The success of your business is probably not dependent on technology, but you likely know that technology can help move a company from being good to great. Let’s review a few ways that technology can have that kind of impact on your organization. 

Obviously, we’ll begin with innovation; great companies know how to leverage technology to drive innovation. It might be to create new products or services or help adjust their business model to be more competitive. As they say, good companies may follow industry trends; great companies set those trends. 

Efficiency is another obvious area where technology can make a difference. Great companies use advanced systems, automation, and data analytics to streamline processes, reduce costs, and deliver products and services more efficiently than the competition. 

Data analytics go hand in hand with technology, and great companies know how to harness the power of big data. Whether to better understand customer behaviors or market trends, they rely on data to make critical decisions. 

Not the most important, but up there,… competitive advantage. A company that knows how to best leverage technology to establish and maintain its competitive advantage is destined for greatness. Everyone else is an also-ran. 

Having the right technology at your fingertips allows a company to be agile, flexible, and adaptable – all hallmarks of a great and successful company. 

And last is scalability. What good is creating a great company if it can’t grow and sustain its greatness? Technology enables companies to scale their operations up quickly and efficiently, allowing them to take advantage of unexpected market opportunities. 

In summary, technology can be a defining factor that separates good companies from great ones. The ability to innovate, operate efficiently, and adapt to change through technology can give a company a significant competitive advantage and lead to long-term success in today’s dynamic business landscape. Why not give Inverse Technology Solutions a call to discuss how your technology can be the key to greatness? Let’s talk about it. Call us at Call 800-854-2444 today or visit our website https://inversetech.com

We have been conducting tech/telecom audits for clients for many years. And subsequently saved them millions of dollars. Generally, when we discuss the process with a new client, we tend to focus on the savings, of course, because it is a big deal. 99% of all businesses are being overcharged for tech and telecom services. It’s a fact. So it makes sense that we talk about the money, but in doing so, we’ll admit, sometimes, we forget to talk about the other significant benefit of going through an audit. It is a benefit that isn’t always easy to quantify but can be meaningful in several ways. That benefit is that in reviewing all the charges, bills, invoices, contracts, and more for a client, we also review their tech and telecom services in terms of service delivery, level of service, efficiency, and more. The following are a few outcomes we frequently see when conducting an audit for a client:

Efficiency Improvement: Audits can help identify areas where your technology and telecom systems may be inefficient. We can help you streamline processes, optimize resource allocation, and eliminate redundancies you didn’t even know you had. Thus improving overall operational efficiency.

Technology Optimization: Our audits can reveal opportunities to better align your technology infrastructure with your business goals, ensuring you use the right technology to support your business’ needs.

Security Enhancements: As cyberattacks are on the rise, it is imperative that you take steps to mitigate your risks where possible. Our audits can help identify vulnerabilities.

Disaster Recovery Planning: Our audit can reveal weaknesses in your disaster recovery and business continuity plans, allowing you to develop more robust strategies to mitigate the impact of unforeseen events.

Strategic Decision-Making: With a clear understanding of your technology and telecom environment, our audits can provide valuable insights for strategic planning. You can make informed decisions about technology investments, digital transformation initiatives, and long-term technology roadmaps.

So, while we often focus on the cost savings we bring to our clients through our expert auditing process, we need to remind ourselves sometimes that there are so many other benefits that can be realized from them. We offer complimentary audits, so why not call us to schedule a consultation to see how we can help you save money AND so much more? Call 800-854-2444 today or visit our website https://inversetech.com/services/auditing-services/

If your business has more than one location, there is a good chance that managing your utility expenses is a burden. That is if you’re doing it correctly, AKA the hard way. It can be time-consuming, to say the least, to make sure you’re not being overcharged, which frankly is likely. 

The following are the top 7 tips on effectively managing your utility expenses. Or, if you prefer the easy way, scroll down for just one tip on that. 

THE HARD WAY or 7 Tips How to Effectively Manage Your Utility Expenses

Benchmark and Track Usage:
• Start by benchmarking the utility usage and costs for each location.
• Implement a robust tracking system to monitor utility consumption at each location regularly.

Energy Efficiency Audits:
• Conduct energy efficiency audits at each location to identify areas where energy can be saved.
• Invest in energy-efficient technologies and practices.

Centralized Management:
• Consider centralizing utility management for all locations. This can help streamline operations, negotiate better rates, and ensure consistency in energy-saving practices.

