Finding an old wadded up $20 bill in your jean pocket always makes you smile - like you won a small lottery! Speaking of found money, have you ever discovered a service you are paying for but no longer use and canceling it means immediate savings? We see this happen frequently with our clients and their phone lines. Today we will help you find out if this is happening to you.
How does this happen?
It's common for old, unused phone numbers to be found during an audit or in the process of changing Service Providers. The new Provider asks for a list of your numbers and you notice one, two or more that you don't recognize. Many times we discover that a phone number was used for a tenant or possibly a special project or promotion. More often than not though, the line turns out to be an old alarm monitoring line or fax line and it's no longer needed but is still on your bill. Once you have identified that you are no longer using the line ask the carrier to disconnect it. Instant savings.
Follow these steps
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Request a Customer Service Record (CSR in phone company lingo).
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Identify what you DO know. This is our main number, this is our fax line, etc.
- Focus on the numbers that you do not recognize. They are candidates for disconnect.
Warning!
Be aware that if you have traditional phone lines (also called copper, analog or POTs lines) you will have a group of 2 or more numbers that "hunt" to each other meaning that they roll over to each other based on the first line being used. This is called a Hunt Group. These numbers are not published and you probably would never recognize them. Ask your ISP to identify them as hunt lines and leave them alone. You do not want to disconnect these numbers.
If you come across lines that you don't recognize and the Provider can't identify, ask your phone vendor to come out and physically identify your lines and where they are hooked up. This process will help you determine if you have some lines that can be disconnected.
TIP OF THE DAY: If your vendor finds a line that has no dial tone (aka "dead line"), report it to the carrier and if the issue was carrier-related you could request a retro-active credit. We have seen this request honored with our own clients and credits issued.
Knowledge is Power
Take the time to review your bill or ask your phone vendor to help with an audit. We offer this service at no charge to our clients. Once you identify all your lines, you will not only be more organized and therefore more cost-aware, you might just be able to discard some old lines and reap immediate savings. See more of our tips for savings by clicking the button below.
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