| Second only to Payroll, communications is the | | | | the public switched telephone network or paying |
| largest expense facing most businesses today. | | | | for long distance. |
| Below are 5 tips for reducing your company's | | | | 4. Assign appropriate plans for cell phone users: |
| communications expenses. | | | | Avoid small business cell phone plans that offer |
| 1. Check Your Bills for Errors: This tip is so | | | | more minutes than your employees actually use. |
| obvious that many companies overlook it. In fact, | | | | If they need to make more phone calls at certain |
| companies typically overpay six to eight percent | | | | times of the year - like during tradeshow season, |
| on their telecommunications invoices because of | | | | peak sales visit periods, or other special projects - |
| billing errors. The most common problems are | | | | consider buying more minutes during those times |
| circuits that have been disconnected but have | | | | or carrying forward minutes from previous |
| continued to be billed, and invoices that do not | | | | months. That way, you aren't paying bloated |
| reflect new, lower rates. | | | | prices year round. |
| 2. Renegotiate your contracts: If your telecom | | | | 5. Use conferencing instead of traveling: |
| contract is set for automatic renewal, you might | | | | Conference Calling has quickly become a popular |
| be cheating yourself out of a better deal. Talk to | | | | system of business-related communications. |
| other providers and see if they can beat the price | | | | Company representatives may now promote |
| you're currently paying or can offer more | | | | their product or service and present business |
| services for the same price. | | | | proposals to remote clients without need for |
| 3. Consider VoIP: You've probably heard the buzz | | | | actual travel and the incident expenses of lodging |
| around Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). It's | | | | and utilities. Aside from money, the company's |
| already taking the enterprise world by storm, and | | | | time is also used more efficiently since scheduling |
| adoption among small and mid-size businesses is | | | | conferences over the phone can be done by just |
| gradually increasing. VoIP enables you to use your | | | | dialling the phone. This can be used in conjunction |
| data network -- which you already use to access | | | | with Web Conferences as well. |
| the Internet -- to place phone calls. It can be | | | | GILL Technologies is a solutions firm that |
| more cost effective than owning your own | | | | specializes in helping businesses to manage their |
| private branch exchange (PBX), not only because | | | | communications expenses and reduce over all |
| the equipment is cheaper, but also because you | | | | costs by up to 50%. |
| can make many of your calls without ever using | | | | |