[As a followup to our TEM in 2014: History and Trends webinar (available as a stream or a white paper), we’re offering a series of posts covering telecom expense management – where it came from, where it’s going, and trends for the future.]
The biggest thing that our series of telecom expense management trends for 2014 has showcased is that different environments = different challenges.
Every IT and Telecom manager is facing their own set of needs regarding cost control, security measures, time saving tactics and asset management. Now it is up to TEM vendors to give them what they need.
In essence, this means the One-size-fits-all TEM solution is outdated. Big TEM outsourcing contracts have given way to customized plans, offering just the services needed. Welcome to the TEM Buffet! Clients come to a TEM vendor requesting a la carte options, supported by software. And those telecom management software tools – as with everything else it seems – are moving to “the cloud”.
TEM firms, their clients, partners, and consultants want the flexibility to manage environments and work collaboratively with each other via the web. Then they pair it with managed services like telecom invoice auditing, inventory management, procurement, optimization and contract negotiation. Tapping what in-house talent they have allows them to save money on outsourcing, while still building a robust professional TEM program. This trend is probably the most noticeable, and it will need to adapt to the slew of new devices and technology hitting the market daily. One thing about telecom expense management, it is never boring!