When it comes to running a successful business, being on top of all costs and monitoring unnecessary expenditure could ultimately result in the business’ long-term future. One area that often experiences elevated costs is the telecommunications’ industry. Here are some practical tips to help you cut the telecommunications’ costs in your business.
Tips to cut telecoms costs
1. Limit call times
It may seem overbearing and somewhat pernickety but sometimes just limiting call times of employees is the most direct way to cut costs. It could be implemented temporarily to monitor the change in monthly expenses, however, expect some kickback.
2. Corporate liable
Certain telecommunications’ providers will offer corporate liable deals which provide the company with centralised billing, making the company liable and not the individual. This works for business’ that encourage employees to use their own smartphones for work.
Read more: A guide to business fibre
3. Pooling
Falling under the ‘corporate liable’ option is ‘pooling’ whereby a business purchases a pool of minutes from which all employees will draw. This will not work if certain employees dominate the minutes so might need to be put in place on a trial system.
4. Check the billing
Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. Outsource the regulation of your monthly telecommunications’ billing to a telecom expense management service. They will check bills, manage inventory, automate contracts and integrate accounting. Alternatively, certain telecommunications’ providers will offer real-time account information – billing, invoicing and diagnostics – which can be accessed immediately. If this is also too expensive, then do a thorough check of the monthly billing yourself to check you aren’t incurring any hidden costs.
Read more: Telecommunications Trends 2018
5. Monitor bandwidth
Employees are only human and streaming videos or surfing the web for personal use will often cut into the company’s bandwidth. Before opting to buy a second line, check what your bandwidth is actually being used for and remember that security systems can be implemented to prevent wastage of bandwidth and money.
6. Assess services
Before signing anything with a telecommunications’ provider, be thorough about what features are needed for your company – voicemail, directories, mobile capacity, emergency numbers and the like – and then implement. But don’t stop here. Once you’re up and running, audit these services and decide what is necessary for your business and what you can do without. Make sure your provider allows for the reduction of telephone lines if it’s needed.
7. Ask about discounts and refunds
Another check to make before signing with any telecommunications’ provider is whether they provide discounts or refunds. Things such as termination rates, special rates for services, costs for national and international calls must be established ahead of time.
8. Choose the right service provider
The biggest way to cut telecommunications’ costs in business is to start with a good service provider. You want high-quality, cost-effective services which extend throughout your contract, not just for the initial signing. Ask about support services and response time because you only truly know a good provider when times are tough.
ECN is a leading telecommunications partner in South Africa. ECN offers a broad set of cost effective voice, data and hosted services to meet our customers ever growing technological needs. Our market leading voice solutions provide our customers with the option of replacing their existing voice service provider to substantially reduce their monthly telecommunications bill. Contact ECN today for leading telecommunications solutions.