Negotiate Contracts and Rates:
• Negotiate utility contracts and rates with service providers. Multi-location businesses may have more leverage in securing better deals. Consider using an energy broker or consultant to assist with negotiations.

Monitor and Analyze Bills:
• Carefully review utility bills for each location to spot errors, discrepancies, or unusual patterns.

Employee Training and Awareness:
• Train employees at each location on energy-saving practices and conserving resources.

Periodic Review and Reporting:
• Conduct periodic reviews of utility expenses and report the results to management and stakeholders. Highlight cost-saving achievements and areas that require attention.

THE EASY WAY- LET US HELP

Call Inverse Technology Solutions. We have decades of experience in telecom and utility expense management. We’ve saved our clients millions. Why devote internal resources to this burdensome and time-consuming task when Inverse can take it off your hands, save money, and reduce costs? It is worth a discussion. Call us at 800-854-2444 or visit https://inversetech.com/services/utility-expense-management/

Some business owners view technology as an added cost. The following provides information about how it can reduce your operating costs, saving you money. Take a look and see what might help your business reduce costs.  

Replace Your POTs Line: POTs (Plain Old Telephone) lines are going away fast. These landline dinosaurs are limited in their features, and the local phone companies don’t want to support them anymore. They are raising their monthly costs to customers still using them. So, lose the POTs lines now and switch to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). You’ll likely pay less while getting better services with more features your business can use. 

Switch to Cloud Computing: If your business still uses on-premise servers, consider switching to the cloud for storage, software, and infrastructure. Eventually, those servers will fail … start planning to move to the cloud. You’ll only pay for the resources you need. 

Energy Management Systems: Install energy management systems that automatically control heating, cooling, and lighting, helping you reduce utility costs.

Consider Partnering with a Managed Services Provider: If you are debating whether to hire another IT staff member to help manage your IT infrastructure, take a look at using the services of a managed services provider. Not only could you save money, but you’ll be tapping into an organization that can be a rich resource for the latest in technology services to save you even more. 

Security and Surveillance: Invest in security technology, such as surveillance cameras and alarm systems, to prevent theft and reduce insurance costs.

Outsource TEM Services: While not technically a technology solution, hiring a TEM Services Provider (tech/telecom and utility expense management) can save your business a significant amount, particularly if you have multiple locations. These organizations manage and monitor your expenses and ensure you are not overpaying for services such as internet, phone, or utility services.  

Inverse Technology Solutions would be happy to help you review the above tactics and determine which might help you improve your bottom line. Just a few, such as switching to VoIP and using our TEM services, can make a big impact. Call us at 800-854-2444 or visit www.inversetech.com to learn more about our services.

Inverse Technology has been providing tech/telecom services to clients for decades. We’re experts. We have a well-honed process. First, we perform a comprehensive audit of a client’s relevant service providers’ costs and then dig in to discover ways to reduce or eliminate them. We review various charges, including but not limited to the internet, telephone, mobile, utilities, and waste removal. 

88% SAVINGS: We’ll admit we get excited about the big savings clients can take to their bottom line almost immediately. Some clients have reduced their costs by as much as 88%. Crazy! You can see why we are thrilled to deliver that kind of news. But one beneficial aspect of our services related to ongoing tech/telecom management is often overlooked, even by us. What is it? 

PUT THE CLIENT IN THE FINANCIAL DRIVERS’ SEAT: When we manage a client’s tech/telecom expenses, their internal staff is freed up to focus on priorities, and the company can manage the costs much more effectively. They can identify expense trends for current budgets and develop more meaningful forecasts. It puts the client in the “financial driver’s seat.” And they love it. No more worries about being taken advantage of by service providers. 

No more sneaky “auto-renew” contracts that come as a big, usually bad, surprise. No more paying for more than you need. It’s freeing in terms of peace of mind that controls are in place. We like to think of it as “results beyond results”- or maybe getting more than you paid for, and we love delivering that value. 

In closing, just a reminder. 99% of businesses pay too much for their tech/telecom services. It’s a fact. And those service providers will never proactively suggest ways to cut their bills to you. Of course not. As long as you keep paying them month after month, they’ll be pleased. Let’s work together to find out how much you can save upfront and how we’ll take care of it so you’ll never be overcharged again. Sound good? Call us at 800-854-2444 or visit https://inversetech.com/services/technology-expense-management-tem-services/. 

