Telecom Expense Management and Managed Mobility Blog

New Tip: Cut out the Chaos with Authorization Policies

Another quick tip I came across for you guys that will help cut out some of the chaos in your telecom expense management practices.

Many organizations struggle to keep their telecom environment in control....(well Duh!, right?). It gets even more difficult and complex when that environment includes many locations and limited control over what the people in those locations request from your Telecom Service Providers.

One way of civilizing such an environment is to establish an authorized personnel policy. Creating a list of authorized personnel helps to ensure that only trained people are able to place service orders, request repairs and even sign telecom contracts. An authorized personnel policy entails determining who is authorized for each task and either (1) giving those lists of authorized personnel to each Telecom Service Provider or (2) providing authorized personnel with a password which is then given to the Telecom Service Providers for policy enforcement.

You know we love telecom expense management best practice processes! Well, creating such policies also provides an easier method of creating and implementing telecom processes, as it creates a smaller group of people to whom processes are rolled-out and enforced. This may seem daunting, but the effort you make to create an authorized personnel policy pays you back several-fold in terms of process efficiency, resource management and cost control.

Thanks for another great tip AOTMP.

 

Want to get in shape? Register For Enterprise Mobility Boot Camp

As you probably know by now, we love educational events. A month or so back, we started hearing teasers regarding a new event focused on Enterprise Mobility. Now that it has come to fruition, we are giddy. Admittedly, I am a geek. Feel free to poke fun. 

CTIA will be hosting the CTIA Enterprise & Application Conference in San Francisco October 5th-8th.  Prior to the event, The Enterprise Mobility Foundation will be kicking off Enterprise Mobility Boot Camp - a Two-Part Power Session for IT/Telecom professionals who need unbiased advice from mobile enterprise experts. 

Enterprise Mobility Boot Camp Part I: Examines the "hot issues of the day" for the mobile enterprise, and then dives deep into the tactical considerations IT/Telecom professionals face every day. A range of strategies for maximizing the mobile enterprise through mobile applications and a hosted networking reception rounds out day one programming.

Enterprise Mobility Boot Camp Part II: Enables IT/Telecom professionals to learn about leading vendors in the space, participate in a peer-to-peer, rapid-fire "Speed Networking" session to make valuable connections and finally engage in an "Ask the Experts" panel/break-out session with leading enterprise mobility analysts.

To find out more information or to register, click here.  

I know that I need to get into shape and there is always more to learn in this dynamic area, so I will definitely be there! I hope to see you. 

 

New Tip: Telecom ENVIRONMENT Management

The Telecom Tip Junkie is back in full force! I hope that you found my recent post on RFP tips helpful and informative.

I came across another great tip from AOTMP.  This one seems particularly relevant right now as us consumers are constantly lured into buying the latest technology (iPhone 4.whatever's next, Droid X, etc.).  Lets be honest, it is starting to get difficult to stay in "the know" with the latest developments or even drawbacks.  For instance, what kind of data plan is necessary when purchasing the Droid or will I need rabbit ears from my old TV in order for my new iPhone to work.  Personally, I don't have a clue.   

What I do know is this dynamic environment combined with hundred if not thousands of users, poses a number of challenges for those of you charged with evaluating the options and managing the infrastructure.  While blindfolding and gagging your company's early adopters whenever a new mobile device is released has some appeal, its probably against your HR policy.  As an alternative, here is a little tip that may help a little.  

Tip #265: Environment Management - Periodic Technology Reviews

New technologies may enhance current business operations or may not be practical at all; however, you shoul establish a periodic review of what is available.  it is possible that you might not need to replace what is in use now, but you may find bundled packaging or pricing of services is a current offering from you Telecom Service Provider.  There are several methods by which you could conduct these reviews.  One way would be to require a meeting with your Telecom Service Provider representative every six months.  Alternate methods might be to consult the technological savvy people within your organization, conduct research on the internet, or check the Service/Price Guides of the providers to evaluate promotional offerings.  New technology may increase efficiency, but to make a sound decision about new technology offerings, you need to also consider functionailty, implementation costs and recurring costs in your assessment.

Until next time.

 

"I want a partner to tell me what I need, not what I want."

