Using a Customer Service Record (CSR) to Manage Your Local Telecom Expenses Part 2

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A local Customer Service Record or CSR is the internal local telephone company record of your account.  This record should accurately reflect what services, features, and other billing records for the lines and trunks you actually have in place.  While CSR is the most common term for this record, some Telco’s will call this a “PBX/Key/Multiline” record, or a “2733” record.  There are some Local Exchange Carriers, or LECS that call this a service record or billing services record. 

In Part 1 of this article a general explanation was given as to what information a CSR held and how your business might utilize the CSR to manage your local telecom expense.  Here is some additional information that will help you decipher the CSR once you get it.

Written in Code

The first thing you will notice when you get your copy or copies of the CSR is that it will most likely be written in code.  This code is called the Universal Service Order Code, or USOC.  Universal is sometimes exchanged for Uniform.  Unfortunately not all carriers use the same codes, and there are over 10,000 of them.  Here is a sample of USOC codes:

• 1FB - Business POTS line, Retail or Resale
• 69B1X - Call Forwarding Busy Line - In-Only Restricted
• MBB - Voice Messaging Mailbox

Don’t get discouraged by this, there are many resources to help you decode the CSR, not the least of which should be your local phone carrier contact.  Many of the LECs have a website that at least lists some of the common codes, and there are other Internet resources that a simple search for USOC codes will help you uncover.  Once you translate the CSR, you’ll be able to verify the services you have and then manage those services appropriately.

CSR Sections

Generally a CSR is divided into four sections.  These sections are: The Header Record, The List, The Bill, and the S&E or Service and Equipment, Sections. 

Found at the top of the CSR, The Header Record Section contains information about the CSR itself, including items like print date, billing period, whether the CSR is for business or residential service, account number, customer ID code, etc.  While CSRs vary, the general information is usually found somewhere on the document.  This section might also include quantity of service items, USOC codes for the overall account service or term and volume agreements, the total monthly charge, unit rate, description of service, and the monthly taxes. 

The List Section typically identifies whether or not there is a white page listing in the telephone directory for the account.  If there is a listing, it will state how the listing reads.  There is an extra charge for non-published listings, unless another, associated account has a listing.  NLST is the USOC code used to indicate there is no listing in the telephone directory.  The SIC code number refers to the service industry for the correct Yellow Page Heading. 

The Bill Section of the CSR should have the correct bill name (BN1), address (BA), and tax area (TAR) for the account.  It is important to note that the billing address is sometimes different from the bill name.  This would happen if you have a location (BN1) that has its bills go to another address (BA).

The Service and Equipment Section will be the most critical part of the CSR.  This area will breakdown all the charges associated with each phone line, including all features, taxes, and other charges. 

Summary

Getting, viewing, and understanding the CSR is an important part of keeping your telecommunications expenses in check.  It is also something that should be repeated on a regular basis.  This first step will allow you to utilize the other tools at your disposal, such as a call accounting system’s trunk utilization reports.  Once you know for sure how many trunks you have, are being billed for, and their individual charges, it is a simple matter to check trunk utilization reports from the call accounting system and decide how many lines to keep.