Why You Should Share Your Call Accounting Data with HR and Procurement
February 10, 2015
By Susan J. Campbell
TMCnet Contributing Editor
The idea of tracking and measuring the impact of communications expenses within the organization is an important one that often demands the involvement of those at the executive level. As these individuals often have to sign off on specific investments in technology and infrastructure, that makes sense. Is it also possible that you need call accounting buy-in from the human resources department?
Call accounting solutions provider, ISI (News - Alert) believes that human resources should be involved and that you should include an invitation for procurement and sourcing executives. Consider that the employee benefits packages and job offers may include mobile policies and determine eligibility for Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs. Plus, human resources directors often have key insight into what your new employees expect from a communications standpoint.
The procurement and sourcing executive may tell a slightly different story, but they play a vital role in call accounting as they are often the ones negotiating contracts with telecom providers. In fact, the professionals in the procurement department are responsible for creating an environment where new and incumbent providers are competing for your business. Their job is to secure the best pricing and the best value for services.
Procurement specialists and executives are also playing a vital role in the process of evaluating new technology for your communications. In doing so, they ensure that contracts are secure according to future needs and not just what will satisfy your users today. In the negotiations, these professionals often avoid long-term agreements with Minimum Annual Revenue Commitments (MARCs) and other fine print elements that could prevent your organization from adopting new technologies.
From a call accounting perspective, the idea of involving this many people in your processes can seem daunting. After all, decisions by committee are never actually made. When managed appropriately, however, you can drive the outcome you need to gain access to the communications tools necessary to drive results. The key is to use the information gleaned from your call accounting efforts to effectively determine your needs and communicate them accurately with members of HR and the procurement team so they’re working toward a solution that meets the requirements of both of your strategies.
Develop your needs and wants lists according to your findings and then share both with the executive team, the HR department and your procurement specialists. In doing so, you’ll be well on your way to putting a communications solution in place that matches your needs today and into the future, with powerful results that set you ahead of the competition.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi