Wireless expenses are now at least twenty-five percent of the total telecom spend rate for the average enterprise, and that number continues to climb as businesses rely more heavily on the latest technology improvements.  So it’s imperative that companies have a solid strategy for controlling and reducing the wireless expenses.

With GSI’s 15 years of audit expertise as a trusted independent advocate, coupled with industry leading wireless optimization tools, contract negotiation, and Telecom Expense Management through Bill Genie, clients realize significant savings opportunities on wireless.  Strategies can be quickly implemented to reduce and control wireless costs by analyzing current expenses beginning with a contingency audit.  The initial audit includes a review of all current wireless bills, usage patterns, contracts, policy review or creation, optimization, as well as taxes paid.  The initial audit can also take place in conjunction with ongoing bill management (Bill Genie), ongoing wireless management, or both for total control.

Wireless Audit and Optimization:
The wireless audit is necessary to determine how many users are out there, if they’re being charged correctly per the contract, if the corporate contract leverages the enterprise purchasing power to the fullest, what the usage and calling patterns are among users, what features are needed, and what optimization actions need to take place to quickly impact the bottom line.  All of these areas must be examined to fully identify potential cost savings.   

As part of the forensic review, GSI examines calling plans and usage in place to determine the most efficient optimization strategy including rate and feature plans not advertised.

Federal Excise Tax (FET) payments are also examined, and recovery claims can be filed (FET is a 3% additional fee on many telecom bills).  GSI’s initial audit is the best way to get a clear understanding of all current and past charges, and to fully identify cost savings opportunities for an immediate impact on the bottom line.

Contract Review, Analysis, Procurement, and Negotiating:
Existing contracts are reviewed through GSI’s detailed analysis to determine whether the best available deal with current and alternate providers is being taken advantage of and what additional cost savings opportunities are still available.

GSI will help negotiate new contracts either through the creation, disbursement, and management of a full blown RFP as the point lead or behind the scenes, or will negotiate more competitive rates and terms through dealing with existing and potential future vendors directly.

Policy Review, Creation, & Reform:
Having the proper language in an updated policy is crucial into controlling wireless costs going forward.  It is common for companies to not even have an updated cell phone policy or to have one that hasn’t been updated to cover data and PDA’s.  With no policy, it’s impossible to determine who can or can’t have what phone, plan, or feature, and more importantly what the company is or isn’t willing to pay for.

Ongoing Wireless Management:
Ongoing wireless management takes the principles from the one time audit and optimization to ensure wireless spend is being proactively managed going forward.

This includes using proprietary software to calculate thousands of options to find the most optimal solution for each user.  Customer billing data can be collected in any format, and our team’s expertise an insight work to make the changes with the carriers and ensure the accuracy of the implementations.

Telecom Expense Management:
When bill management is implemented through Bill Genie in addition to ongoing wireless management, clients benefit with the highest level of control over protecting wireless assets.  Bills are collected directly from the vendors in any format and loaded into Bill Genie.  Within 48 hours of receipt, the bills are coded to the appropriate cost center, errors are flagged and disputed, the bill can be approved and mapped directly with the AP Ledger system, and management reports can be generated to analyze wireless costs individually as well as how they compare with all other telecom related charges.>