The FCC Said You Lost Money

Who is investing the time to carefully scrutinize your mobile costs?

The Los Angeles Times reported in June of 2015, that, "Wireless carrier AT&T could be forced to pay $100 million after the Federal Communications Commission found that the company had slowed data networks for unlimited plan holders without informing them, the agency said Wednesday.  Since 2011, thousands of customers had complained to the FCC that AT&T had drastically reduced their network speeds . . .

'Consumers deserve to get what they pay for,' said FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler in a statement. 'The FCC will not stand idly by while consumers are deceived by misleading marketing materials and insufficient disclosure.'

The proposed fine represents the largest in FCC history, according to FCC spokesman Neil Grace, and was calculated after the agency estimated that AT&T had earned billions from locking consumers into plans falsely advertised as 'unlimited.'"

The previous month, in May 2015, the Los Angeles Times also reported that all four major wireless carriers overcharged their clients, "Verizon and Sprint are paying a combined $158 million to settle investigations into unauthorized charges placed on their customers' phone bills. The practice is known as 'cramming,' and with [this] announcement, the Federal Communications Commission has now made cramming settlements with all four major wireless carriers — AT&T settled in October for $105 million, and T-Mobile settled in December for $90 million. Of [the] $158 million, $90 million will come from Verizon and $68 million will come from Sprint."

Let's talk about you. (503) 972-9999

Small Problem Stealing Big Time

This specific example illustrates our attentiveness to detail and follow through.  We saved our client money, time, and aggravation.  

A telecom billing problem caused consistent aggravation.  Prior to engaging CMS services, the employees of a company spent numerous hours during a 4-month period attempting to resolve a small billing problem with a carrier for one of their office locations.  The employees’ time and distraction totaled to much greater value than the invoice error.  Aggravation with the issue continued to increase, and distracted the employees’ attention from higher priority work.

Once CMS was engaged, a CMS account manager invested 4 hours to correct the problem.  One call lasted 2 hours: hold time, transfer to supervisors, and transfer to different departments.  CMS identified that the client account had not billed on the correct carrier platform, which resulted in the unnecessary charges. 

Credit issued.  Problem solved.  

CMS eliminates at least 90% of the items on your telecom/cellular to-do list, and simultaneously reduces hard-dollar monthly costs.  We guarantee measurable results. 

Let's talk (503) 972-9999.  See us at www.cmsenterprisesinc.com

Consolidated Bill: Better Scrutiny Yields Lower Cost

Many organizations don't have the time to carefully scrutinize consolidated billing.  

CMS discovered that a new client was paying for two point-to-point circuits.  Problem: The circuits had not been used in 10 years.  The carrier billed for these two circuits, along with other services, in a consolidated bill.  There was no red flag.  We contacted the carrier, and disconnected the circuits.  We followed through to make sure the invoice reflected the disconnects.  

If you are enjoying the convenience of a consolidated bill (also know as aggregation, or summary invoice), the carrier may be enjoying the benefit of receiving over-payment from you. 

CMS will give you complete visibility for you to know what you have, why you have it, and why you are paying that dollar amount.  CMS routinely finds unexpected hard-dollar savings for its clients.  That’s part of our job. 

You get pure savings.  No contingency commissions.  We do all the legwork.  Thorough scrutiny.  Exhaustive follow through.  Flat fee.  No change of carriers.  CMS takes the time to solve problems, and do the work, so your staff can focus on core priorities.  And, we guarantee to deliver monthly hard-dollar savings.   

Please visit us at www.CMSenterprisesinc.com   Feel free to discuss your situation with us, call (503) 972-9999.  Thank you.

Wrestling for Results

A company with geographically diverse locations reduced monthly telecommunications expense by renegotiating a contract with their primary carrier.  So far, so good.

Problem.  The company, and the carrier, did not follow through to carefully examine the new billing.  The company did not notice the problem, because their costs dropped.  No one had the time to verify the invoices against the contract terms.

After the company hired CMS, we caught numerous billing errors.  Wrong rates were inconsistently applied.

CMS wrestled with the carrier, and did all the legwork.  The carrier issued checks totaling $60,031.87 to the client.  The money was refunded, because CMS caught the 6 months of billing errors.  We tenaciously followed up to get the credits for our client.  The account now bills correctly.

