The Teleconvergence Telecommunications Retainer

Teleconvergence assists top management and acts as part of a client's management structure. We participate in formalizing objectives and in recommending strategies to meet them. Over time, we learn the personality of a client, the ethics, the way things actually get done within the firm, and we use that perspective to enhance the technological, financial, and competitive positions of our clients in every possible way

Len Ludwig, President
First Portland Corp.

Introduction To Retainer - Based Consulting Services

When a client needs not a single project performed, but many of them, or when the client needs help in simultaneously implementing long-term strategic decisions, in reducing cost, and in gaining control over both telecommunications billing and contractual relationships, then a retainer relationship with Teleconvergence may be in order.

Section content

The Teleconvergence Telecommunications Retainer -- Not Outsourcing (this article) discusses the differences between traditional outsourcing and our retainer services.

The Teleconvergence Retainer FAQ fully describes the retainer relationship.


The Teleconvergence Retainer -- Not Outsourcing

 
Traditional Outsourcing vs. The Teleconvergence Retainer

Traditional Outsourcing: Firms that typically outsource are huge organizations that have decided that equipping and running their information or communications systems is distracting them from their "core business."

Outsource suppliers are usually equally large organizations, so the process becomes a tango of elephants making financial and strategic tradeoffs and concessions. Giant Outsourcers supply the systems and software and technical staff. Outsourcers assume that all hardware and software will be replaced during the three to five year contract period and so they make money on the equipment and on their service fees and frequently by paying staff less. The client (now regarded as a "strategic partner") negotiates a flat rate or the equivalent and is glad to have someone else shoulder the responsibility.

The Teleconvergence Retainer: Teleconvergence clients are different. They replace telecommunications equipment only when absolutely necessary, and they exert constant vigilance over costs. They regard their information systems as key corporate assets they would never entrust to anyone else. Teleconvergence clients are not usually very large companies, but they are usually heavily communications-intensive and/or they are companies for whom technology or telecom assumes strategic importance.

The Teleconvergence retainer is equally different. Teleconvergence does not supply equipment or software or personnel, nor do we assume responsibility for existing systems or staff.  In fact, one of our chief attributes is that we aren't a vendor, and so we can impartially help a client select from among the entire universe of possible suppliers and services, and will even help the client recruit technical staff.

If you're a small-to-medium sized firm that would like to grow the expertise, we can help there, too. Teleconvergence can begin by performing the project work that requires expertise, then later train your staff to perform and administer operations and billing, or whatever combination of the two makes the most sense for you. If your firm is in long-term growth mode, Teleconvergence can also train employees to perform much of the work that has to be done to manage the telecom function on a regular basis, moving us to an review/oversight and strategic role rather than an operating one. Either way, your needs come first, and our objective is to satisfy them.

The actual teleconvergence relationship is treated fully in the next article, The Teleconvergence Retainer FAQ.
 

If You Do Require Actual Outsourcing, Though, Here's Where We Can Help

If you're a very large company or a good-sized one that is geographically distributed – and you internally lack the telecom resources necessary to grow your company consistent with your business plan, it may indeed make sense for you to outsource your telecom operations to another large corporation, although certainly not your strategic direction nor your oversight capability and prerogatives.

Teleconvergence understands the outsourcing business although we don’t compete for it. A prudent step would be for you to retain Teleconvergence to help you manage the outsourcing selection process by working with you to define your requirements, create the necessary detailed RFP (Request for Proposal), and then assist you in evaluating the responses.  Afterward, once the outsource entity has been selected, we can assist you by periodically reviewing outsource entity performance, vendor bills (or outsource entity rebilling) for equipment and usage, and by helping you renegotiate line items or entire agreements, as necessary. One slight variant on the foregoing is that we may be able to help you directly if you simply lack needed telecom oversight in the Pacific Northwest.

As noted earlier, for more information regarding our retainer services, please read The Teleconvergence Retainer FAQ.

 

The Teleconvergence Telecom Retainer FAQ

1. What Is The Teleconvergence Retainer Service?

It's a longer-term retainer agreement whereby Teleconvergence essentially acts as the telecommunications manager for a client, possibly working to complement IT staff in areas where they lack specific telecom expertise. Your existing staff continues to administer the day-to-day telecom function.

