| Despite all the new and emerging business | | | | features.Directory assistance call completion, |
| communications technologies of the 21st century | | | | repeat dial and call return are nice and convenient |
| (VoIP, Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, Bluetooth, cell phones, | | | | for employees - but they will cost your company |
| blackberries, etc.) the majority of companies in | | | | over time. These features can and should be |
| business today still write a check each and every | | | | blocked through your carrier immediately. If any |
| month to a local exchange carrier for a 125 yr. old | | | | of these features are needed, contact your LEC |
| technology - local phone service - (sometimes | | | | and ask if a monthly fee be paid for unlimited |
| referred to as POTS, or "plain old telephone | | | | usage.5) Review the summary section of your |
| service").Although it may be the same boring set | | | | bills every month.Nothing can take the place of a |
| of copper wires that connects to a standard | | | | well-designed and systematic telecom audit of |
| telephone and rings when calls come in, the local | | | | your entire telecom department. However, a |
| phone service portion of your company's | | | | quick monthly scan of the summary section of |
| telecommunications bills is the perfect place to | | | | your local telephone bills will sometimes turn up |
| begin your telecom cost reduction efforts.Here | | | | "golden nuggets" of savings.Common problems |
| are 8 quick ways to begin cutting your local phone | | | | include: more than one long distance carrier |
| service bills. Check them off one by one when | | | | included (slamming), bogus Internet charges |
| completed and you could reduce your local phone | | | | (cramming) from companies other than your ISP, |
| service bills by up to 10% or more.1) Determine | | | | and directory listings that are not listed. These |
| the proper local service plan for your needs - | | | | charges can run as high as $29.95.To maximize |
| then regrade if necessary.Many Local Exchange | | | | savings, review each bill every month. Bogus |
| Carriers (LECs) offer three basic types of local | | | | charges will continue month after month until they |
| service plans. Flat-Rate Service allows for unlimited | | | | are removed. And don't be surprised if they |
| calling within a local area at no additional charge. | | | | magically appear again in 2-3 months time after |
| With Measured Rate Service, charges are applied | | | | they are removed from a bill.6) Consider |
| to local calls according to time and/or distance and | | | | upgrading to a T1 if you have more than 20 |
| or time of day. Message Rate Service which | | | | lines.For smaller businesses, installing a T1 line into |
| applies charges to each local call without regard to | | | | your PBX system can reduce your local telephone |
| duration or distance.Analyze your company needs | | | | charges. A T1 can be cost-effective because it |
| through observational and personal surveys, then | | | | combines many outgoing lines into a single digital |
| determine the most cost-effective local service | | | | line that runs from your office to the LEC central |
| plan. You will be amazed at the savings by simply | | | | office. The T1 can replace up to 24 POTS lines in |
| implementing the appropriate plan for your | | | | your PBX. No one will notice a difference except |
| company's calling patterns.NOTE: When regrading | | | | maybe the person who pays the bills. In addition, |
| from a flat-rate service plan to a measured or | | | | a T1 can carry data as well.7) Gather customer |
| message rate plan, be sure that you are aware | | | | service records (CSRs) from your LEC for more |
| of the extent to which employees are making | | | | detailed local service analysis.A great deal of |
| personal calls. Also, consider any lines that may be | | | | information can be found on CSRs that are not |
| connected to frequently used services such as | | | | contained on your monthly billing statement. They |
| apartment door answering systems.2) Remove | | | | are an invaluable resource when attempting to |
| unnecessary or unused lines.Historically telephone | | | | identify unneeded services and unused lines. CSRs |
| companies have recommended and provided | | | | reveal the quantity and types of lines, their PICs, |
| quantities of access lines sufficient to provide a | | | | service elements, hunting arrangements, wire |
| P.01 grade of service. This means that no more | | | | maintenance, circuit termination locations, directory |
| than 1% of all callers will receive a busy signal | | | | listings, and a host of other esoteric |
| during the busiest hour of the day. P.01 is | | | | information.Obtaining your CSRs from the LEC |
| appropriate for some situations, but it does result | | | | can be a painful and time-consuming process, but |
| in many customers having many more lines than | | | | the effort is worth it in savings and credits that |
| are necessary.Take inventory of all the lines that | | | | are eventually rendered. Some LECs will charge a |
| are being billed, then track them down and | | | | fee issuing CSRs, but with some persistence, you |
| determine their level of importance during day to | | | | may be able to get this fee waived.8) Consider |
| day business activities. Eliminate lines with phone | | | | engaging a telecom consultant for telecom |
| numbers that cannot be identified, lines that ring | | | | auditing, bill management or telemanagement |
| with no answer, and/or measured or message | | | | services.Time is money. If your staff is not |
| rate lines that show no usage.For more advanced | | | | prepared to consistently implement the above |
| telephone traffic calculations, use , our online | | | | tasks, consider engaging a professional telecom |
| telephone traffic analysis program.3) Remove | | | | consulting firm to handle them for you. Ideally, a |
| unnecessary or unused line features and | | | | telecom audit done first will turn up many areas |
| services.More often than not, most companies | | | | for potential cost-savings. Then a monthly bill |
| have lines that contain features and/or services | | | | management program will keep bills clean and free |
| that are either not needed or are rarely used. | | | | from those pesky recurring errors.At TelCon |
| The problem arises when features are added to | | | | Associates, we have structured our consulting |
| serve a specific purpose or employee, then not | | | | services for maximum savings to the client with |
| removed when things change. Over time, many | | | | no risk. We place our emphasis on details, |
| features may be included on lines and users have | | | | timeliness and a high level personal service for our |
| no idea they are even available.Your previously | | | | clients.So get to work on reducing those local |
| conducted circuit inventory will help you determine | | | | phone bills. You will be glad you did.Karen Thatcher |
| the specific features needed for each line. Wire | | | | is President and CEO of TelCon Associates, Inc. a |
| maintenance charges should always be eliminated. | | | | 32 yr. old telecom audit and bill management |
| These charges can be as high as $6.00 per month | | | | company. |
| for each line!4) Block expensive pay-per-use | | | | |