More Information :

What is a communications audit?

Business communications costs are constantly changing – it is one of the most competitive market places with new opportunities to save money and/or work more effectively occurring monthly. It could be said that monitoring this market for such opportunities is a full time job. With different departments – Purchasing, I.T, Sales and Marketing to name just a few – having influence on the business communications costs & strategies, it could be argued that a regular snap shot would be a essential. A communications Audit provides this and more. From telephone lines, call charges, mobile phone costs, broadband, leased lines……all these overheads are used ‘freely’ by employees often unchecked. It’s not just a matter of assessing abuse – albeit some clients have this as the prime objective – many clients find that what is in fact happening is that some key staff are not actually using communication tools enough or effectively.

EG – Let’s portray a simple example. A person employed to make phone calls to promote business (telesales) could be either overachieving or underachieving on targets set. One outcome of a full audit could identify this person is only using 35% of paid (salary) time making calls – and to whom. Would increasing this output to a more reasonable level increase business?

Is your communication hardware and usage leaving you at a disadvantage to your competitors?

Do you need an audit?

The simple answer is YES. There is never a case where savings and efficiencies of some sort cannot be identified. Often the corrective action is a zero cost to the customer and simply a case adopting new providers or negotiating more competitive rates with existing. Also, an audit will reveal deficiencies in working practices and highlight opportunities for increased productivity and/or competitive advantage.

What does it deliver?

Cost comparisons on:

All line rentals fixed line suppliers
Office outbound call charges
Office inbound call charges (if you use NGN’s)
Office to mobile calls specifically examined
Mobile phone tariffs
Broadband and data charges
Maintenance charges on Telephony and I.T. equipment if required

What does it deliver?

Strategic and efficiency management information:

Time used by staff on telephony and I.T. – too much or too little
Effective use of communication in the business
New smart working opportunities
Increase output and business levels
Missed opportunities – unanswered calls (up to 35% is quite common)
Marketing costs return on investment can be audited to reduce waste
Appraisal of staff performance – who are they speaking with and what is the outcome

Benefits:

High likelihood of savings – 20%+
Up to 80% savings in specific areas such as office to mobile calls (1.5p per minute – how much do you pay now?)
Reduce marketing waste – identifies where calls come from and how much you spent generating those calls
Increase output and work rate – resulting in more business.