Tips For Uncovering Maximum Savings On Your CSRs

A CSR can look intimidating at first, but once you get comfortable with codes used and know exactly what you are looking for job becomes much easier. Covering all aspects of auditing your CSRs is beyond scope of this newsletter, but following tips and areas to examine closely should get you started on right track to finding savings.

Tip #1 - Always review CSRs after changing carriers, LD service or service contracts. The chances of mistakes by LEC are highest when major changes have been made. Also be sure that any promotional codes or negotiated contract points are appropriately listed.

Tip #2 - When changing long distance carriers, check to make certain that all lines are PICed to new carrier. Customers have right to select PIC (LD) and LPIC (local toll) using long distance carrier code for both. You can identify new PIC by associated code listed on CSR. Be sure that all of these numbers match for all lines and that there are not multiple PICs on any one line.

Tip #3 - Search for and eliminate all unused lines and phone numbers. It is not uncommon that companies are billed for invalid phone numbers and unused lines for years before anyone even notices. Be sure to eliminate extra services such as voicemail, call blocks and inside wire maintenance on unused lines as well.

Tip #4 - Review line features for each BTN (billing telephone number) and eliminate any that are unused or are unnecessary. This is an obvious but often overlooked area for savings.

Tip #5 - Examine hunting arrangements carefully for errors. You may be being billed for hunting charges unnecessarily. At TelCon, we have had clients that were being billed for six hunting charges for only five lines! In this case hunting charges were separate from lines in hunting.

We recommend auditing customer service records at least once per year - and quarterly if possible. The job can be tedious and is time-consuming but worth effort. If you cannot stomach thought of poring over thousands of pages of CSRs and deciphering hundreds of USOC codes, consider our telecom audit or telecom bill management services. Outsourcing these tasks will more than pay for themselves in savings and reduced costs.

Outsourcing proves quite worthwhile and beneficial during period of slump in a country’s economy. When profits are under threat and it becomes imperative to reduce costs, outsourcing is perhaps best way to mutilate costs without compromising on good quality of work. Besides this BPO also liberates big companies of labor oriented problems or issues, thereby enabling them to be more focused and streamlined to enhance their work.

There are various sectors in which outsourcing is holding grips. These are Financial sector, IT, Telecommunications, Advertising, Courier Services and Customer Support Services. A case in point can be Spectra mind that undertakes many of crucial tasks (insurance, telecom etc.) for clients in US and Europe.

But outsourcing process is not acceptable to everyone due to its complementary disadvantages. People often believe that outsourcing leads to drainage of jobs. It is believed to create an acute unemployment for qualified professionals of that very nation. Moreover there threat of delayed work failing to meet deadlines and targets and most importantly that of leakage of confidential information is always lurking in overseas outsourcing. The companies also do not get to confront or communicate directly with their key clients which makes them all more dependent on their offshore agencies.

Like every other phenomenon, outsourcing in business too has tail of ethics attached to it. However, truth is that it is one of best ways for a company to expand, enhance its growth and minimize costs. But a company should not be just enchanted by merits of outsourcing but should also be considerate of its pitfalls.