The on-going savings, and credits from the past, belong 100% to the client.  CMS does not charge a contingency fee, or accept payments from carriers.

This may not represent a situation of every company.  But, where there are telecom and cellular problems, we will achieve measurable results.  We have since 1989.

Look at us behind our back. 

Give Credit Where Credit is Due

CMS generated a $2,137.84 credit for this client.  The Director of Network Operations sent an email to us:

                                        Thank you Renee!  CMS rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's what happened: A human error by the carrier caused two analog phone lines to be set up incorrectly, and bill incorrectly.  CMS identified the problem, worked to completely solve the problem, and confirmed the client received the credit.  This was 10 months of follow through, working with a large, slow moving, carrier. 

This client manages skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities located throughout the western United States.  

In this example, the client saved $2,137.84.  Pure savings.  CMS never takes a commission from carrier or client, so there is no conflict of interest.  CMS did all the legwork, and follow through, on this problem. 

CMS’ sole business is to reduce your staff workload while also reducing your monthly hard-dollar costs, by carefully managing your telecom and cellular.  For a better look at our business model, and the measurable results we deliver, look at www.CMSenterprisesinc.com.  Or, talk to us (503) 972-9999.

Cancel Your Corporate Cellular Accounts and Save Money

Look at your corporate cellular cost, and divide by number of devices to determine your average per device cost.  Are corporate smart phones an employee perk?  Should you pay for data plans for tablets? 

The obvious.  If an average per employee cost to your organization is $75 per month, and you transition to employee liable cellular with a $40 stipend, you save $35 per month per device.  Importantly, you simplify your organization, and eliminate the risk of fraud and overages costs. 

Save time, too.  Employee liable cell devices cut support costs.  Your staff can focus on more strategic projects.  Eliminate: Trouble tickets, move-add-change-disconnect, accessories, add new employee, terminate employee, user error support, upgrade eligible, pooling, fraud, expense code allocation, taxation issues, finding and correcting carrier errors. 

Nothing can be this easy.  There are reasons to keep corporate plans, such as HIPAA compliance, perceived data security risks, employee perceptions, company access to phone records, terminated employees keeping a corporate phone numbers, and early termination fees are some reasons why organizations choose to keep control with corporate liable cellular plans. 

Why do you have corporate cell phones?

Should you like to transition to employee liable phones, or simple reduce staff time and monthly hard-dollar costs, please contact CMS.  (503) 972-9999  info@CMSenterprisesinc.com 

Problem Solved with Persistence

A carrier's faulty network caused intermittent outages of phone service for one of our clients.  

The carrier denied that it had any responsibility for the problem.  Repeatedly, the carrier’s testing and technicians stated that no problem existed.  Unfortunately, the denial of the problem did not solve it, and the problem continued.  The carrier’s standard trouble ticket resolution process failed to solve the problem of intermittent dropped calls.  We chose to solve the problem outside the carrier’s trouble ticket process. 

We invested hours of time, and solved the problem.  On behalf of our client, we pursued a credit.  The carrier initially refused.  After many calls and emails, and still denying there was a problem, the carrier issued a credit of $2,638.73. 

Please call us if you have problems with telecom or cellular.  (503) 972-9999  For a one page overview, click here.   

Accounting Problem Scenario: The misapplied payment by a telecom carrier.

It's not your fault, but it's now your problem.  Another company's error costs you staff time to resolve.  Staff time is company money. 

Your accounting department correctly pays the carrier on time.  Problem: The carrier misapplies your payment to your other accounts.  This means that in the carrier's system, you haven't paid this particular invoice on this particular account.  The carrier, hopefully, issues a disconnect letter to you. 

Upon receipt of the non-payment letter, your staff must determine and reconcile what the problem is.  Time: 15 minutes to 1 hour.

You contact the carrier, and explain the problem.  Time: 15 minutes to 1 hour.

You must produce a copy of the check or proof of payment, and submit it to the carrier.  Time: 15 minutes to 1 hour.

You solved a problem that your carrier caused.  Your company spent 45 minutes best case, to 3 hours, worst case.  If you don't act fast enough, or are not diligent with the carrier, your service, and phone numbers associated with that account, may be disconnected.

