Widespread adoption of wireless technology is creating intense pressure for enterprises to implement policies and automated toolsets for wireless mobility management. According to a recent research report by AOTMP (Association of Telecom Management Professionals), sponsored by Symphony Spend Management Solutions (SMS), enterprises must find ways to manage wireless in the same way they have come to manage wireline assets. Throwing international wireless into the mix makes management increasingly complex.
“Managing international wireless mobility programs is one of the most challenging areas for enterprises,” stated Joe Basili, vice president of research for AOTMP. “In fact, 64% of enterprises that identify lack of expertise as one of their top challenges are looking for better international plans and 56% are also seeking to reduce operational expenses through automation of bill processing and reporting. Enterprises benefit from having formal programs to manage the complexity that comes from having a mobile workforce with employees spread over different countries,” added Basili.
The report advises that telecom managers must understand that service providers worldwide have different business models for fixed and wireless services, and provides the top strategic actions and best practices being implemented for efficient and cost-effective wireless management.
Symphony SMS, a top TEM provider for both domestic and international enterprises, uses its patented EMS™ (expense management system) to track, streamline, automate, and report on all aspects of wireless spend for its clients. “The first step in getting control of your wireless,” says Alan Harlan, president of Symphony SMS, “is to create or update your corporate wireless mobility policies.”
With your wireless mobility policy in place companies then have to implement a solution to help enforce that policy. This solution has to allow managers the ability to monitor and track their employees adherence to that policy…..i.e., you can’t Manage what you can’t Measure. A policy alone won’t ensure success – it is a critical first step, but one that has to be augmented with a robust solution to help manage and enforce that policy.
EMS provides a systematic global approach for companies to automate provisioning and order processing (including the ability to use an online catalog for e-procurement), track inventory of all devices and associated features, manage vendor invoices, provide ongoing invoice validation, generate comprehensive reports, monitor expenses and accurately allocate expenditures to internal cost centers. For international expenses, the system supports multiple languages and currencies, and processes billing from carriers worldwide.
“Within Symphony’s user community internationalization is an immediate need right behind mobile lifecycle management," says Harlan. “International software functionality is just one part of the equation with the most important component being the ability to provide managed services on a global basis. Symphony leverages its global footprint in Asia Pacific and Europe to provide global managed services. This is the real need in global wireless management.”
By utilizing strategies designed to implement business rules globally and managing expenses with a Total Telecom Cost Management solution for both wireline and wireless, organizations can control costs, improve productivity, and realize bottom line savings.
To receive a copy of AOTMP’s report, “Wireless Mobility Management: Over 10,000 Decisions to Manage,” contact Rita Fox, Director of Business Development at Symphony SMS, at SMS-Sales@symphonysms.com.