I promised to blog about CCMIs National Summit on Telecom Expense Management and some of the sessions.  While Ian’s keynote presentation was by far my favorite, of course, I really enjoyed a session presented by Steve Martin the IT Financial Officer of Liberty Mutual Insurance. He presented a Case Study that discussed the RFP portion of his company’s Telecom Expense Management provider selection process.

Steve’s presentation resonated with me personally.  In my earlier days at Quickcomm, I was the person responsible for responding to any RFX that came our way.  Responding to an RFX takes a significant amount of time, thought and….patience.  To say that this portion of my job was both grueling and frustrating is a complete understatement. I am still wondering what I did in a previous life that warranted this task to fall on to my plate.  I have received RFXs that were over 200 pages (which didn’t include our response), ones that required 9 copies printed while asking how we will help them “go green”, ones required on blue paper, one that inquired into Quickcomm’s preferred snack choice is and I won’t even get into some of the off-the-wall questions we have had to respond to. Don’t ask.  

Sorry, I digress.  Of course, I understand that the RFP process is a necessary evil for some organizations.  And while it is a huge undertaking on the supplier’s part, it is even more so for an enterprise.  Scoping, writing, reading, evaluating and down-selecting is far more difficult than simply responding.  When I saw Steve’s case study, I absolutely had to attend as I was really curious as to hear from an enterprise what the thought process was behind this huge undertaking.  I left the session wanting to sing Steve’s praises from a mountain top. He really had some valuable knowledge and tips to share that helped both enterprises and suppliers.  Here are some:

• Don’t ask questions just because you can.  Only ask what is necessary. His RFP was originally 413 questions which after second review was whittled down to 255 questions.    
• Discuss RFP scoring BEFORE the RFP is launched.
• Create a supplier background RFI process.  Ask repetitive bidders a standard set of questions and keep the responses on file and leverage for future RFX.
• Focus on your company’s specific needs.
• Create a company overview document for Telecom Expense Management.  Provide as much current state information and historical data as possible.  Include current workflows and processes.  (I can’t stress how much this helps suppliers properly scope, respond and price your project.)
• Define team roles and responsibilities.  Ensure that everyone on the RFP Team understands roles and responsibilities before the RFP launches.
• Summarize all of the supplier responses along with the following comparison
  • Did they provide the same answer, if “Yes”, eliminate it as a differentiator
  • Level of confidence in the response
  • Follow up questions you may have
  • Supplier edge
• Interact with the suppliers during the process.  View a demo, discuss the RFP, clarify responses and discuss your potential issues and concerns in detail.

And my absolute favorite was:

• Approach the RFP as if the supplier knows best.  I know it seems self serving that I would say this is my favorite but hear me out.  I will be the first person to say that you know your business best…here comes the “but”.  While you may know your business best, some suppliers are experts in telecom expense management.   TEM suppliers have been implementing these projects and processes for clients of all shapes and sizes.  And we have been doing it for a long time and have had to overcome some unique challenges.  

Steve noted during the session that the way they were currently doing things wasn’t necessarily the best way.  I loved it when he said, “We weren’t doing the right thing in the first place, and we needed someone to tell us that.  I want a partner to tell me what I need, not what I want.”

Reflections from CommunicAsia

The Quickcomm Australia team has just spent the last week in Singapore exhibiting at the CommunicAsia show.  We always enjoy a trip to the city of endless shopping, great food and wonderful taxi drivers.  Seriously, can you tell me of another city in the world with such interesting and pleasant cabbies?  No, I didn't think so.

The Marina skyline looks fantastic now that the new Sands Casino has been completed, ready to drain unsuspecting visitors of their hard earned cash.  I had a wander around the complex on my last visit and it's a fantastic piece of architecture.

Anyway....The show was a little slower than expected, with attendee numbers down and a confusing mix of exhibitors.  I think the organizers need to rethink their approach.  Nevertheless, we made contact with some exciting prospects - so on balance the show was a success.  Plus, we ate like kings for next to nothing.  If you like your food spicy and authentic, head on down to Racecourse Road and hit the Banana Leaf Apolo (yes, only one ‘L'.)  They serve the best Indian food outside India in my humble opinion.  We also enjoyed some great Pepper Crab at the No Signboard restaurant at the Esplanade.  Some of us enjoyed more than one.

