BottaBoom Telecom Audit News » telecommunication auditing

Telecommunication Auditing News: Making the Most of Consultants

Telecommunications-editor — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 22:13:49 +0000

How to make the most of consultants

June 18, 2012 12:00 am • Ralph Hershberger Special To The Arizona Daily Star

Every business person seems to have a story, usually unflattering, about consultants.

For small businesses, they remain a cost-effective method to solve specific problems and manage programs. The key is the client must understand the rules of the game.

The common benefits of using a consultant are:

• Consultants serve as an objective third party. They bring a fresh pair of eyes to a problem.

• Cost control. You can use them only when needed and avoid the expenses associated with a full-time employee.

• Tapping into an expert resource. Consultants exist for every type of industry and problem. Why waste your time learning what they already know?

• Additional horsepower. Employers may have the knowledge of a subject but never seem to have the time to get the work completed.

Most of the negative experiences that occur during consultant engagements are a result of misaligned or poorly managed expectations.

Consultants normally observe, test assumptions, analyze and recommend steps to correct a problem. Implementation is the responsibility of the client’s management team or is included in the second phase of the consultant’s work scope.

Client satisfaction is the intersection of expectations and performance.

The best consultants spend extra time with the client to identify their expectations and their definition of a successful conclusion.

Ralph Hershberger is president of SCORE Southern Arizona, a nonprofit group that offers free small-business counseling and mentoring by appointment at several locations. For more information, go to scoretucson.org, send email to mentoring@scoresouthernaz.org or call 505-3636.

Need a cost control consultant? contact BottaBoom telecommunication auditing services at 1-866-FOR -BOOM (367-2666).

Telecom Audit Shows $1.2 Million in Cost Savings

Telecommunications-editor — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:42:20 +0000

A recent audit in New York State showed that the County of Nassau employed more phone lines than employees. This is an all too common occurrence not just for government entities but also for businesses across the United States.

Some common themes that were found in the official telecommunications audit report were that phone line inventories were insufficient, the organization lacked formal control over approval of telecom invoices each month due to staff reductions and lack of efficient telecom management. According to their Comptroller, George Maragos, “”There must be greater oversight and control of the Verizon telephone billing. The I.T. Department will need to double its efforts to bring telephone service under control and save millions for the taxpayer.”

According to the telecom audit report, some of the individual departments were utilizing phone lines as follows:

The Planning Department with 136 lines for 37 employees;

The Department of Social Services with 1,558 lines for 968 employees;

The Treasurer’s Office with 75 lines for 38 employees.

The County of Nassau should be applauded for commissioning the audit and putting a stop to wasteful spending and attempting to get a handle on it. The $1.2 million in savings would be a great way to invest in better controls for the organization.

One of the greatest areas of cost savings for telecom audit company clients is the phone line inventory, which often results in the largest payback for the project. I.T. managers are often shocked to find that they’ve been paying for unused phone lines for years.

BottaBoom Consulting LLC has been in the telecommunication auditing business since 2000, helping hundreds of companies with their telecommunications cost savings. If you would like a telecom audit for your organization, contact us here: Telecom Audit Contact