A colleague of ours, a very small business owner, recently decided to make some changes to her mobile, landline, and internet services. She knew she should move her outdated POTs line to VoIP. She also knew she was likely paying too much for her mobile and internet service. She did her homework and contacted her current mobile service provider (we’ll refrain from naming names here; let’s call them Provider A) to port her landline (from a local provider) to VoIP and forward it to her mobile. The response was, “Absolutely not, cannot be done.” She said she had done her homework and, yes, it could be done. The reply was, “Nope. Can’t be done”. 

Real Life Example #1   DO NOT ASSUME THE PROVIDER’S REPRESENTATIVE KNOWS WHAT THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT.  

She went across the street to their competitor (we will call them Provider B), who enthusiastically said yes, we are happy to help. This shows us that customers are at the mercy of whoever happens to be picking up the phone or sitting at the desk when you reach out. They may be knowledgeable or not. Unless you really know your stuff, you may not even know when you’re getting the wrong info. No brag; we (Inverse Tech) often know more than the providers’ employees about the services and options they offer. 

Our colleague was wise to take a hike and talk to Provider B.  

Real Life Example #2 is even more compelling. Our colleague explained all the changes she wanted to make; porting her landline and switching her mobile service and internet to Provider B. The next day she mentioned to us what her plan was about porting the landline number. She thought Provider B offered a good deal because it was less than what she paid monthly for her landline. While normally, Inverse Tech would not consider bringing her on as a client due to her company size; we did offer if she wanted to take advantage of the Ring service we provide. Armed with that information, she returned to Provider B and announced she could get the landline ported through us. Here is a direct quote from Provider B when she said that, “Oh, now that I know there is competition, I can give you a much better deal”. 

Real Life Example # 2 DO NOT ASSUME THE DEAL THEY’RE OFFERING IS THEIR BEST OFFER.

Can you believe that? Sadly, we can. Knowledge is power. Our colleague is saving about $140 per month, confident she got the best deals possible. If you could get the BEST deals on everything from high-speed internet, VoIP, and mobile, wouldn’t you want to? If you have just a few locations, it could save you hundreds every month. Why not let us help you get those deals by allowing us to conduct an initial audit to see where you are with all your providers? Then, once we have the data, we can use our industry expertise and negotiating leverage to help you get the best deals possible. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Call us at 800-854-2444 or visit www.inversetech.com

Tech and telecom service providers love to low-ball new customers to make the sale. That’s nothing new. But one thing many of those customers, all aglow with a great shiny new monthly rate, forget is that they may have signed paperwork that allows the service provider to keep them hooked for a very long time. They do that through auto-renew or evergreen tech and telecom contractual agreements. These agreements automatically renew at the end of their initial term or contract period. It is a commonplace practice. Here are some things you should know if you are in one or are about to sign one. 

One way a service provider can offset the promotional rate is to keep you locked in for a long time. That’s what these contracts do. They automatically renew unless one party provides notice to terminate the agreement within a specified timeframe. If no action is taken, the contract extends for another term. You can bet the service provider will not remind you that your agreement is auto-renewing. You likely won’t realize it until AFTER the fact. 

When was the last time you looked at your contract? Your provider would prefer you not do that because it may include some provisions for price increases or other modifications you might not be happy about, giving them opportunities to collect more or even deliver less.

First, look at the contract and find the part that tells you how much notice you must give them if you want to terminate. If you’re thinking of switching service providers, this is critical. Timing is everything. Don’t end up being locked in for another multi-year agreement because you didn’t take action in time. 

And seeing your costs go up AFTER the contract is automatically renewed is a really unpleasant surprise. Sorry but you’re stuck, or maybe you’re not. Some contracts allow you to pay penalties to get out, but they are often so steep that customers choose to just stick it out. 

Our tech expense management team can help. It’s part of their job. Some of our clients have multiple contracts and agreements, so many it would be difficult for them to monitor and manage. That’s just one of the things we do for them to ensure that, as each contract is approaching expiration, we only allow auto-renewal when it is to the client’s benefit.  Otherwise, we’re busy reviewing options for our clients to ensure they aren’t “stuck” with an overpriced service. It’s just one more way we help clients save money and improve productivity. 

Let’s talk about how we can save you even more money with a tech/telecom audit (including a review of your auto-renew contracts) and see other areas where we can reduce your costs. It starts with a phone call – 800-854-2444 or a visit to www.inversetech.com for more information.

