Frequently Asked Questions
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COST
CONTROL
CONSULTANTS
Telecom/Utility Bill Auditing & Reduction Services
Q. What percentage of utility and telecommunications
bills actually contain errors or overcharges?
A. Approximately 80%
Q. That number seems high. How can that possibly be?
A. While few, if any, of the billing errors are intentional,
most mistakes can be attributed to sloppy data entry work,
misapplication of overly-complicated tariffs and statues, and
lack of proper verification. And let's remember, the utility
companies are "for profit" businesses. They maintain that
the responsibility the make sure billing is correct lies not
with them but with you, the customer.
Q: How large are the errors that you find?
A: They run the full gamut but on average represent just
10-20% of the overall bill, which is why they may go
undetected for months or even years. But the total dollars
overspent do add up fast!
Q: If billing errors that represent refund opportunities
are found, how far back can you go?
A: We will request refunds on your behalf as far back as
the statue of limitations allows – and that is usually three
years.
Q: How long does the audit process take?
A: On average, it takes us 6-8 weeks to complete all the
audit work for our client companies.
Q: Are there any up-front fees or hidden charges for
your services?
A: No. We are completely contingency-fee based, meaning
the only time we charge for our work is if we are able to
obtain refunds or save money for our clients. And we do
not invoice you until after you have received your refund or
bill cost reduction.
Q: Is your company going to try and get us to switch
suppliers or alter our usage habits?
A: Absolutely not. Continue to use the same suppliers that
you have already chosen, and continue to use their
services in the same manner that you currently do. Our
only goal is to get you to spend the least amount possible
for those services.
Q: How much of an imposition on my company will it be
to have an audit conducted?
A: The inconvenience is minimal. After providing us with
representative bill copies, all audit work is done off-site.
And because you will have given us with Letters of
Authorization allowing us to question the utilities directly
about how your account is charged, we will handle all
interaction with them. If they should happen to contact you,
simply refer them to us.
Q: Should I worry about changes which you may be
making to my accounts?
A: No. No matter how much of a “no-brainer” any change
may seem to be, we will always consult with you before
making any changes.
Q: I’ve been approached by other auditing companies
in the past. How are you different?
A: Glad you asked! Cost Control Consultants differs in
three important ways:
- We have over 17 years’ experience doing utility and
telecommunications audits.
- Our services are completely contingency-fee based,
so they only time you have to pay us is if we succeed
in saving you money. We then share in those
savings with you.
- Audit work is all we do. It is not a “side-line” business
for us, nor do we have a “hidden agenda” of trying to
get you to switch suppliers. Our only allegiance is to
our clients -- and to saving money!