The Ever Changing Office Supply World:

Presently, SBC and the other major carriers have reduced staff and eliminated jobs.  Whenever a business wants to change carriers LOOK OUT!!!  The major Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOC) are not interested in helping competitive carriers take their clients.  Therefore when a major change (switching carriers) is ordered, the process is extremely tedious and full of major service interruptions. 

Whenever a business wants to change from a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) staffing and cooperation between the CLEC and the new carrier is limited to frustration and dramatic service disruptions.

If a business is not willing to suffer through carrier changes enormous costs will be incurred.  ATI has been able to solve these problems by assigning knowledgeable full time staff (people that have worked for various carriers for many years and now work for ATI)  to carrier changes.  ATI has been able to minimize major service disruptions.

This has enabled ATI to save its clients millions of dollars and enable ATI clients to benefit from new and better programs.

The critical element is knowing what services and phone numbers you have and properly conveying this information to all parties involved in a service change.  Getting bills before and after a service change is essential to keeping the costs under control.  Following up on every step of the carrier change is essential.

Telecommunication Rates Continue to Fall:

As telecommunication rates fall why are most business paying more than they should?  Legacy billing systems that cannot handle multiple locations, special promotions and programs are found somewhere in all carrier networks.  Carrier staff is unable and/or unwilling to keep up with the needs of the residential and business users. 

All phone users have grown up to expect service.  When a phone service person promises to do something we have learned to believe that the promise will be fulfilled.  This is not the case today and let this serve as notice that you must check to make sure what was promised is done.  You must check, recheck and check again or it will get away from you and you will pay much more than you should for this same service.

 Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP):

Voice is now being formatted to comply with Internet Protocol Standards.  The government has agreed to not regulate data and therefore many taxes and costs can be avoided if voice is converted to VoIP.

Once voice is in a digital format it can be transmitted over data lines and read by computers.  Unified messaging, Cisco Equipment, Avaya Equipment and hundreds of other vendors are entering the VoIP world.  New applications and ways to modify and improve communication are evolving at speeds unheard of only five years ago.

What is wrong is that new technology in the voice world without proper caution and planning is an invitation to business destruction.  Business must have reliable communication.  That will only happen if the correct equipment, applications and rollout plans are properly coordinated.

Be very careful.  A bad decision will cause daily stress, job loss and damage to the way a business operates.

Almost All Costs Can be Reduced:

In order to begin to get your costs under control you must first start with a foundational inventory.  When you fully understand what you have been paying for and have completed analyzing your existing contracts you can begin the process of cost reduction.

First compare the rates you are paying with the rates you should be paying--the difference will be credits/refunds if you properly request the vendor and/or service provider to fix this problem.  Next determine what the competitive market conditions are and the minimum requirements that a new vendor and/or service provider must have. 

Negotiate reduced prices and/or increased discounts.

Validate that the new cost savings programs have been properly implemented by the vendor/service provider.

Check invoices for compliance not less than four times per year.

ATI is Experiencing its Best Quarter Ever:

ATI has expanded its group of experts from 20 to now over 50.  ATI is in the process of auditing over $500,000,000 in payables and expects to reduce costs and save its clients millions of dollars during the first quarter of 2004.  ATI is able to reduce costs without disruption and help its clients improve the bottom line by reducing costs and eliminating waste. 

OUR PROMISE TO YOU: "We have developed services and systems so you will have the most cost effective Procurement Services possible.  We  inventory your equipment, services, commodity purchases and make recommendations that best support your Cost Containment goals.  ATI will be able to work with your existing vendors and develop  saving suggestions that will substantially reduce your procurement costs and your service provider costs.   We do not work for vendors we work for you." 

We hope you will look forward to the Communicator and would appreciate any feedback that you would like to provide. 

Please email comments to dc@auditbills.com

ATI Cost Containment and Management Services

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