What a great post on telecom taxes! This is a recent post from ETMA’s website (Director’s Desk blog). It helps to explain why businesses should consider outsourcing their TEM; keeping track of all this is a full time job.! 

“Benjamin Franklin said “nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Telecom bills are subject to more than 75 different types of taxes on an invoice. Taxes contribute to 20% or more of the total cost for telecom bills, with 15% to 45% for mobile services and 30% for local and PBX trunks. Carrier Service Guides have provisions that allow service providers to “pass through” taxes and fees to collect and remit the funds to the required tax authorities.

Listed below are some questions and information that provide unconventional thinking on ways to save money on telecom taxes.

Telecom taxation is complex, constantly changing and prone to errors. First, it is important to determine if the tax is valid. In some states, telecommunications equipment, including services, scheduled maintenance and repairs are tax-exempt. It is not uncommon for our members to find enterprises taxed on tax-exempt telecommunications services.

Two other common errors concern the rate at which the services are taxed and how the taxes are calculated. Some states limit the percentage of a service, which can be taxed. Potential refunds opportunities include services taxed at incorrect rates and services billed for expired fees and taxes. Some services may cross into another state or jurisdiction (i.e. wireless) during a billing period. As a result, you can be taxed for the service in both jurisdictions without apportionment.

Universal Service Fund (USF)
The Universal Service Fund (USF) is a system of telecommunications subsidies and fees managed by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) intended to promote universal access to telecommunications services in the United States. The FCC established the fund in 1997 in compliance with the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Universal Service charges should not be confused with what are sometimes referred to in telephone company bills as “Federal Subscriber Line” charges, which are access fees charged by telecommunications companies, not the local or federal government.

Universal Service charges should not be confused with what are sometimes referred to in telephone company bills as “Federal Subscriber Line” charges, which are access fees charged by telecommunications companies, not the local or federal government.

Usually, service providers pass the Universal Service Fund (USF) expense to customers, but some other mobile service providers absorb the USF charges. It is also important to note that a number of enterprises negotiate exemptions with the major providers to avoid these charges.

Do the percentages or tax rates vary on the same services?
Carriers have complex billing systems. Sometimes these systems don’t always apply the same surcharges. In some cases it is a billing error, which can provide a refund or credit. In other cases, the provider may have made a mistake in failing to collect a surcharge or tax.

Are the calculations computed from the same line items on the invoice?
The property tax surcharge can range from 2.5% to 3% of a customer’s total interstate and international charges on top of its USF. Should the USF apply to property taxes imposed by states and local jurisdictions? The USF is levied on telecom services subject to direct regulation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In effect, carriers must interpret the FCC’s tax and add it to state and local property taxes for real estate and equipment.

Ask for documentation and justification for why the tax applies.
Some vendor services are also information services that are specifically not telecom services (IP / internet access is a primary one) and therefore it is NOT subject to telecom taxes and surcharge. Ask them to explain their taxes and surcharges and to work from the tax code not their internal documents.

It pays to question validity of taxes and how they are calculated. Some taxes may seem small, but the volume and frequency means that mistakes can quickly add up. Each billing error will provide a refund or credit. It will also provide future savings through cost avoidance.”

It’s enough to give anyone a headache. How can any business, especially one with several locations coast-to-coast, hope to monitor provider invoices for accuracy month in and month out?  

Why not call us to schedule a consultation to identify your potential savings? We can virtually guarantee that your business is routinely being overcharged. Let’s talk soon! Call Call 800-854-2444 or visit our website, www.inversetech.com, for more information.  

Source: ETMA (Enterprise Technology Management Association) Director’s Desk Blog

Sometimes, at Inverse Technology Solutions, we ask ourselves why more businesses don’t outsource their telecom expense management services. It doesn’t make much sense to us. From what we can tell, few small to medium size businesses have the expertise necessary to do it well. We have found that most in-house resources are already stretched, handling other priorities. TEM often takes a back seat. And large and enterprise companies, who might be able to staff up for it, usually have determined it is not a smart use of their internal talent. To us, it would be the same as a company handling its own legal affairs or complex tax issues in-house. And similar to TEM, those problems and challenges can take on enormous proportions if the company conducts business in several states because each state has its own laws and tax requirements. The same applies to tariffs, rates, regulations, and more for telecom, data, and utility services. It can get out of control quickly. 

