For Smartphone Savings – Standardize, Standardize, Standardize

As everyone knows, smartphones are rapidly taking over plain old cell phones in the business realm.  That means expensive wireless devices, fat data plans, apps apps apps, and costs costs costs!

So what’s a CIO or IT Manager to do to stop the bleeding?   Implement a standard offering for all employees and stick to it. It’s very basic telecom cost control but it needs to be done.  The days of handing a new employee the phone number to your wireless provider are long over and yet, we still see some really relaxed wireless expense management.

Standardizing the wireless devices themselves and limiting choices of smartphones will help reduce your spend and limit the dreaded “phony envy” amoung employees.  And be sure to negotiate with your vendor prior to signing a contract, you never know what kind of a deal you can have if you don’t ask!

Standardize on one provider, if coverage allows.    Obviously, the more devices under one contract, the deeper the discount.  Granted, the debate over “who’s the better provider” can really get heated amoung users, but unless there are big coverage issues due to real-estate expanse, try to stick with one provider.

Standardize features. Is there a business need for texting?  A business need for email/internet?   Establish a firm protocol and don’t deviate.

Standardize equipment. This is a big one, folks.   All the major providers offer headsets, BES licenses – you name it, they’ll sell it to you.  Do negotiate a discount on equipment, as well as the device themselves, but also be sure to shop around.

It’s also a good idea to implement a wireless policy. That cay pay off big time in itself, as research shows Enterprises with a formal wireless policy spend 40% less per user on mobile voice services.

Need a place to start?  Visit our wireless expense management page and download a copy of our FREE wireless policy.