Cell phone bill auditing presents many challenges for business owners. Moreover, our clients have found that a cell phone bill audit services save a them a ton of expense.
Cell Phone audit savings are phenomenal and it is nice to take savings and buy better smartphones and wireless toys with the savings. We are helping employers and managers across the USA with cell phone bill auditing and usage, reduce telcom cost by studying their cell phone bill, and providing cost saving recommendations.
A cell phone bill is much different than a landline audit. Interpreting the cell phone bill is a challenge because smartphone bill audit is a complicated process, and accomplished best with cell phone audit software and educated telecom audit professional. Also the wireless industry is constantly changing.
The most important place to start with cell phone audit control is to ensure that your business has an up to date, comprehensive cell phone audit policy. That policy should include the following information:
1. Company rules for use of the company device. Is the device to be used for business only? Are there reimbursement factors that can be used?
2. Employee compliance: All employees should read, ask any questions and then sign an agreement that they will adhere to the cell phone policy.
3. Policy education: Make sure that you send out periodic information to employees regarding the cell plan that you are on. Employees should be familiar with the contrstraints and particulars of the cell phone contract. For example, how many minutes should they be able to safely use each month? What are the peak times of usage? Is internet access allowed? Texting? Downloads? Are certain numbers mobile to mobile and not charged as billable or usage minutes?
4. Ensure tax compliance for your smartphone. The IRS currently mandates that all personal cell phone usage be taxed as an employee benefit (as a fringe benefit). Make sure that your business is in compliance.
5. Warn employees not to use their cell phone while operating dangerous equipment, particularly motor vehicles.
6. Let them know who to notify if they break, lose or need assistance with their wireless devices.
7. Centralize ordering, restrict account access to the wireless carrier.
8. Keep up with each new cell phone promotion from the carriers. This can save you a lot of money.
9. Take advantage of pooling plans, utilize RFP optimization, validate plans and contracts.
10. Understand when cell phone equipment is renewable and when service contracts expire and how to use their coverages to the best advantage of the client. Each cell phone company’s wireless device policy is different.
11. Make sure that employees understand that your company owns their phone, all data and the number that goes with it. This should also be in the policy.
12. Will you reimburse employees for your business usage on their personal cell phones? Will your employees reimburse your company for personal calls? Will you give them a cell phone allowance? How will you manage cell phone usage and reimbursement?
13. Think about management, board members and contractors, how will their cell phones be handled? Do you need a separate policy for them?
13. Check on cell phone insurance for each device. What is the best wireless insurance strategy for the company? No insurance? Partial insurance?
14. Focus on cell phone and wireless device cost regarding access, plan minutes, roaming, text messaging, and data plans. All of these features cost money, and each one should be analyzed thoroughly.
Large companies should consider cell phone and wireless cost control software from a provider such as Avema or Cass. These telecom expense management tools can save a lot of time and money and provide spectacular return on ROI. A good example is being able to provide call accounting whereby each department head can download cost reports.
