There are many challenges when it comes to keeping track of data inventory, telephone lines, and network, wireless and mobility assets. With the right telecom inventory management system, you can track, budget, and utilize or decommission assets effortlessly. Understanding the key challenges in telecommunications inventory management can help you streamline your telecommunications equipment and services.
Valicom provides inventory management services for telephones, fiber optics, microwave communication equipment, Wi-Fi, telephone lines, and internet services. With the right tools, you can stick to your telecom budget and ensure accurate monthly billing for everything from mobile devices to telephone lines.
Global organizations rely on telecom inventory to connect different office locations, suppliers, customers, and remote employees seamlessly. It's important to have one central location to store telecom inventory, usage, and other relevant factors. Managing telecom inventory is paramount to the success of your organization, but it’s far from simple. Here are five key challenges to address when considering inventory management solutions.
1. Employee Turnover and Onboarding
If your organization tracks telecom expenses in a spreadsheet instead of intuitive software, employee turnover can bring telecom auditing to a standstill. Additionally, new employees need mobile and desktop devices that meet the highest criteria, while terminated employees pose a risk unless you decommission their equipment immediately.
With a sophisticated telecom inventory management system, it's easy to reassign extensions, manage mobile devices, and coordinate voice and data providers. When you keep your information in a spreadsheet, it's easy to make multiple errors that can inflate your telecom budget needlessly.
2. Complex Provisioning
In hospitality and other industries, adding and closing locations can occur often. When they do, you need a way to review telecom assets and services to determine whether to decommission, reassign or install communications equipment. Gathering the necessary information can take up a lot of valuable time that you need to run your business.
Instead of concentrating inventory management and provisioning into one position, adopt the tools you need to help general managers and facilities managers do their jobs more effectively. A reliable inventory management system makes it easy to compare different vendors, purchase hardware for a new location or replace outdated equipment.
3. Multiple Applications and Databases
When it comes to telecom expense management (TEM), taking a holistic approach can give you the visibility you need to track and manage each asset. However, this is a daunting task when you have myriad applications and databases. When you use a homegrown or disparate system to handle invoices, inventory, and procurement, you get different results and conflicting information.
Whether you have standalone or integrated systems, updating all upstream and downstream systems gets monotonous quickly. Adopting a cloud-based inventory management solution allows all parties to update a centralized repository in real-time.
4. Policy Compliance Gaps
Do your policies and procedures include your telecom assets? When is the last time you updated them? Nobody likes to enforce the rules but when dealing with expensive telecommunications equipment, it’s essential.
Aim for comprehensive policies and procedures that cover employee terminations and onboarding, office moves, and other events that impact telecommunications services and equipment.
If your policy remains in constant motion, you probably experience more errors than if you had documented, strictly enforced policies. Remaining flexible and fluid can help your business in many areas. However, having established policies prevent chaos and takes the guesswork out of managing assets.
5. Manual Processes
Do you still have manual processes that leave your organization vulnerable to human errors and tie up valuable employees? Automating telecommunications processes gives your resources more time to spend on value-added analysis.
With the right software support, procurement, sourcing, and management become more efficient and reliable. Keeping human interactions with data to a minimum can help reduce errors that creep up in telecom expense management.
It's important to understand the challenges that complicate telecommunications and IT infrastructure management. Carefully vet out a telecom inventory management system the helps you keep track of assets and challenge usage and billing information.
Contact a Valicom representative today to schedule a free demo or consultation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: NANCY PECKHAM
Nancy Peckham is the Founder and President of Valicom Corporation, a leading telecom expense management and consulting firm in Madison, Wisconsin. Nancy launched the organization as one of the very few women in technology, seeing the gap in services and the opportunity to fulfill the client’s unique needs while leveling the telecom playing field. She has spearheaded Valicom’s evolving services, including a web-based TEM platform that tracks all IT assets and processes multi-level invoice approval for bill payment. To learn more, visit www.valicomcorp.com.