A telecom service inventory offers maximum value when it has been validated as accurate and integrated with ongoing management practices. After these considerations have been addressed, it offers location, service, configuration, cost, contract and provider data points, enabling real-time information access for sound decision-making.
Matching services to service addresses across an organization allows telecom professionals to validate that invoiced services are, at minimum, terminated at known good locations. This does not mean that services are accurate or should exist. Rather, this identifies which services could be accurate, as they terminate at organizational addresses. Virtual office and home office addresses should be included with headquarters and branch facility service addresses to ensure that all known terminating addresses are included in the practice.
Service inventories frequently contain contract details to support management activities, and maintaining them in an inventory is a sound practice. Beyond support of the contracts themselves, association of contract numbers or identifiers with line item services increases the ability to consider the impact of service change against contractual requirements comprehensively.
Services associated with contracts periodically encounter technical, pricing or location change, and may also be disconnected during a contract term. When change occurs, contract implications may be present. For example, termination of a data circuit that received a contractual installation waiver may be subject to a minimum retention period to maintain waiver status. The contract could stipulate the circuit must remain installed for a minimum period of twelve months. Should the circuit in this example be disconnected prior to the passing of twelve months, the installation credit would be reversed as a charge on the subsequent invoice.
Detailing telecom services is a primary function of an inventory. Knowing how the services are utilized provides another layer of understanding, increasing management ability. Associating application details with services is valuable when considering technology change, creating service address profiles and negotiating contracts.
These practices assist in refining inventory management to provide details about where services are located, what they are and how much they cost. Honing practices for using this information to achieve maximum benefit increases inventory value.
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