How to Prevent a Mobile Invoice Disaster: Tips for Seamless Billing

Some employers commonly pay their employees’ mobile bills, a trend both larger and smaller organizations adopt. But mobile bills can unexpectedly spike and take a toll on monthly budgets. The good news is that your organization can deploy strategies to offer all the mobile services needed within your budget with no unpleasant surprises when the bill arrives. 

Are You Paying for Your Employees’ Mobile Devices? 

If you answered "yes," you're not alone. 

Many businesses pay directly for their employees’ mobile devices. This usually helps ensure the following: 

• Employees have the same carrier, hardware, and software 

• Internal communication is improved 

• The IT department’s work is streamlined and simplified 

• Save on IT expenses while providing employees with a better user experience 

Footing the bill for your employees’ mobile devices and plans may cost less than letting the employee choose their own device/plan and reimburse those costs. When your workforce is using any number of devices, IT departments usually have to support those various operating systems and types of devices to ensure corporate applications function as needed to support daily business needs.  

Some employees prefer using personal devices for work, while others keep them separate. Although not federally required, many employers cover these costs voluntarily, especially in states where it's mandated for necessary job expenses. 

What is Bill Shock? 

Employers who pay mobile bills directly sometimes have to absorb unusually high bills for a variety of reasons. Bill shock occurs when a huge, unexpected invoice drops, which can be catastrophic for the budget, especially for a smaller company or one with a tight budget. 

 Bill shock is largely due to three main causes: 

Data Overuse: Data overuse can happen if usage isn't monitored, with streaming video without Wi-Fi being a major cause. Apps that download and update in the background also contribute. To avoid unexpected charges, especially from international roaming, consider international plans or pay-as-you-go options. 

Plan Misunderstandings: Misunderstandings about plan terms or promotions can lead to extra costs. This can occur if plans are too extensive or insufficient, leading to overage fees. Reading the fine print and keeping track of promotion expirations can help prevent these issues. 

Proactive Steps: To avoid unexpected expenses, take proactive measures by understanding plan details and monitoring usage before making decisions. 

What Are the Steps to Ensure Your Mobile Invoices Don’t Have Surprises? 

Your business can take several steps to ensure that mobile invoices are void of surprises. These include...  

• Evaluating employee requirements 

• Implementing a data usage policy 

• Choosing the right carrier 

• Thinking outside the box 

Evaluate Employee Requirements 

The trick to limiting bill shock is to evaluate employee mobile requirements for conducting day-to-day business.  

If your employees mainly need calling and texting on their business smartphones, don't pay extra for high data plans or special features. By cutting unnecessary services, a business can lower mobile costs and avoid surprises. 

Implement a Data Usage Policy  

Remember, mobile carriers charge extra for overusing services. If an employee has 5GB of data but uses 7GB, the company pays for the extra 2GB. Check each invoice to see if most employees exceed their limits or just a few. This helps determine if data limits meet business needs. If not, you can increase them. 

If only a few exceed limits, investigate further. Often, employees are unaware of the limits. Some companies make repeat offenders pay the extra charges. 

Many organizations create data pools with different thresholds. Heavy users go in one pool, light users in another. The organization controls each pool's data limit and can move people as needed. This reduces overages. Also, as part of a company data policy, send automatic alerts to employees nearing their data limit. This helps optimize rate plans and prevent extra charges.  

Travel is another reason for high overage charges. Consider a travel day pass for employees before they travel. This activates a daily package that cuts extra costs during international trips. 

Choose the Right Carrier 

Businesses often make the mistake of choosing a carrier for their devices without enough research. Carrier competition is tough, so it's smart to spend time researching options and negotiating based on current and future needs. Be careful about signing long-term contracts with fixed costs per MG, as they can lead to overpaying due to outdated terms. 

Carriers offer discounts to secure large business accounts for longer periods. One thing to keep in mind is that you might find better prices through wholesale solutions, buying carrier services through an aggregator like vCom. Consider these discounts before deciding on a carrier. 

Think Outside the Box 

Small changes can help businesses avoid mobile invoice issues. Consider using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. If you pay for employees' smartphone internet, encourage them to use VoIP apps when possible. 

Check out apps like Skype, Teams, and WhatsApp. They can help reduce costs. Employees won't switch overnight, but regular reminders and training can make it a habit. VoIP technologies are improving and offer features like video calls, screen sharing, and file sharing. 

Bringing [IT] All Together  

Preventing mobile invoice disasters starts with having the right tools and expertise in place. At vCom Solutions, we combine expert guidance, powerful software, and automation to help you gain full control over your mobile environment. From managing data usage to optimizing costs, we provide everything you need to simplify and streamline your process. Ready to see how it works? Schedule a demo today and discover how we can transform your IT lifecycle management.