority of a client’s inventory in the first few weeks. We also track changes, monitoring all MACD activity and updating the inventory with our ExpenseSmart® platform.
An accurate, detailed, and centralized inventory is key to managing your infrastructure and controlling costs. You need a provider that will help you build one for a good TEM partnership.
3. Strict Service Level Agreements ( SLAs)
To make sure you get the best deal from your telecom expense management contract, strict and carefully constructed SLAs are critical.
Less established telecom expense management companies often miss detailed, performance-based SLAs from their contracts. But if SLAs don’t work in your best interest, you could miss out on cost-savings, support, and quality of service. It’s important to understand what an effective SLA should include and ensure everything is set out clearly so there’s no confusion for you or the provider.
At Cass, our SLAs are stringent. We understand that for SLAs to work in your favor, they need to be two-sided, so your success is tied to our success. We align your goals to our targets and help you achieve them throughout the contract term – not just at the start.
4. Rigid Security Standards
There’s always risk involved when another company manages money on your behalf. Before entering a TEM contract, you need to ensure your provider has secure financial controls to minimize that risk.
For complete peace of mind, look for providers with banking operations. They’re highly regulated and audited and must employ controls to protect client funds.
Cass, for instance, has Cass Commercial Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary. We’re regulated and audited by The Federal Reserve in the U.S. and by the Dutch Central Bank in Europe. We have rigid data security and privacy policies in place to protect client funds. So, with our TEM services, security is assured.
Other TEM providers that don’t have this banking infrastructure aren’t under the same level of financial scrutiny. They don’t have to maintain capital levels or file regular financial statements for public inspection. If you don’t want to risk serious financial exposure, you should insist on bank-level controls from your telecom expense management company.
5. 24/7 Support
Sometimes a technical issue can’t wait until tomorrow. You need to know that your provider is on hand to help, any day or hour, for all your devices and operating systems.
Cass offers a dedicated 24/7/365 mobile help desk, so our clients’ end-users can access thorough and efficient support whenever they need it. Our personalized and global support service ensures that users get the assistance they need, day or night, whatever language they speak.
Get the Best TEM Deal With Cass
A TEM provider offering a lower price can seem enticing in the short term. But choosing the cheaper option could mean you don’t get the added value you expect from your service.
At Cass, that added value is an integral part of our telecom expense management services. When you partner with us, you get:
- Monthly audits and quarterly optimization of your environment
- Thorough and accurate telecom inventory management
- Stringent SLAs that tie our success to yours
- Personalized, 24/7 technical support
- The financial security of a US Federal Reserve member bank
If you’re looking for a telecom expense management company and would like to find out how we can help, get in touch today.
Topics: TEM
