Last week I talked about our core telecom auditing process, but I left out one important area: cellular service. Mobile phones are GILL Technologies’ specialty; we handle everything from cellular expense management to procurement. I held off on that topic because I wanted to talk about it in detail — and that’s what I’m doing today.

We use the same three step process (cost audit, expense management plan, customer service presentation) for cell phone plans as we do for other telecommunications items, but a cell phone cost audit includes several unique factors:

Basic Plan Features: I look at basic inbound and outbound charges along with core features like texting and Internet. Modern cellular service plans are feature-heavy — and charge-heavy, too. Service providers present these packages individually, but I use our internal clues to audit them from a global perspective. That way, I can compare the costs per service for various combinations.

Data/Smartphones: Blackberries, 3G Phones and other mobile data devices go beyond the traditional role of the cell phone as a land line analog. I fit the capabilities of different devices and carriers to the client’s needs.

Pooling Cell Phone Plans: I track pooled minutes, down to the minute — something carriers often rely on you not doing. We find pooling plans where clients use their minutes efficiently.

US Roaming Charges: Roaming charges are always important, but they additional complexity in many US states. Roaming plans can cut across a host of carriers, each of which have distinct benefits and drawbacks.

Once I have all the information, it’s time to match it usage trends. Cell phone plans are complicated, but the complexity can be an advantage. Service providers set the standard of counting charges down to the minute. Thanks to that, I can track use patterns with precision. Once I estimate what a company’s needs are I can pick appropriate plans.

In many cases, the ideal solution will change depending on the department or individual, but we know how to manage multiple carriers and plans for our clients. One of the advantages of cellular expense management is that your company can save money using methods that would be too logistically challenging to implement in-house. The best solution is the easiest — when you get us to take care of it for you.

About the Author: Ted Washburn is a telecom expense management analyst at GILL Technologies.

Everyone can take simple steps to reduce their personal phone expenses but when it comes to business telecommunications you need expert help. I perform telecom audits according to a procedure GILL Technologies has perfected over years of analysis. Telecom expense management is a multifaceted process, but to give you a look at how we do things in the office I’ll break it down to three primary steps:

Telecom Audit

The first rule of an audit is “get the data.” We keep an up to date record of available telecom service packages from all major carriers. Core telecom expense management focuses on these services (and more - like I said, it’s complicated!):

Landlines: What are the client’s basic service options? Is it in his best interest to go VoIP? We don’t just blindly choose the cheaper option because every client has particular service needs. At the same time, once we do know those needs, it helps us zero in on the most cost-effective solution.

Long Distance: There are so many long distance packages around that it’s hard to find the right choice for even basic consumer needs, much less those of a busy corporation. Once again, the answer lies in the client’s usage patterns. (This aspect of our process is so important that we developed proprietary software to master it — but that’s a story for another post.)

International: Don’t confuse this with ordinary long distance! Businesses’ international usage patterns aren’t the same as their continental long distance habits, and the fees are quite different, too. For some companies, international service is a non-issue; others call the other side of the world more often than locations in their home city.

Internet: Once again, usage and available services determine the best strategy. Some companies are web-centric enough to make this an entirely separate communications item — even the biggest communications expense of all.

Telecom Expense Management Proposal

After we compare available services with the clients needs and usage patterns, it’s time to formulate a plan. I create at least two proposals for every client. One of these is typically a conservative plan that sticks with the existing carrier. The others are a bit more adventurous. Even a basic plan can include room for improvement, however. We might tweak an agreement slightly or discover billing errors.

(Actually, I find a lot of billing errors on the job. To err is human, but to really screw things up, you need a phone company. Since 2006 we’ve discovered over $170,000 in erroneous charges. Strangely, the phone companies rarely make the mistake of charging too little . . . )

Telecom Customer Service Presentation

At some point, somebody has to turn my gigantic spreadsheet, a sheaf of printouts and a collection of research notes into a something that keeps our clients informed about their options. That’s where our telecom customer service experts come in. They distill the telecom expense management audit into a strategy proposal everyone can understand. Once the client knows his options and picks the one that fits his business best, we move to the ongoing management phase.

Hey! What about Cellular?

Cellular expense management is actually our specialty, so next week, I’m going to give it its own article. Stay tuned!

About the Author: Ted Washburn is a telecom expense management analyst at GILL Technologies.

Contact

GILL Technologies

2202 North
Westshore
Blvd, Suite 200
Tampa, FL 33607

(P) 877.507.6988
(F) 866.369.5661

info@GILL-technologies.com

Website emphasizes Visibility, Accountability and Simplicity in Communications Management

Peterborough, Canada, Tampa, FL and Auburn, CA: GILL Technologies’ new website went live today. The site significantly expands and reorganizes information to help current and potential clients explore the company’s services.

