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CostChecks Auditing Services, LLC PO Box 926, Melrose, Florida 32666-0926 |
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CostChecks Auditing Services, LLC helps business, non-profits, and governmental entities reduce overall telecom costs through the audit and analysis of their telephone bills. The primary purposes of an audit are to 1) identify and recover past overcharges, and 2) identify cost-reducing measures to present to the client for consideration. Years of experience working successfully with many clients tells us there's a good chance we can help YOU reduce telecommunications costs.
Our MissionPlain and Simple: Reduce the client's costs in ways that make sense. On average, CostChecks can reduce a client's telecom costs about 20%. In a few cases, reductions have been as high as 50%. Of course, there are no guarantees costs can be reduced at all. But fewer than 10% of cases result in no cost reduction. CostChecks acts solely as an advocate for the client's interests, and accepts no compensation from vendors of telephone or utility products or services. In this way, the company retains its independence and objectivity. Plus, our independence lends credibility to any cost-reduction measures presented to the client.
Company ProfileReid F. Tillery. In 1995, Reid F. Tillery of Melrose, Florida started the company as CostChecks Auditing Services. It was later reformed as the Limited Liability Company it is today. Since the company began in 1995, CostChecks has saved its clients well over a million dollars. Tillery holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the Florida State University (1971) and a Master of Education degree from the University of Georgia (1979). His accounting background was primarily in Federal Income Tax, and he was enrolled to practice before the Internal Revenue Service. Having been involved in accounting for many years, Tillery decided to turn from taxes and apply his accounting skills to helping businesses reduce operating costs. Reduced costs, after all, add to the bottom line, as much as increased revenue. One major cost—telecom—proved to be the most complex, as well as the most "reducible" cost. Over 10 years of analyzing telecom bills from many clients has given Tillery a good insight into how things should be billed. It's this specific knowledge that works in the client's favor. Here are specific examples in which Tillery has successfully reduced the client's cost:
These are just a few examples of cost-reducing actions implemented on behalf of clients. There are many more. Jim Moore. Jim Moore, a retired Bellsouth Systems Designer and Network Sales Engineer, recently joined CostChecks. Jim brings with him a wealth of knowledge about telecommunications. During his almost 35 years at Bellsouth, Jim rose through the ranks from an entry-level technical position doing wiring in the central offices to a Systems Designer and Network Sales Engineer. As you might imagine, Jim knows his stuff. While at Bell, his responsibilities included working with—among others—the White House Travel office, the Navy, the Marines, all State of Florida agencies, plus the University of Florida. As a Systems Designer and Network Sales Engineer, he designed, priced, and implemented complex MAN and WAN digital data networks. When it comes to telecommunications, Jim is certainly a guy you'd want to have looking out for you. No doubt, Jim's expertise will greatly benefit CostCheck's clients.
How we can help you reduce costsMost cost-reductions come from essentially 5 sources:
We seek to uncover opportunities to reduce costs, and implement--with the client's approval, of course--solutions that make sense. Many of CostChecks' clients have full-time IT people who do a fine job setting up and managing a telecom network. The bills, however, are another story. Frightfully complex and often based on arcane tariffs, the reams of bills tend to be dutifully paid by the Accounts Payable department. As long as the amounts paid are "in the ballpark" of what's expected, they keep getting paid month after month. Recurring costly situations can sometimes go undetected for years. Many times these situations are never detected. A detailed audit by someone knowledgeable about telephone billing is likely to catch most of these overpayments and stop the unnecessary cash drain. CostChecks' years of experience analyzing telephone bills from many different companies lends the edge needed to help assure that your telecom costs are not excessive.
How an audit worksThe audit begins when you sign a Service Agreement plus a Letter of Authorization. We come to your office for a copy of a recent and representative bill for each of your telecom services—local, long distance, wireless, internet, and pagers. We'll also ask for copies of any contracts you have with vendors. We then take these copies back to our office where we use them to begin to understand your network and the nature of your telecom operations. We note service configurations as well as prices. We look for errors and other cost leaks. If we have questions, we'll call you or someone you designate to find answers. When we're calling, we're usually on to something that can reduce your costs. From past experience, time spent with us by top management (usually no more than 2 to 3 hours) has usually been worth thousands of dollars to our client for each hour spent. After the audit begins, we can usually deal with someone you designate from the IT department and from Accounts Payable. We know we represent YOU, and we'll deal with your vendors using high professional standards. We'll hold in confidence those things we learn about your business during the course of the audit. Plus, we'll work with your employees with tact and cooperation, respecting the time demands of their individual responsibilities. The audit's goal is leave you better off than you were before, and to make you pleased you did business with us. Naturally, we'd be pleased to have you recommend us to others, and we work hard so you can do that.
Fee DescriptionCostChecks wants its services to have a clear and positive impact on the client's cash flow. The goal is to create a WIN-WIN situation for both the client and CostChecks, while at the same time endeavoring to maintain or promote a good business relationship with reliable, worthy vendors.Fees are charged against refunds and future cost reductions. Refunds are payments or credits for past overbillings. Future cost reductions result from 1) eliminating overbilling errors, and 2) implementing approved cost-reduction measures.The fee for refunds is 50% of the actual refunded or credited amount, and the fee is invoiced when CostChecks confirms the client's receipt of the refund or credit.When fees are based on future cost reductions, those cost reductions must actually occur and must be clearly documented. Fees are 50% of such documented cost reductions. Fees are assessed AFTER the cost reduction has occurred. Fee billing after the cost reduction occurs insures that 1) the cost reduction did, in fact, occur, and 2) CostChecks' services increase (and never decrease) client cash flow. The fee-billing period is normally from 12 to 24 months, depending on the client's size, its total telecom costs, and other factors.The client must approve of all cost-reduction measures. If, for any reason, the client wishes NOT to implement any suggested cost-reduction measure, obviously no actual cost reduction would occur, thus there is no fee with respect to that item. CostChecks only asks that the client deal with us in good faith and not implement the same measure within a reasonable period after the audit has ended. All fees are on a contingency basis. If CostChecks produces no refunds or future cost reductions, there is NO fee. Regardless of the audit's outcome, the client is ahead. Refunds and future cost reductions mean increased cash flow. No refund or cost reduction means that CostChecks—with years of experience reducing telecom costs—has found no way in which the client can reduce costs. That has to be good news. The client gains the satisfaction of knowing an independent outside auditor believes telecom costs are what they should be.
Contact Information
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Send mail to RTillery@costchecks.com
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