Telecom problems rarely appear overnight. Several factors can signal the need for a vendor audit, including rising costs, prolonged outages, delayed upgrades, the absence of an end-of-life plan for legacy copper lines, inconsistent pricing, and a lack of contract visibility.
IT teams often struggle to tell when daily frustrations signal bigger issues. A telecom vendor audit determines whether your services, pricing, and support continue to meet your needs. The main goal of an audit is to understand the value you're getting, not necessarily to always switch providers.
This guide will outline the red flags that warrant an immediate vendor audit. If you find yourself recognizing a few in your own business, that means it’s time to schedule yours.
One of the earliest warning signs is steady cost increases with no corresponding change in usage. Your invoices can rise even if your bandwidth and locations don’t change. This often occurs due to outdated pricing or unused services.
If you don’t review all your services as a whole on a regular basis, these extra costs might slip by unnoticed.
With technology, we know that outages will happen. What matters is the response from your vendors. If you’re a financial services business in the middle of busy season, an outage may cost you clients, which of course means you lose money but also confidence in those who trust in the brand.
If problems take too long to fix, updates are unclear, or you don’t know who is handling the issue, it may indicate a lack of accountability.
When you open a new location or upgrade connectivity, delays, shifting schedules, or messy installations not only indicate poor management but can also cost your business. To mitigate these setbacks, establish clear timelines, conduct regular progress reviews, and maintain open communication with all stakeholders. Engaging vendors with proven track records, standardized installation protocols, and solid SLAs can further minimize risks. Such measures help prevent lost revenue opportunities and reduce the likelihood that your business falls behind competitors due to missed deadlines and unmet customer expectations.
Copper lines stay because, for today, they still work. They are often used for phones, alarms, or older internet, and usually stay in place until they fail. As carriers phase out copper, support will be lost, and repairs may not be possible.
Many organizations retain legacy copper lines because they remain functional and can be costly or logistically complex to replace. As a result, legacy copper is frequently identified as the most common issue during telecom audits.
Large price differences between identical services often mean they were bought separately, which leads to inefficiency and makes it harder to get better deals. If you see that your pricing varies by more than 40% between sites for identical services, you probably have a significant cost-saving opportunity.
If you never talk to the same account manager twice, your support will suffer.
When account managers change often, important details get lost, problems return, and getting help becomes harder. High turnover is a sign that the relationship (or your vendor’s business) isn’t managed well.
Most IT leaders lack a consolidated overview of all telecom contracts and their respective renewal dates. Can you name every contract end date today? If not, this signals potential gaps in contract management oversight. To enhance visibility, organizations should implement a centralized contract management system or regularly update a master contract database. Proactively maintaining this overview reduces the risk of contracts renewing automatically, missed opportunities to renegotiate, unexpected costs, and difficulties in planning for necessary upgrades.
If, with one audit, you could reduce expenses by 20% and cut service disruptions by 50%, would it be worth your time?
A telecom vendor reviews all your services, prices, contracts, and performance to show what works, what’s outdated, and where the risks are. Take the time to audit annually, and you’ll likely discover ways to save money, boost reliability, and simplify things, often without changing carriers.
What does a telecom vendor audit include?
A telecom audit reviews all your services, pricing, contracts, renewals, performance, and support systems. It highlights waste, risks, and opportunities.
Do audits require switching carriers?
No. Most organizations can cut costs and improve performance without switching carriers. The audit gives you better visibility and helps you optimize your current setup.
How often should a telecom audit be done?
Most organizations should audit every one to two years, or after major changes like expansion, consolidation, or ongoing issues.
Is a telecom audit useful for multi-location organizations?
Yes. Organizations with many locations benefit most. Issues like inefficiency, pricing gaps, and contract problems get worse as you add more sites.
Addressing rising costs, service delays, and outdated infrastructure requires a proactive approach that includes regular vendor audits and the implementation of centralized contract management solutions.
If you notice these red flags, it’s time to review your telecom setup now.
National Communications Group (NCG) helps IT teams audit and manage complex telecom setups, particularly those across multiple locations. We are happy to review your current services, identify areas for improvement, highlight potential risks, and provide recommendations.
Schedule a vendor audit with NCG today to address problems before they grow.
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