You wouldn't go into a gunfight with a water pistol, would you? Of course you wouldn't, but many businesses try the equivalent when they try to negotiate the service provider contracts for their telecom services on their own. Unless you're a telecommunication consultant yourself you can't be expected to familiarize yourself with ever-changing rate structures and contracting approaches, which means advantage carrier. Of course bringing a telecommunication consulting professional to the negotiating table with you can help to even out the odds. Carrier contract negotiations are one place where you can obtain significant savings, so make your telecom audit a preemptive one by saving up front on services.

Known for their phone bill auditing skills, telecom billing analysts such as Rainbow Information Systems can help you achieve a significant decrease in your telecom spending. With fierce competition for customers, you're in a position of power to begin with. Leaving your negotiation to someone who is familiar with the structure and tactics of the different carriers you are considering not only levels the playing field, it tilts it in your favor. Of course there are a few things to remember when negotiating with a provider, and one of the most surprising things is that it's not always solely about price.

Telecommunication ConsultingThink of it this way. Would you be willing to pay a bit more if it meant access to more advanced features that would accentuate and improve the way you do business? In many cases you might, especially if you also receive a better level of service agreement. The bottom line is that saving money won't do you any good if you don't have the services you need in place to do business.

Of course determining which services are indispensable is a matter of doing your due diligence, which should be completed before you hit the negotiating table. Know your inventory and your traffic patterns, as well as other pertinent information that will help a carrier price out your network effectively. Depending upon how many carriers you are using, a qualified telecom professional can negotiate a contract that can save you a very significant percentage of the money you've previously set aside for telecom services.

Employing telecom professionals to do a comprehensive review of your telecom services is a great way to uncover hidden costs and possibly recoup previous overcharges. And it makes equal if not more sense to employ these professionals at the very beginning with the goal of saving money from the get go. Let a qualified professional handle your service contract negotiation, and let the savings begin.


Len Crawford is the owner operator of Rainbow Information Systems, a consulting firm that works with businesses and organizations to reduce their telecommunication costs.