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A growing telecommunications budget is a sign of a growing company, right? Not necessarily. It could mean that the company is paying more than it should for the services it’s getting while contracts are falling through the cracks. Acquiring a Technology Expense Management (TEM) system is not an immediate solution to this problem. TEM Services can be a great tool if it is used correctly, but it is possible to make costly mistakes if TEM is implemented incorrectly.
Here are a few things to steer clear of as you seek to get the most out of your TEM system:
Don’t underutilize automation capabilities or set up vague processes
A TEM system makes use of telecom data to generate reports. It monitors different departments in the company to collect information, and then it stores that information in a central location. Automated processes are used to generate reports. To maximize a TEM system, the employee tasks should be clear, and the processes should also be optimized. This is not an easy task. To achieve this, the processes and procedures need to be audited and streamlined with the TEM in place. Proper implementation can lead to significant savings.
Don’t rush through the setup process
TEM is a solution offered to companies to manage their complete telecommunications requirements. It includes documentation support, repositories, negotiation tools, invoice and receipt tracking, and device inventory. These are just parts of the whole, which aims to provide information about telecommunications expenses. To unleash the full potential of your TEM services, you need to configure it according to the needs of the company. At the same time, the company needs to adapt its procedures to meet the system’s capabilities and features. When using a TEM, a company has to be prepared to make changes to its procedures and processes. Immediate savings do not come from just launching TEM; the real benefits are only achieved with its proper use.
Don’t be proprietary—work together with other departments
The people and departments which are directly affected by TEM include IT, accounting, purchasing, and HR. Automated systems can be put in place to simplify and streamline workflows. Support issues are more easily resolved by IT because they can be solved from within a single system instead of across multiple portals. Management is also able to use the collected system data for negotiating contracts with vendors. If your departments are working together, they can make the magic happen with a TEM system. If they fail to work together and clearly communicate responsibilities; however, they will end up frustrated and fail to tap into the full range of possibilities with the TEM solution.
TEM is not just a plugin for a company; it takes some time to set up and understand, but it can pay for itself many times over if you execute it properly.