http://www.thecma.com/rss/forum/ Efficient management of telecoms billing can significantly improve the effectiveness of communications networks, systems and technologies and ensure company cash flow, for this part of the business, is at its optimum.  The Telecoms Cost Management forum enables suppliers and customers to share knowledge and promote best practice alongside constructive discussion of potential solutions for those common issues faced by telecoms and billing managers. By embracing the right telecoms cost management practices, organisations could reduce the cost and increase control of their total telecoms spend; ultimately improving the customer experience and raising satisfaction with billing processes. The forum operates with the purpose of ensuring customers obtain the best value from their telecoms suppliers. The priorities identified by the Cost Management Forum are: Provision, by suppliers, of a clear process for telecoms delivery with simple, accurate and integrated bills which enable easier analysis by the customer and improve relationships between the two parties. Correctly ordered telecoms provision as an end to end process to ensure correct billing;   Promotion of the benefits of consistency and clarity of language from customer order through to final bill; no jargon and single descriptions for product and services. Lobbying for the implementation and use of straightforward and clear pricing plans. Driving suppliers to enhance their responsiveness to customer queries in particular the availability of customer service to answer questions in person, not just through websites and self-help routes. CMA Telecoms Cost Management Forum Event - 'Maximise your telecoms budget and help your organisation beat the recession'. Thursday 9 July 2009 at 13:00hrsBCS, First Floor Davidson Building, 5 Southampton Street, London, WC2E 7HA. Map The current economic climate has placed continued financial pressures on organisations and trying to deliver telecoms services as per strategic plans is challenging. IT/telecoms budget holders must remain fully aware of the trends in the market, up to date with the latest technologies and positioned to take advantage of all possible services and solutions that can help to maximise budgets and/or reduce costs. In a full programme speakers include Paul Fegan, Director, Mala Communications; Frances Pennell-Buck, Non executive Director, South West Essex NHS Trust; Aaron Payne, Sales Director, Obsidian; Steven Jewell, Head of IT and eGovernment, Milton Keynes Council; Sarah Cooney, Campaigns and Events Manager and Andy Wood, Head of Consultancy Practice at Afiniti. For further details for this free event and to book please go to: CMA Forum Event. en-uk Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:00:19 GMT Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:00:19 GMT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Design Militia (www.designmilitia.co.uk) RSS Generator 1.0 no-reply@thecma.com (Admin) no-reply@thecma.com (Admin) http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/Time_to_help_any_overweight_telecoms_bills_shed_a_few_pounds_in_favour_of_your_bottom_line/ As another year begins the thoughts of many will be turning towards shedding a few pounds after the excesses of the festive period. Gym membership, and more importantly attendance, increase dramatically in January as New Year’s resolutions and ill fitting clothes drive many to strict measures. However, even with deals on offer to entice people to join, membership fees can be high and contracts not ideally... Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/Time_to_help_any_overweight_telecoms_bills_shed_a_few_pounds_in_favour_of_your_bottom_line/ http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/How_free_are_social_networking_sites/ There are thought to be more than 22m facebook users and possibly 4m twitter users in the UK as of October 2009. Additionally sites such as MySpace, YouTube, LinkedIn and Flickr all provide the opportunity to network with likeminded individuals for business and leisure purposes. As with the growth of the internet, there are concerns that social networking access during business hours could result in lost man... Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/How_free_are_social_networking_sites/ http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/The_rise_of_the_smartphone_out_of_site_should_not_mean_out_of_mind/ As the smartphone continues its ascent through the mobile device market, the must have accessory now features on an increasing number of approved corporate mobile lists. True it can offer improved communications to the user when on the move but with its high initial price tag and the likelihood of elevated monthly charges as a result of web application downloads, the management of this expensive inventory item is... Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/The_rise_of_the_smartphone_out_of_site_should_not_mean_out_of_mind/ http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/The_iPhone_is_coming_to_a_MNO_near_you_how_will_it_affect_your_business/ 02's exclusive deal to distribute the iPhone in the UK is coming to an end after both Orange and Vodafone secured agreements to sell the popular Apple handset. With this application driven phone now within reach of the business market, do you see your business adding the iPhone to your list of approved handsets? If you do, what new challenges do you foresee in managing the spend driven through technology that... Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/The_iPhone_is_coming_to_a_MNO_near_you_how_will_it_affect_your_business/ http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/SMS_donations_how_do_businesses_ensure_employees_are_not_being_charitable_on_their_behalf/ Last week a very tired Eddie Izzard arrived back in London to complete his 43rd marathon in just 51 days. This staggering feat saw him run across the UK, carrying the respective flag for all 4 nations, and covering a blister inducing 1100 miles. All in aid of Sport Relief, donations were collected on route via a support team and their ice-cream van, as well as through the Sports Relief website. But as with many... Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/SMS_donations_how_do_businesses_ensure_employees_are_not_being_charitable_on_their_behalf/ http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/How_green_does_your_organisation_need_to_be/ In the run up to the G20 summit there is unease in political and business circles as climate change plans once more come under scrutiny. Questions over how much should be invested in carbon reduction strategies has highlighted the fact that top level plans may be in place but the details on how they will be implemented in many cases remains 'in development'. “Ultimately the private sector will have to foot... Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/How_green_does_your_organisation_need_to_be/ http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/Survival_Guide_to_Managing_Telecoms_Costs/ www.chiefexecutive.com/display_article.asp?id=37039 Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/Survival_Guide_to_Managing_Telecoms_Costs/ http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/10_top_tips_for_managing_your_telecoms_budget_during_the_recession/ With this recession being tipped as the worst financial crisis since the 1930s, adopting money saving practices is an essential activity in every organisation. Managing your telecoms budget has been estimated to save up to 30% of your fixed and/or mobile spend and here are 10 top tips to start you on your way. 1. Consolidate bills - multiple bills can be costly and difficult to manage. 2. Move to... Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/10_top_tips_for_managing_your_telecoms_budget_during_the_recession/ http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/The_corporate_mobile_bill_a_question_of_management_or_monitoring/ It is estimated that personal usage of the company mobile accounts for up to 30% of overall mobile calling costs. Couple this with a forecast growth in the take-up of mobile applications such as contactless payments or NFC and it raises the question: What provisions are you putting in place to ensure you only pay for appropriate business use across your mobile estate? Further information: 02 press release:... Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/The_corporate_mobile_bill_a_question_of_management_or_monitoring/ http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/Bad_Billing_Practices/ What current billing practices have the most negative impact upon communications networks, systems and technologies? Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.thecma.com/forum/Telecoms_Cost_Management/Bad_Billing_Practices/