While telecommunication invoices are notoriously hard to read, and services you don’t need/use may be adding unnecessary costs to your bill each month, there are some ways to use vendors to your advantage. Quite often you can lower your telecom expenses without switching vendors. Armed with the right knowledge it is possible to gain leverage over telecommunication vendors.
Shop Around for Telecom Vendors
A telecom vendor does not want to lose your business! And we’re not recommending that you leave. But shopping around can be a great option, if for nothing more than to create leverage with a current vendor who might be taking your business for granted.
Submitting a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) from a handful of telecom providers can be a time-consuming task, but it can also be a tremendous way to save. A good way to get buy-in with your operating companies is to be transparent about the purpose of the requests. Offer the approach that there is a way to negotiate without threatening current vendors or instilling fear.
Acquisition pricing will naturally be more attractive than retention pricing. Conducting an RFP stimulates acquisition pricing because it fosters competition. If a new company offers a proposal that’s too good to refuse, that doesn’t hurt either.
Consolidate Telecom Expenses to One Vendor
Once you’ve selected the telecom provider that is the best fit for your company, have a conversation with them about consolidating all of your telecom expenses. More than likely, they will be able to offer large volume rates and enterprise level pricing. Remember, a large amount of business with one vendor is often a far more cost-effective option than having several smaller services peppered across different vendors.
These are two simple methods that you can use to lower your telecommunications expenses today! Telecom vendors have you as a customer and they want it to stay that way. RFP administration may scare them into better pricing, and quite frankly you deserve it. Telecom vendors also welcome the consolidation of services. It’s just like all the bundling commercials we see on tv for phone and internet. More services with them means less with their competitors, so it’s a win-win. Follow these 2 easy steps and start lowering your expenses.
[author_bio username=”Ken” name=”yes”]
