Every thorough telecom audit should include a careful study of customer service records (CSRs) available through your Local Exchange Carrier. Routine analysis of your CSRs will undoubtedly result in thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars per year in telecom savings.Your CSR is "blueprint" of all lines, services and features included on your accounts. Each LEC has its own format and content, but in general CSR will contain service location of account, billing address, quantity and types of lines, PIC designations, hunting order, line features, service elements, directory listings, federal access charges, number portability charges, calling blocks on lines, 911 charges, and more.
Think of CSR as a complete database "snapshot" of all services your LEC is providing and billing your company. It contains much more information than your monthly phone bill ever will. CSRs almost always contain hidden savings waiting to be uncovered by astute telecom auditor.
Requesting CSRs From Your LEC
The first step in finding savings on CSR is to obtain a copy of them from your Local Exchange Carrier. Contact your LEC representative and ask for a recent copy of your customer service records. Sometimes CSR goes by other names such as "Service Features Report" or "Profile of Telecommunications Services Report". Unless your LEC offers consolidated billing, be prepared to receive a separate CSR for each billed number.
Should you pay to get a copy of your CSR? Not if you don't have to! Depending on size of CSRs and frequency of your requests, you might be able to get a copy of them at no charge. Persistence and patience pays, so stay after your LEC account representative until you get results you want.
Making Sense of USOC Codes
CSRs are structured using a confusing system of letters and numbers called Universal Service Order Codes (USOC). First developed by Bellcore Labs (now Telcordia), USOC codes were established to identify common service elements used by Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs). Today each LEC has its own cryptic coding system with very little, if any, consistency from one to next.
Pacific Bell CSRs are extremely user friendly however. PIC names are listed rather than their codes and they even translate each service order code into language that is easily understood.
To successfully decipher CSRs from other LECs, you will need to understand codes and how they are used by your LEC. Most will be able to provide you with a translation of USOC codes, although don't expect all of carriers to have them available online. At TelCon Associates, we've developed a database of over 10,000 USOC codes. Feel free to contact us for information on this valuable auditing resource.