Anyway, getting around to business.  It's very apparent from the meetings that we have had over the past few days that carriers across the region are ready to embrace Mobile Device Management.  The ever increasing demand for complex, powerful smart phones is putting pressure on carriers to assist their Enterprise customers with the management of these critical devices.  Some of the developing markets have a very high majority of prepaid customers so it is vital to retain higher margin, less mobile corporate fleets.  Quickcomm provides mobile operators with a comprehensive portalthat will help increase ARPU, improve retention - and differentiate a carrier's enterprise mobile offering in an increasingly commoditized and competitive marketplace.

As the old adage goes, buy them whilst they're hot...like those wonderful curries.

Which Mobile Device Should I Get? The Chicken or the Egg

I came across an article entitled BlackBerry vs. iPhone for the Business yesterday and it left me curious.   

The article presents the argument that the iPhone is positioned to overtake the BlackBerry as the "ultimate business phone".

What struck me specifically was the decision by Standard Chartered Bank to offer all of their employees the opportunity to ditch their BlackBerries for iPhones. I guess I was really curious as to what the thinking was behind this.  From an employee perspective, I thought, "wow, that was really nice of them".

But, from a mobility management perspective, I had bunch of questions as to how they arrived at the decision to implement this mass initiative. Then I was reminded of a great video by Philippe Winthrop that addresses the question we run into daily, "What mobile device should I get for work?".  Check it out, it is short and to the point. It approaches this question like the 'Chicken or the egg' argument from a mobility management strategy standpoint. 

We agree with Philippe in the thinking that this should typically be the last question (not the first) you should ask when considering a mobile device for work.

You should actually consider two other areas prior to the actual device itself.

1. The Individual Who actually should get a device?  Who needs it to perform the job effectively? Sales probably need them while HR may not. 

2. The Use or Purpose What will the device be used for? what are the applications that will be required? What kind of data will be stored on it? Is it sensitive data? What kind of secuirty will be required?

The answers to these questions should drive the answer as to what device an employee should receive.

If one mobile device works for every individual and for every type of use across your organization...great, sounds like smooth sailing from a management perspective for you.  If you don't fall under this utopian scenario, I hope you will consider the approach above. 

Have a great weekend!!!  

 

 

Tip #258: TEM Process Management

I wanted to apologize for slacking on the blogging front.  I promise that it is for a very good reason and soon you will find out why.  I have to tease you just a little bit...exciting announcement will be made soon!

In the meantime, I wanted to share a good tip with you that I came across.   

Plan, Monitor, and Revise

One of the most efficient things you can do to manage your telecom activities is to have established processes in place that are supported with documentation. This documentation should be written in a "how to" manner, addressing specific actions. For example, your organization probably has an established procedure for handling multiple resource billing. Proper process management recommends that you have this procedure documented with specific steps on how to process this type of invoice presentation. Monitoring the efficacy of this process is integral to your team since it can reveal duplicate actions, FTE skill-sets and opportunities for improvement. Should such conditions for optimization be found, the process should be refined. A revision of procedures should also be implemented if there are changes to the environment that impact the current plan. Using the example above, the telecom service provider might begin offering billing through their portal, negating the need for any physical invoice methods. This would naturally change the processing of this invoice, which, in turn, should be documented, monitored and adjusted accordingly.

At Quickcomm, we strongly believe that two important philosophies must be considered to ensure a telecom expense management program is successful.

 1. It is NOT Telecom Expense Management, it is Telecom Management.  It is impossible to manage telecom expenses without also managing infrastructure, governance, procurement and logistics.

 2. Software merely provides a tool that enables telecom management best practices.  It is the business process that is important. 

With any business process change, it is critical that the transition is planned and executed with fastidious supervision, documentation and diligence.  It is the quality of this transition that will determine whether the project is a success or not. As important - understand that there are many areas that affect the telecom management process. Let's face it, the environment is dynamic and growing. (if it wasn't, we wouldn't have the iPhone, right?)  It's a moving target - technology changes, your organization changes, people move on, carriers change. Your business process must keep up with these changes and will need to be adjusted as time goes on.

 

Missed the Mobile Application Management and Security Webinar?

The replay is now available here. 

Smart phone security is complicated by the consumerization of enterprise mobility because it challenges IT to support multiple smart phone platforms and an astronomical increase in mobile applications.

Discover how robust usage policies and nimble management strategies help you get the most productivity out of your mobile assets and minimize security risks when you join mobile guru Philippe Winthrop, creator of independent think tank The Enterprise Mobility Foundation, at this free information-packed webcast.

