Every thorough telecom audit should include a careful study of the customer service records (CSRs) available through your Local Exchange Carrier. Routine analysis of your CSRs will undoubtedly result in thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars per year in telecom savings.

Your CSR is the "blueprint" of all the lines, services and features included on your accounts. Each LEC has its own format and content, but in general the CSR will contain the service location of the account, the billing address, quantity and types of lines, PIC designations, hunting order, line features, service elements, directory listings, federal access charges, number portability charges, calling blocks on lines, 911 charges, and more.

Think of the CSR as a complete database "snapshot" of all the services your LEC is providing and billing your company. It contains much more information than your monthly phone bill ever will. CSRs almost always contain hidden savings waiting to be uncovered by the astute telecom auditor.

Requesting CSRs From Your LEC

The first step in finding savings on the CSR is to obtain a copy of them from your Local Exchange Carrier. Contact your LEC representative and ask for a recent copy of your customer service records. Sometimes the CSR goes by other names such as "Service Features Report" or "Profile of Telecommunications Services Report". Unless your LEC offers consolidated billing, be prepared to receive a separate CSR for each billed number.

Should you pay to get a copy of your CSR? Not if you don't have to! Depending on the size of the CSRs and the frequency of your requests, you might be able to get a copy of them at no charge. Persistence and patience pays, so stay after your LEC account representative until you get the results you want.

Making Sense of USOC Codes

CSRs are structured using a confusing system of letters and numbers called Universal Service Order Codes (USOC). First developed by Bellcore Labs (now Telcordia), USOC codes were established to identify common service elements used by the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs). Today each LEC has its own cryptic coding system with very little, if any, consistency from one to the next.

Pacific Bell CSRs are extremely user friendly however. PIC names are listed rather than their codes and they even translate each service order code into language that is easily understood.

To successfully decipher CSRs from other LECs, you will need to understand the codes and how they are used by your LEC. Most will be able to provide you with a translation of the USOC codes, although don't expect all of the carriers to have them available online. At TelCon Associates, we've developed a database of over 10,000 USOC codes. Feel free to contact us for information on this valuable auditing resource.

Tips For Uncovering Maximum Savings On Your CSRs

A CSR can look intimidating at first, but once you get comfortable with the codes used and know exactly what you are looking for the job becomes much easier. Covering all aspects of auditing your CSRs is beyond the scope of this newsletter, but the following tips and areas to examine closely should get you started on the right track to finding savings.

Tip #1 - Always review the CSRs after changing carriers, LD service or service contracts. The chances of mistakes by the LEC are highest when major changes have been made. Also be sure that any promotional codes or negotiated contract points are appropriately listed.

Tip #2 - When changing long distance carriers, check to make certain that all lines are PICed to the new carrier. Customers have the right to select the PIC (LD) and LPIC (local toll) using the long distance carrier code for both.
You can identify the new PIC by the associated code listed on the CSR. Be sure that all of these numbers match for all lines and that there are not multiple PICs on any one line.

Tip #3 - Search for and eliminate all unused lines and phone numbers. It is not uncommon that companies are billed for invalid phone numbers and unused lines for years before anyone even notices. Be sure to eliminate extra services such as voicemail, call blocks and inside wire maintenance on unused lines as well.

Tip #4 - Review line features for each BTN (billing telephone number) and eliminate any that are unused or are unnecessary. This is an obvious but often overlooked area for savings.

Tip #5 - Examine hunting arrangements carefully for errors. You may be being billed for hunting charges unnecessarily. At TelCon, we have had clients that were being billed for six hunting charges for only five lines! In this case the hunting charges were separate from the lines in hunting.

We recommend auditing customer service records at least once per year - and quarterly if possible. The job can be tedious and is time-consuming but worth the effort. If you cannot stomach the thought of poring over thousands of pages of CSRs and deciphering hundreds of USOC codes, consider our telecom audit or telecom bill management services. Outsourcing these tasks will more than pay for themselves in savings and reduced costs.



About the Author
Karen Thatcher is President and CEO of TelCon Associates, a a 32 yr old telecom cost-reduction and management firm. For free and helpful tools to help reduce your telecom expenses, visit www.telconassociates.com