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Directory Assistance Adds Up to Big Expenses for Businesses
NEW YORK -- Calls to directory assistance may seem like a routine part of any business day, but the costs can add up to big losses for many companies, warns one business consulting firm."Directory assistance is an overlooked, deeply hidden monthly expense that quietly bleeds the bottom line of many companies," explained Marsha E. Sneed, founder of J. Carl Sneed & Associates, a consulting firm that helps businesses recoup overpayments on such services. "It's a simple thing to identify and fix, but it can prove quite costly to companies that don't realize they're being overcharged for these 30-second calls."Directory assistance isn't the only area businesses could use a little help cutting and recovering costs, Sneed added."Businesses pay far too much for services they use every day," Sneed said. "The cost of doing business today is staggering. Directory assistance plays a large role in those increasing expenses, but there are plenty of other unseen costs as well," she said.Sneed specializes in informing businesses about free overcharge recovery programs -- all available online and through fax on demand -- that target little-known areas of overspending. Through these programs, businesses can legally recover several years' worth of overpayments, she said.The firm works primarily with mid-size companies, but businesses that meet the basic requirements of an overcharge recovery program can benefit, Sneed said. A wide range of industries -- finance, education, e-commerce, transportation, non-profits and even local, county and state governments -- may find themselves with reduced expenses after going through overcharge recovery programs, she said."Most people are shocked when they see how much money they could have been saving," Sneed said. "Once they go through one of these programs, they are much more aware of hidden costs and they are less likely to find themselves in the same situation later.""