The new site sorts information according to GILL Technologies’ overall mission. The “Visibility” browsing stream explores the company’s telecommunications expense management and auditing services, explaining how the company saves clients up to 50% on their telecom, cellular and IT expenses. The “Accountability” category presents GILL Technologies’ proprietary Communications Management software, which allows clients to trace telecommunications expenses through a simple, web-based interface. The “Simplicity” stream takes browsers through the company’s Customer Service program. They can learn how GILL Technologies provides client care and procurement services for every major brand and carrier.

Visitors can also browse the site through a specific service category. GILL Technologies’ services encompass mobile phones, traditional telecom, IT and conferencing. The company also directs a Partner Program, where independent businesses can bring the company’s expertise to local businesses.

In addition to significantly updating the company’s internet presence, the new site represents further growth for the GILL family of businesses. Sister company GILL Media (http://www.gill-media.com) redesigned the site according to principles that have allowed it to help businesses of all sizes enhance their online marketability.

“The new site brings together the competencies that make the GILL Solutions family so successful,” said GILL Technologies president George Gill. “Best of all, we’re presenting our services according to the qualities we want to enhance in client businesses. The Visibility, Accountability and Simplicity principles are an elegant way to describe our vision – for ourselves, and for our customers.”

Established in 2000, GILL Technologies provides a “Total Communication Solution” for businesses of all sizes. Clients range from small businesses simply looking to save on their communications costs to large enterprises that want comprehensive solutions. Over 3000 clients across North America bear witness to the effectiveness of GILL Technologies’ products and services.

Find out more about GILL Technologies’ communications services through its no-risk, money saving Cost Auditing service at http://www.gill-technologies.com/CostAudit.php

Welcome – and welcome back! This entry marks the official inauguration of our site revamp. Thanks to sister company GILL Media we have a new virtual home. Our web presence is part of the bigger picture of communications management. Like any other aspect of our business, we’re always reevaluating and refining how we do things.

One insight we’ve learned from this is that an office is a multifaceted communications environment. This applies to the medium and the message. Even in a world where you’re immersed in networked communications, we know there are times where traditional telephony is your first (though by no means your only) choice. It’s not just a matter of nuts-and-bolts convenience; it’s about style, too. You might love texting, for instance, but when you want to convey a certain message, there are times a pure, unembellished voice is the only way to go.

Similarly, our site provides a comprehensive introduction to what we do, but the web demands more: dynamic, concise content that relays the basic facts in a conversational tone. That’s what this blog is about.

Our watchwords – Visibility, Accountability and Simplicity – go beyond technique. We know that every communications medium you use is an essential social channel. Each one needs to be reliable, cost-effective and constantly evolving to fit its niche. When you have a Visible, managed telecom system, your conversations aren’t tinged with anxiety over unanticipated expenses. You don’t need to guess at remaining minutes and charges. Accountability shows you the most efficient tools for a particular department, and the Simplicity of single-point customer service keeps you focused on the job – not on billing and technical issues.

Second only to Payroll, communications is the largest expense facing most businesses today. GILL Technologies is a solutions firm that specializes in helping businesses to manage their communications expenses and reduce over all costs by up to 50%. Below are 5 tips for reducing your company’s communications expenses.

1. Check Your Bills for Errors: This tip is so obvious that many companies overlook it. In fact, companies typically overpay six to eight percent on their telecommunications invoices because of billing errors. The most common problems are circuits that have been disconnected but have continued to be billed, and invoices that do not reflect new, lower rates.

2. Renegotiate your contracts: If your telecom contract is set for automatic renewal, you might be cheating yourself out of a better deal. Talk to other providers and see if they can beat the price you’re currently paying or can offer more services for the same price.

3. Consider VoIP: You’ve probably heard the buzz around Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). It’s already taking the enterprise world by storm, and adoption among small and mid-size businesses is gradually increasing. VoIP enables you to use your data network — which you already use to access the Internet — to place phone calls. It can be more cost effective than owning your own private branch exchange (PBX), not only because the equipment is cheaper, but also because you can make many of your calls without ever using the public switched telephone network or paying for long distance.

4. Assign appropriate plans for cell phone users: Avoid small business cell phone plans that offer more minutes than your employees actually use. If they need to make more phone calls at certain times of the year – like during trade show season, peak sales visit periods, or other special projects – consider buying more minutes during those times or carrying forward minutes from previous months. That way, you aren’t paying bloated prices year round.

5. Use conferencing instead of traveling: Conference Calling has quickly become a popular system of business-related communications. Company representatives may now promote their product or service and present business proposals to remote clients without need for actual travel and the incident expenses of lodging and utilities. Aside from money, the company’s time is also used more efficiently since scheduling conferences over the phone can be done by just dialing the phone. This can be used in conjunction with Web Conferences as well.

For most companies the above suggestions can be quite daunting and expensive to handle internally. Outsourcing the management of telecom, data, wireless and new technology costs, can often be your best solution. For information on how GILL Technologies can help in the areas of communications expense audits, management and reporting, and a dedicated ClientCare support team, contact us at 1-877-507-6988 or visit us online at www.gill-technologies.com