The Top 4 Ways to Measure the ROI of TEM
One of the main questions that comes up when implementing Telecom Expense Management is how to measure the ROI. Identifying the “low hanging fruit” when deploying a TEM solution is the easy bit. Often times the question arises how are savings realized and what are the additional ROI elements associated with TEM.
Here are our top 4 ways to measure your TEM ROI
1. Process Automation – Implementing a TEM solution will deliver process automation across several areas of your business.
Implementing a TEM solution automates several processes which are being performed in a manual way as a result of not having a TEM software application in place. TEM replaces legacy processes which may include the use of capturing activity on email, spreadsheets or legacy databases. As a result of be-spoke solutions automating for example how orders are approved, placed and validated against invoices can be problematic.
One ROI metric that can be track through a TEM implementation program is associated with the process improvements made through automation. As part of your TEM ROI capture and document things like: How many request the team processed before vs. post TEM, capture the amount of time it takes to process orders, keeping the inventory updated, the number of errors reduced or captured and the time and monetary value associated with each aspect.
Tip – Capturing the above noted information pre and post TEM implementation is the key. Include a before and after workflow diagram showing what the process looks like today and what the process will look like tomorrow once TEM is implemented. This might highlight to senior management an opportunity to reallocate resources. Your goal here is to highlight and sale all of the benefits associated with the overall program ROI.
2. Policy Enforcement – TEM should be used to enforce internal policies
Policy enforcement might not sound like the earth shattering aspect of TEM but it does play a critical part in ensuring the efforts made by implementing a TEM solution pay off. Ensuring that your TEM application is capable of taking an internal policy and enforcing that rule into the overall workflow of your TEM solution is key. Business rules are established and enforced based on user profiles within your TEM solution.
1 – End user mobile device approval both corp. and BYOD.
2 – Sign off budget or program \ project spend
3 – Approvals related to network designs
4 – Service delivery acceptance of service into production
5 – Internal SLA and KPI improvement – by having “all of the details” required to complete or action a request there will be less delay associated with chasing individuals or rejected supplier orders for missing information.
Tip – Within your TEM ROI capture, document and report the number of orders that were approved outside of your TEM solution. This metric will be readily available generally through the invoice processing validation – the theory here is anything on the invoice which has not been approved and completed within the inventory generally represents something that was ordered outside of the TEM policy.
3. Savings – It’s a well-known fact that by implementing a TEM solution organizations will achieve savings.
Achieved savings from the “low hanging fruit” is the easy bit. During your TEM implementation you can expect quick wins from realized savings associated with gaining transparency into your telecom spend. If implemented correctly (not half-ass) TEM should deliver a never before seen view of your inventory. Generally, you should now be able to achieve savings associated with:
1 – Disconnecting services which are no longer in use
2 – Shutting off mobile devices which are no longer in use or allocated to employees which either do not require devices or have left the business
3 – Removing connectivity which was upgraded but the old service was never ceased.
4 – Billing discrepancies – identification of services which are not billing at the correct amounts
5 – Mobile plan optimization – moving users to the correct mobile plans based on usage profiles
6 – Voice optimization – deep dive analysis of voice rates and usage to optimize spend.
7 – Service SLA Recovery – Monitoring SLA service breaches and recovering applicable SLA credits.
8 – Service Renewals – Renewing contract services which are no longer in contract for reduced savings.
4. Realize value and sustainable performance
A TEM project is only complete once the reason for its existence has been achieved and it has been handed over to the business in such a way that the business can now sustain the project outcomes. As the program progresses document and report the number of identified services which were billing to locations which had been ceased as a result saved $X per year. Sustainability is determined by an organization’s ability to create and deliver value for all stakeholders on a continuing basis. Post implementation say in 3-6 months and continually thereafter follow up with end users to assess the workflow controls, system functionality, etc. to understand where the process or system performance can be improved.
For further guidance on sustaining your TEM ROI check out our blog posts:
How to Validate Telecom Invoices
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