10 Ways to Prepare Your Company to Switch to a New TEM Provider

There are many different reasons why you might need to switch TEM (Telecom Expense Management) providers. Your current TEM provider might not be as strong as you’d like them to be. Maybe they aren’t providing enough visibility.

No matter what the reason, implementing these tips can turn this stressful process of changing TEM providers into a breeze.

Read on to learn about the 10 steps that will help prepare you for the switch.

1. Be sure to list everything that you’d like from your new TEM telecom expense management provider, so you can ensure you’re upgrading and not just changing the scenery. Don’t leave anything out, as everything you’re looking for is surely important.

2. Involve your whole team in the transition. Be sure to include employees from departments such as finance and IT. Give each individual the time and mental space to prepare themselves for such an important transition. Also, listen to all their thoughts and ideas about the possibility of this transition.

3. After you’ve chosen a new TEM provider, talk with them about how they can help ensure a smooth transition. They might have tips and tricks for getting rid of your old one.

4. Reexamine your new provider even after you believed a decision was made. If your needs aren’t being met, then you can always keep looking around. Just make sure you don’t sign anything until you’re absolutely sure this provider is right for you.

5. Find all the data that your new provider might need. This includes important factors like service agreements and invoices. This might take some time, so give yourself and your team enough room to do this accurately.

6. Make sure your inventory is organized. You should know about all of the components and where you can access that information if you need to in the future.

7. Inform all of your telecom and IT related vendors about your transition to a new TEM provider. It’s always good to give a ton of time for them to work out the possible kinks.

8. Talk with your new TEM provider about streamlining the process. Go over your current methods, processes, and involvement, so that the new provider can use this information to improve your everyday telecom management.

9. Inform your current TEM provider of your decision to move to a new one. Prepare yourself for a reaction that might not be so professional, but hope for the best as well. They might be able to aid in the transition.

10. Test the components of your new TEM provider before going live. They should be able to run a simulation that’ll help you analyze their readiness.

After the provider has been tested, you’re ready to go live. Switching TEM providers might be a tedious process, but educating yourself and informing those around you can only help you and your business move through this transitional period as quickly as possible.

Following these steps in the order they appear, and checking back to make sure you have followed each step thoroughly, should translate into a neat conversion.