With the end of the year comes the fear-provoking budget process. If you are looking for a few helpful tips on how to meet the needs of your network while crunching those budget numbers down to near nil, read on.

Tips to Help You Stretch Your Budget while Planning for 2010

• Consider Lower-cost Options
• Perform Site Audits and Sell Idle Assets to Maximize Your Available Budget
• Think Maintenance
• Include Spares
• Request Vendor Quotes for Clearer Idea of True Capital Expenses

Consider Lower-cost Options. Can you find the same services for less cost from a different provider? Have you considered whether you are still getting a good deal from your current provider? Assess, evaluate and make changes as necessary to help you save on CAPEX.

Perform Site Audits and Either Sell Idle Assets for Extra Cash on Hand or Re-deploy. When performing site audits not only do you identify each equipment location’s exact inventory, you also discover excess capacity and redundant facility equipment. This equipment can then either be sold to add cash back in to your budget or relocated to a facility in need. In addition, through decommissioning your non-utilized equipment locations, you will then have the option to shut down the location and significantly lower your operational expenses.

Think Maintenance. Before purchasing new, consider if refurbished equipment meets your needs. Equipment repair facilities offer skilled and certified technicians to either repair your equipment to its optimal level or test your equipment to screen for component level failures and identify components that have not yet failed but show signs of premature failure. Reusing your current equipment allows you to strategically allocate the budget you’ve saved to other mandatory or time-sensitive projects.

Include Spares. Although spares appear to be yet another additional expense, they save an overwhelming amount on the back end. With spares on hand when your critical network equipment fails, you save precious budgetary dollars against being forced to buy new and you avoid lengthy turnaround and shipping times. Take advantage of warehouse sales as equipment vendors are selling inventory to make room for new equipment and stock up before year end.

Request Vendor Quotes for Clearer Idea of True Capital Expenses. To ensure your 2010 budget is accurate, you’ll need quotes for projects to be completed within the next 12 months. Build your budget with financially-sound forecasting by contacting your vendors now for project estimates and budgetary quotations and reduce the stress of last-minute quoting and preparations.

American Communications provides equipment, spares management, site audits, and asset re-marketing to Tier 1 nationwide carriers, regional carriers, Fortune 500 companies, and government entities. For more information on American Communications’ program offerings, please contact a sales representative at 1.866.593.5931 or at info@go-ac.com.