Some Telecom Data Collecting Tips

Collecting the data is one of the most important activities required .audit is that of collecting all of the appropriate and applicable data that is to be included within the framework of the audit.

It makes sense that telecom auditing success and eventual cost savings is directly related to the initial data that is collected. This data is then thoroughly reviewed/analyzed during the entire audit process. Telecom data that is NOT collected obviously cannot be analyzed, and that could result in limited savings over the course of the entire audit. As they say, "garbage in, garbage out."

It is easy to forget or to simply leave out important data. The following checklist will help keep you on track as you begin the telecom audit process. Prepare a manila folder for the following items and label each with its appropriate title. Once you have collected and organized each item, simply check that item off the list. Be sure to have a pad of Post-it notes handy too!

The most obvious source for data collection is telephone bills. Before you hastily gather them up however, first determine the manner in which your basic telecom services are billed. Start with local telephone bills and branch out from there. Long-distance services may be billed on the same statement as local bills or they may be included on a separate bill altogether. If they do come separately, be sure to include them in separate folders.

After you have collected and organized local and long-distance bills, next concentrate on wireless services. First determine if your wireless services are billed as a group or as individual accounts. If a separate bill is received for each wireless phone, be sure to collect each and every one of them. There may be wireless phones that are not in use but are still being billed on a monthly basis. Include all wireless phone bills into one folder.