Part 2: Transforming Industries with TEM: Retail, Energy, and Manufacturing & Industrial

Telecom Expense Management (TEM) empowers businesses across industries to optimize their communication networks, control costs, and streamline operations. In Part Two of this blog series, we dive into how TEM benefits the retail, energy, and manufacturing & Industrial sectors. By offering tailored solutions, including real-world examples, Valicom demonstrates how effective TEM strategies can address industry-specific challenges while driving significant savings and operational efficiency. 

Retail: Supporting Omni-Channel Strategies 

Retail businesses thrive on seamless communication networks that connect online and in-store operations. From point-of-sale (POS) systems to digital engagement tools, technology reliability and cost efficiency are vital for delivering exceptional customer experiences and maintaining competitive omni-channel strategies. 

Five Ways TEM Benefits Retail 

1. Seasonal Flexibility: Retailers experience fluctuating technology needs during seasonal peaks like holidays or sales events. TEM ensures services scale up to meet these demands and scale down afterward, avoiding unnecessary expenses. This adaptability prevents waste and ensures operational readiness. 

2. Enhanced Customer Experience: Reliable technology infrastructure supports in-store systems like self-checkout kiosks, digital signage, and call centers, ensuring smooth customer interactions and reducing downtime. A well-maintained technology network directly influences customer satisfaction. 

3. Contract and Vendor Management: Retailers often juggle multiple technology providers across numerous locations. TEM centralizes vendor relationships, streamlines contract negotiations, and resolves disputes efficiently. This consolidation saves time and reduces administrative burdens. 

4. Inventory Visibility: Large retail chains manage thousands of devices and services across stores. TEM tracks and audits technology inventory, ensuring all resources are accounted for, active, and optimized for use. 

5. Cost Recovery: Billing errors are common in retail, especially for organizations with complex vendor arrangements. TEM solutions uncover discrepancies and recover costs, ensuring retailers pay only for what they use. 

Real-World Impact 

A retail company partnered with Valicom to address technology billing errors and vendor contract inefficiencies. Using Valicom’s Clearview platform, the retailer was able to streamline its technology services across multiple locations, recover costs from identified billing discrepancies, and improve overall service scalability. By leveraging Valicom’s expertise, the company successfully ensured its technology infrastructure could handle peak demand during seasonal events without unnecessary overspending, all while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. 

Energy: Managing Distributed Networks 

Energy companies operate in unique and often remote environments, from oil fields to wind farms and power plants. These distributed networks require robust, cost-efficient communication systems to support IoT monitoring, remote operations, and critical infrastructure. 

Five Ways TEM Benefits Energy 

1. Remote Network Management: Energy companies rely heavily on IoT systems and remote monitoring tools to manage operations in remote locations. TEM ensures these services are tracked, optimized, and reliable, reducing the risk of network failures. 

2. Cost Recovery and Reduction: Technology billing errors are particularly prevalent in the energy sector. TEM solutions recover 15-20% of technology expenses annually by identifying inaccuracies and negotiating refunds with vendors (source: Deloitte). 

3. Service Alignment: TEM ensures technology services align with operational needs. By eliminating unnecessary or outdated resources, energy companies can focus their budgets on essential infrastructure. 

4. Contract Optimization: Energy companies often deal with long-term vendor contracts. TEM streamlines these agreements, negotiating better terms and reducing overall costs. 

5. Improved Compliance and Reporting: Regulatory compliance is critical in the energy industry. TEM provides detailed reporting and audit trails, ensuring all technology expenses adhere to industry standards and regulatory requirements. 

Real-World Impact 

An energy client partnered with Valicom to optimize their technology expenses, focusing on improving contract terms and resolving billing discrepancies. With Valicom’s Clearview platform, the client gained full visibility into their technology inventory, allowing them to align services with their operational priorities. This proactive approach not only streamlined their vendor relationships but also ensured the communication networks supporting remote operations remained reliable and cost-effective. The result was more efficient management of distributed networks, helping the company reduce costs while enhancing service continuity across remote sites. 

Manufacturing & Industrial: Streamlining Complex Operations 

Manufacturing and industrial organizations rely on robust technology networks to support production lines, supply chain management, and IoT-enabled equipment. With high stakes tied to operational efficiency, TEM offers critical solutions to reduce costs and ensure reliability. 

Five Ways TEM Benefits Manufacturing & Industrial 

1. IoT Integration Optimization: IoT devices play a significant role in monitoring and optimizing manufacturing processes. TEM tracks and manages these devices, ensuring cost-efficient integration and minimizing disruptions caused by connectivity issues. 

2. Scalable Solutions: Manufacturers often experience fluctuating demand cycles. TEM ensures technology networks scale with production needs, avoiding overspending during slow periods and ensuring capacity during peak times. 

3. Global Vendor Coordination: Many manufacturers operate internationally, requiring coordination with multiple technology vendors. TEM centralizes vendor management, simplifying complex billing processes and improv ing contract negotiations. 

4. Real-Time Cost Monitoring: TEM provides detailed, real-time insights into technology spending, enabling manufacturers to monitor costs by plant, region, or device. This transparency supports accurate budgeting and resource allocation. 

5. Error Identification and Recovery: Billing errors can accumulate quickly in industrial technology environments. TEM audits invoices to identify discrepancies, recover costs, and ensure manufacturers pay only for necessary services. 

Real-World Impact 

A leading multinational manufacturing client partnered with Valicom to address inefficiencies following rapid growth and multiple mergers. With over 50,000 employees and a $22.5 million annual technology spend, the client struggled with complex telecom billing, missed deadlines, and service suspensions. 

Valicom implemented customized month-end reporting, bill pay services, and MACD management, providing real-time visibility into telecom spending and streamlining reporting. This approach reduced audit time, improved cost allocation, and allowed the client to downsize their TEM team, reallocating resources to strategic initiatives. 

With Valicom’s scalable solutions, the client successfully integrated acquisitions, improved cost control, and enhanced operational efficiency, positioning them for continued growth across global regions. 

Why Choose Valicom for TEM? 

Valicom offers industry-leading TEM solutions that adapt to the unique challenges of each sector. With our Clearview platform and expert team, we deliver: 

• Centralized technology inventory and contract management for better visibility. 

• Proactive invoice audits to uncover cost-saving opportunities. 

• Tailored vendor management services for multi-location or international operations. 

• Scalable, customizable software to meet your organization’s specific needs. 

Across all industries, Valicom has helped businesses recover millions in technology savings, streamline operations, and achieve greater financial control. Our proven track record and decades of experience make us a trusted partner for organizations of all sizes. 

Let’s Start the Conversation 

As industries continue to evolve, effective technology expense management becomes increasingly vital. Whether you’re in retail, energy, manufacturing, industrial, or another sector, Valicom’s solutions empower your business to reduce costs, improve visibility, and support long-term growth. 

Contact Valicom today to schedule a demo and discover how we can tailor our TEM solutions to meet your unique needs.