Then, the re-establishment of service begins.  Time: 1 hour to 4 hours.

You don’t need to spend staff time on telecom and cellular problems.  We solve problems, and manage day-to-day administration of telecom and cellular. 

We will augment your staff, and guarantee to reduce your staff workload, while simultaneously reducing your monthly hard-dollar cost.  Email CMS.  Call 503-972-9999.  

Managing Telecom and Cellular, and Drinking Coffee

Based on experience with upper management in accounting and IT, we see the difficulty of broad responsibilities vs. limited staff time. A busy department means it's plausible that your telecom and cellular don’t get sufficient attention, which results in unnecessarily higher costs.

You and your staff can invest the time to solve the problems to lower monthly costs, but you may need to drink several cups of coffee.

There have been discrepant findings on the association between coffee consumption and risk of incident heart failure. Doctors of the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit at Harvard Medical School wrote an article that appeared in "Circulation: Heart Failure," which is published by the American Heart Association.

Doctors and researchers concluded that moderate coffee consumption is inversely associated with risk of heart failure, with the largest inverse association observed for consumption of 4 servings per day. Four servings per day is about two large cups of coffee at the popular coffee chains.

Find the published article at http://circheartfailure.ahajournals.org.

Go ahead and drink the coffee. Call your doctor to manage risk of heart failure.  Call CMS to manage your telecom and cellular. (503) 972-9999.  Click here for one page overview.

Don't Waste Money on Saving Money

Count the cost of saving money, because the method can be too expensive.  

“If you don’t save, then you don’t pay” says the audit company's representative. This can be a beguiling concept.  How did you get to the point of needing to thoroughly examine telecom and cellular?  Most likely by lack of consistently applying the correct process. 

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being genius, rate the following statement: “I signed a contract not knowing the dollar liability to our company.” 

Should you sign a contract and not know the actual dollar liability?  Oh sure, you, “Share the savings.”  The biggest pile of cash can be the easiest to find.  Why should you share it?  The low hanging fruit is the easiest to pick.  

What will substantively change after you undergo the audit? 

There are other ways to reduce your monthly hard-dollar costs in telecommunications and cellular, while freeing up your staff's time.  Learn about your options.  Call CMS (503) 972-9999.  CMS does not charge a commission or contingency fee for delivering savings, nor do we accept fees from carriers.  Click here for background.

Take total control over your telecommunications and cellular. Click here to see how you gain from Total Control.

Dull Story about Disconnected Internet Circuits

Telecom and cellular administration can get tedious.  That is one reason why it gets ignored.  Or, sometimes it gets de-prioritized because of urgent problems.   

CMS saved a company an additional $3,533.66 per month. 

Problem.  The company’s telecom manager, the accounting staff, the telecom carriers, and the agent did not have the time or inclination to examine billing associated to circuits.

The company did not notice the over billing, because their costs had remained about the same. 

After the company hired CMS, we concluded that several internet circuits served no purpose.  The rub was that a vendor convinced the client that two specific circuits must not be issued disconnect orders.  CMS provided the client with photos showing that nothing was connected to those circuits. 

CMS wrestled with the carriers and vendors, and did all the work.  The savings belong 100% to the client.  The account now bills correctly. 

We remove at least 90% of telecom and cellular tasks from your to-do list, and simultaneously reduce your hard-dollar costs.  Click here for background.

Let us achieve measurable results for you.  www.cmsenterprisesinc.com

$209,000 Credit

A jaded CIO exclaimed, “It’s a miracle” because the carrier credited $209,000 to his company's account. 

Prior to engaging CMS, the client’s internal telecom manager had pursued this credit for 3 years.  The carrier previously refused to issue a credit, or even partial credit.   

CMS’ time, expertise, and enthusiasm resulted in the credit to client.  And, CMS has freed staff time to pursue other key objectives.  The CIO recognized CMS’ efforts, “Thanks for continuing to drive this to completion.” 

CMS never takes a commission from carrier or client. 

What if an audit company recovered this credit?  A contingency fee of 20% to 50% would have been charged. 

Pay us a flat fee for our work, and you keep 100% of the results.  


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