Q&A

Frequently asked questions

What is the initial cost of the audit?

The ONLY expense is in the time it takes to photocopying your utility bills. Some clients avoid this initial cost of time by just giving us their utility account numbers along with the vendor’s name that is responsible for the billing to your organization .

It is also necessary to sign the letter of authority (LOA) so we can receive copies of billing and customer service records from your vendors. 

Signing the LOA, and getting the account numbers, should only take a few minutes!.  However, we still will need copies of one (1) to three (3) months of the most recent bills along with any telecom service contracts and agreements that you might have signed when you initialized the service with any utility vendor.

Does AUBA represent any utility / telecommunication vendors?

NO!  AUBA is truly 100% independent and does not represent or is influenced by any commission structure.  We only represent our clients and do not represent any utility / telecommunication vendors.

Where does AUBA typically find billing errors?

Every audit case is different.  AUBA finds errors in long distance telephone bills, local phone bills, maintenance contracts, operator services, cellular bills, directory assistance charges, equipment leases, and other gas, electric and waste management utility contracts and charges.  

Is AUBA looking to change or switch my current vendors? 

Absolutely NOT…Many clients want to save money, yet don’t want to change vendors.  AUBA will search all applicable tariffs of our client’s current vendor to find the most cost-effective method from the client's preferred vendor.

Why do we need your services if we have an internal auditing staff reviewing our bills?

Many of our clients have large internal audit staffs and procedures to review their bills.  However, AUBA has been successful in finding additional savings and refunds. We are simply another pair of professionally trained eyes looking at your bills...
WE LOOK TO SAVE YOU MONEY!!

What if my utilities and telecommunication bills have been recently audited by an outside firm?

AUBA has performed audits after other auditing companies have completed their work.  In many cases, we have found additional savings / refunds. For example, in one client we found a refund for $40,000, plus monthly cost reductions that had been overlooked!!!

How far back can you secure refunds?

In most states, the statute of limitations is normally three  (3) years.  However, in many cases we have been able to go beyond that time period.

What if AUBA finds no errors or savings?

If AUBA finds that all utility / telecommunications bills are correct, the client will receive a comprehensive report and there will be no fee paid to AUBA. 

How much is a typical refund?

Every case is different. AUBA has completed audits where the refund was as low as $55.00 and as high as almost $700,000.00 

How do we pay you?

After you have received either a credit on your bill or a check payable to your organization. Only then will AUBA render our invoice. At that point, we will present your option of paying us our share either monthly, quarterly or lump sum with a discount. The responsibility is on us to always show how the savings were obtained and still being realized and in effect.

We will NEVER create an expense to your organization!!!!!   
What would make the sharing stop prior to 36 months?
If the savings stops the sharing stops!! 

I don’t mind sharing the refunds you find us, BUT why do we have to share on the future cost reductions obtained by the audit?     

Certain billing errors do not result in refunds!!  It is possible to be overcharged under a tariff and only have the current charges removed from your invoice. By removing the error, this then creates only savings going forward into the future.

If an contingency agreement was for refunds only…..then AUBA would not earn any audit fee.  Especially when there are no refunds, we feel it is only fair compensation for our auditing efforts to share in our client’s future savings for a short period of time. It is our incentive to obtain refunds and future savings for our clients.

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