2. What are the telecom functions that in general can and shouldn't be outsourced, even on a retainer basis?

These functions theoretically can be outsourced

  • Infrastructure, Systems, and Strategy
  • Operating Administration
  • Clerical Administration

These functions shouldn't be outsourced:

  • Corporate infrastructure strategy
  • Finance and budgeting

3. Which of those functions does Teleconvergence perform?

We perform only the first -- Infrastructure, Systems, and Strategy -- and we help train client staff to properly control the others.

4. What exactly does Teleconvergence do?

On a non-recurring or project basis we work on:

  • Strategic Investigation and Evaluation and implementation Planning
  • Determination of Specific Objectives
  • New systems, software, and procedures to satisfy changing requirements
  • Establishment of Financial Parameters
  • System, Facilities, and Infrastructural Assessment
  • Contractual Obligations Assessment
  • Department and Individual Needs Assessment
  • Telecom Contingence and Business Continuity Planning
  • Procedural Strip Mining and Business Analysis

Our recurring functions include:

  • Periodic Audits and Reviews Of Billing
  • Periodic Review of Demands, Changes, And Opportunities
  • Contract Management and Renegotiation

On a demand or planned proactive schedule we actively monitor:

  • Changes In Client's Plans, Size or Direction of The Organization, Opportunistic Events
  • Additions or Deletions in Number of Locations or Employees Assigned to a Particular Location
  • Acquisitions and Divestitures
  • Relocations, Movement of Workers From or to Home Office Functionality
  • Creation of Virtual Offices, Partners, Establishment of Offices In Shared-Tenant Locations, Etc.
  • Strategic Shifts in Direction Of Distribution, Call Center Orientation
  • Changes In Requirements for Communications (Voice/Text/Fax/video) in Foreign Languages, Translate Among Languages, Convert From/Among Fax/Text/Voice.
  • evaluate Technological and Regulatory Risks and Opportunities
  • New Opportunities to Reduce costs and/or increase productivity

Finally, we help the client manage internal control and administration over:

  • Telecom and other billing and contractual obligations
  • Work orders
  • Configuration tracking and management
  • Fraud and abuse control

5. Do you duplicate the work my clerical staff already does?

Not at all. In fact, we may simplify it, since we know which invoices require constant scrutiny, for example, and which need only be looked at on anniversary dates. Similarly, we work diligently to streamline procedures and automate activities wherever possible.

6. Is the Teleconvergence Retainer very expensive?

We think you'll be pleased to discover how reasonable it is, especially compared to what you'd have to spend for full-time professional staff to do the work. It's a forward-looking process that assumes significant time usually being expended at first, then a leveling out after a while. We try to negotiate flat payments largely independent of monthly workload, similar to how one pays a utility when ignoring seasonal fluctuations.

6. Is there a lot of paperwork to get started?

Generally not, because initial estimations and activities are subject to ongoing mutual review to ensure that the client agrees with our priorities and activities.

7. How do we know that outsourcing is the right strategy? How do we regain control if we think it's not working out?

First of all, outsourcing to Teleconvergence is a financial decision, not a strategic one, So there are no long-term or irreversible implications. Secondly, by outsourcing with Teleconvergence, there's no need to be concerned about regaining control because you never lose control. You're not putting authority into anyone else's hands; by retaining us, you're simply allowing us to share the responsibility with you.

8. How big is our committment?  How long do we have to commit?  What happens if it doesn't work out?

These are all reasonable questions. You should to only what seems reasonable to you.  The initial commitment is generally for three to six months, if we've not done project work for you before. Regardless of the size or the term of the commitment, our retainers are always cancelable on reasonable notice, and all terms and conditions are spelled out in clear English (or Spanish) in our retainer agreements. 

9. How do we know if we should begin by outsourcing our telecom function or just begin with a single project?

You should begin at the beginning, with what you need the most. If it's a single project, we'll do that. If it's a few of them, that's OK, too. If you have some projects that must be done, but you're really not prepared to administer the projects or the function, we can set priorities and manage the situation properly.

But we have to start at the beginning, by finding out what you need and determining if and how we can best be of help, no matter what sort of label we pin on it. If that sounds reasonable to you, why not begin by calling us to discuss your situation?