Check it out and watch it at your leisure.  http://www.thevoicereport.com/MobileSecurity

 

Your Corporate Mobile Policy: Its Time to Stop Procrastinating!

With over 90% of companies today have employees using smartphones within their organizations (according to Strategy Analytics), there is an area that needs to be immediately addressed by all.  You need a company-wide mobile policy. It is an absolute essential!  At a minimum, a strongly defined and enforced mobile policy can help keep expenses in control, protect your data, and produce a more efficient workforce.  It can even ensure that your organization is not held liable for employee-incurred damages.   

I understand that creating a corporate mobile policy is easier said then done. Until now. During a webinar we hosted today, Philippe Winthrop, our guest speaker discussed this topic in depth and he shared an AWESOME FREE TOOL for IT and LoB decision makers who are struggling to define a mobility policy for their organization.  The document provides a number of policies and sample language that you can use to build your policy. Click here  or visit theemf.org to download it.

By now, you all know that I am a Tip sharing junkie...so here are two that were uncovered during the webinar.

#1 Create a task force that includes individuals from different areas in your organization to help create your policy.  Solicit members from IT (obviously), HR, the executive team, Sales, and so on.  All of these areas help bring in different perspectives to ensure your policy is in line with productivity, purchasing profiles, security needs, etc.

#2 Your mobile policy should be updated, reviewed and signed by employees annually at a minimum.  And don't forget about new hires...they should see it as soon as that Blackberry hits their palm.

So there, no more excuses..stop procrastinating! 

by walknboston

Is It Really the "Fox" Guarding the Hen House?

A popular topic recently is; what sort of organisation is best suited to manage an enterprise organization's telecommunications needs?

There are of course, two schools of thought on this topic.  The first portends: "How can a telecom provider be impartial to effectively manage an enterprise's infrastructure and contracts?" The counter argument to this is: "Who better to manage my telecom environment than the experts?"

Personally, I come from a consulting background where impartiality is always critical to objective advice.  Indeed I built a business whose key value was exactly this clear impartiality. However my customers back then were paying for strategic advice - not day-to-day management.

With respect to this discussion, the current contention is around management rather than advice.  Day-to-day functions from which only one element is the provision of information needed to be able to make strategic decisions.

To me, an important aspect of telecom expense management (TEM) is visibility.  If the role of managing any environment is to be outsourced to some degree to an expert, then it is key that the customer gets visibility to exactly the same information as the outsourcer.  If it can be assumed that this is the case, then any recommendations that are made are based upon information that is transparently available to the customer.

Let's take the example of mobile fleet management.  The decision to allow an outsourcing organization (a telecom provider, SI or consulting group) to manage a fleet of mobile devices is not primarily based upon a requirement to ensure that they are getting the best deal; it is based upon a requirement to have experts manage the continuing functions that are becoming increasingly complex. Logistics, provisioning, application management, device management, etc.

Nonetheless, to provide the appropriate results, the outsourcer will need to have access to contract and billing information. So what if it is a telecom provider? They will have access to information that will allow them to... what?  Provide a better plan than those currently contracted?  Does this matter?

There are two ways a telecom provider can handle this situation:

1. Introduce and contract "Chinese walls," where the managed services side of the telecom provider does not share information with the network provider, or

2.  Be open and actively use the information to offer better deals

I believe the question is - if a telecom provider is placed in a position where it uses the information to be able to offer (with no obligation for the customer to accept) better deals than their current plans, then does it matter?  How compromising can this be for the customer?

This is of course, not the only consideration.  There is always the issue of carrier A objecting to carrier B having access to their rates. This has always been an issue with systems integrators like IBM, GS, etc., but somewhat now more pertinent with a carrier offering managed services.  A different subject though, and perhaps one that is worthy of its own post.

On the flip side, it could be said that a managing carrier will only offer a new deal that is "just" enough to beat what the customer currently has, as distinct from a true market analysis through RFP process for example.  This is true, except that again, the customer is not obliged to take such an offer and is at liberty to run a more thorough analysis to truly test the market.

In closing, it seems to me that the popular position of not having the "fox guarding the hen house" is somewhat overplayed and for me at least, the advantages of having an expert in telecommunications (usually with a global infrastructure) manage my telecommunications estate, outweighs the perceived risk.

photo by Laurie Pink