Customer Rates
The Customer Rate Management and Settlement software modules allows rates, customer contract terms, business conditions (deposits, notification time frames, etc.) and currency to be entered into the system one time, exactly as they are negotiated with the customer.
Customer Rates Features:
- Customer Rate entry has bulk updates by fixed amounts or percentages to protect margin goals.
- Customers can be put into a 'Custom' rate approach allowing completely unique rates by destination or within a 'Package' that would have the same rates for multiple customers by destination.
- Multiple currencies are supported.
- View of routing and costs at the time of rate discussion is available in the same screen for real time negotiations for custom rates.
- Rates can be printed and emailed using a single interface.
- Allows blanket pricing to set standard margins or rates.
- Automatically sets the effective dates based on the specific customer contract terms.
- Provides archiving functionality for future reference.
- Flags negative margin rate entry to prevent losses.
- All entries are logged by the user for audit purposes.
- Allows marketing to set the floor and ceiling on rates.
These rates then flow through to the management report system, margin reports, as well as billing and the customer notification document. This one time entry significantly reduces the risk of human error by eliminating multiple entries to the rates and billing system. It also makes it simple and quick for the sales group to enter the data. The sales organization can then focus on selling more minutes rather than spending unnecessary time on paper work.
Rate history and rate addendums are stored indefinitely and are easily accessible. Although contractual limits are set on disputes we have found it invaluable to save data up to three years. It is not uncommon in this industry for large Tier One Carriers to try to post negotiate a settlement based upon old disputes. The Customer Rates screen is called up while a customer is on the phone and a carrier representative negotiates rates on the spot. Each discussed route is highlighted, and rates are tied directly to the then current LCR, so that a defined gross margin for each new rate is depicted. Break out codes are easy to update to your customers. The pending rate report identifies all customers in which a pending rate increase necessitates a rate increase.