Here are a few possible reasons why a business would not want to outsource its TEM services. 

1. Cost considerations: While outsourcing TEM services can bring efficiency and expertise, it may come at a cost. This might be true in some cases, but from our perspective, there is an easy way to identify savings vs. expenses early in the process. Our clients have found it financially beneficial to use our TEM services. 
2. Internal capabilities: If your business is relatively small and you have only one location, maybe it wouldn’t make sense. But as your business grows, you should consider it in the future. And if your business is enterprise-level, you may have found a way to develop in-house expertise, systems, and tools. Only your accountants can tell you if it has been a smart investment. 
3. Security concerns: Telecom expenses often involve sensitive information, such as billing details, contracts, and usage data. We understand. We’ve been in this business for decades, and this has never been an issue with any client. We take all the necessary precautions. 
4. Strategic considerations: For some companies, telecom expenses may be closely tied to their core business operations, and they see it as a strategic area where they want to maintain direct control and oversight. This reason is one we agree with; if, in fact, it is a critical aspect of your business, it makes sense to keep it in-house. 
5. Industry-specific requirements: Certain industries, such as healthcare or finance, have specific regulations and compliance standards that govern their telecom expenses. Again, we understand the reluctance to outsource. However, we have enterprise-level clients in the healthcare space, and together, we ensure that industry-specific requirements are met. 

Considering the potential benefits of outsourcing your TEM services, savings being a leading one, not to mention freeing up internal resources to focus on core functions, virtually every business should, at minimum, explore what outsourcing their TEM services can do for them. We’d happily provide our thoughts, recommendations, and a complimentary pilot audit to identify your potential savings. 

Call 800-854-2444 or visit our website, www.inversetech.com, for more information.

We loved this article we found on ETMA’s (Enterprise Technology Management Association) website’s Expert Blog/Thought Leadership recently. It speaks plainly about technology expense management’s role in an enterprise-level organization’s budgeting process and management. We have found that, as the article says, there is sometimes a mindset that “costs are pretty static, they’re about the same each month” is not smart management thinking.

“Using a TEM platform gives an enterprise a single, normalized view of their organization’s IT and telecom estate. This enables more accurate and informed forecasting of their annual budgets and identifies redundant services which can be eliminated.

In many organizations, confusion and contradiction often exists amongst multiple budget lines, account payables and outputs. TEM enables rationalization and harmonization of various views providing clarity with the ability to zoom in and zoom out with different views of the estate from a budget perspective.

Although an enterprise’s budget might be well maintained at a high level, it can be difficult to explain exactly what makes up the costs from individual budget lines for respective providers. This lack of visibility gets exacerbated when a company goes through a large- scale migration project, or is part of a merger or acquisition activity, to give just two examples. In such instances, being able to track the reduction in one budget line against the increase of another is imperative for good management control. It’s no longer acceptable for management to have a mindset that “the costs are pretty static, they’re about the same each month.” One of Europe’s largest retailers benefited from a review comparing various elements; using a combination of price book costs. This gave Management a clear picture of their ongoing spend, historic and, redundant services. Working closely with the retailer and its network providers, we were able to manage and adjust the budget accordingly.

Providing this kind of flexibility to a client helps them in a number of ways; it means that managing the budget going forward becomes far easier, and also makes the invoice payment process more closely aligned to the existing budget, and it makes tracking and paying invoices far simpler.

To cite our European retailer client, giving greater visibility of the underlying spend in the budget provided detailed product level information that allowed them to drastically reduce their budget and manage special projects like a complex WAN migration. Significant cost that would have been otherwise ignored without TEM was given this greater level of transparency. It highlighted services which had been left within the estate for years from previous projects which were still actively billing, and due to the incumbent invoice approval process had never been picked up.

Using TEM not only provides an enterprise with a clearer, more accurate budgeting process, but it also enables a deeper understanding of their entire IT and telecom estate, meaning costs can be tracked as well as reduced against the current budget, while forecasting for the following year.”

If this article motivates you to dig in a little more about understanding and managing your IT and telecom expenses, look no further. Inverse Technology Solutions has been providing TEM services to clients for decades. While we help all clients, we find that those with multiple locations, especially geographically dispersed, benefit from our services most and save the most money. We would be honored to help your organization with your TEM expense management. Just call 800-854-2444 or visit our website, www.inversetech.com. You can schedule a consult directly from there.