spice up your wireless bill with validas
If a kid’s school day is compared to life, then cell phone shopping is certainly a lot like lunchtime in that old overcrowded, florescent-lit cafeteria overstuffed with bologna sandwiches and stern-faced spaghetti scoopers behind cold, metal counters. You and I are just standing online to get lunch—but what we’ll eat, and how much of it we’ll eat, are things decided by someone else.
At least, we thought, once we get to middle school then things will change. Then we found out middle school served the same sandwiches and spaghetti, just in a different cafeteria. As it turns out, unless you go to prison, the choice between a gross sandwich and inedible pasta probably stops following you after high school. The problem, however, is that the fundamental issue here—having to choose between two poor options—never stops chasing us around. But this isn’t news; anyone who’s gotten out of bed in the morning can tell you that. The news here is that we can minimize this dilemma from invading all corners of our lives.
Which brings us back to cell phone shopping. Many, many choices, definitely—just go configure some device/plan combinations and you’ll get an idea of how many options you have before you. But quality choices for what you need in your wireless plan? Certainly sometimes, but then again if we eat that grade-school spaghetti enough it may just start to seem okay after our taste buds have been numbed to the experience.
So what are we saying? Get your wireless plan, and grab the device with your name on it. Have fun with that—there’s nothing like the latest phone, especially if it has that hyper-gadgety James Bond appeal. And maybe it’ll all be perfect, maybe you’ll decide that what you’re paying is totally fair for what you’re getting. But if you ever want to double check, if you ever want to see what that spaghetti tastes like with a little kick, then go grab some hot sauce and go get your wireless bill audited by Validas.com.
Mr. Fix My Cell Bill is not a person?!?!?!?! Ouch, facebook…
Validas has an active community of fans on various social media sites, including Facebook. Through Facebook, Validas-ers could get the latest info on cutting wireless bills and join together to share stories and compare notes. As a resource for sharing information within our community, Facebook has proved invaluable. As a reliable partner for allowing our message to continue, Facebook has fallen short. Our profile on Facebook appears to have grown too far, too fast and likely attracted the attention of censors who strictly enforce the rule that a profile must be owned by an actual person–and apparently our little Fix My Cell Bill mascot guy does not constitute a “real person.” (But don’t tell him, it would seriously hurt his feelings!)
A user used to be able to engage Validas on Facebook via three interconnected avenues, each with a slightly different twist on cell bill savings. The “Fight Back” group still exists as before with full functionality. “Fight Back” demands fair wireless billing practices from the providers, rooted in the premise that since Validas can reduce up to 80% of consumers’ cell bills without sacrificing what each person actually uses in their plan, wireless companies are blatantly overcharging consumers. The goal of “Fight Back” is to educate about this serious discrepancy and organize a push-back.
The other two ways that anyone could connect with Validas on Facebook are now non-functional because both were tied to our mascot’s Mr. Fix My Cell Bill’s profile which, as was mentioned, Facebook took down. His profile was linked to our Twitter account, “Fight_Back” (which is still completely up and running and provides some great tips, links and news about cutting your wireless costs so feel free to follow us there), and was a hub for our social networking activities. Mr. Fix My Cell Bill also managed a fan page, “FixMyCellBill,” through his profile, and this was the third way that users could engage us through Facebook. Because his profile is now defunct, the fan page is not possible for us to promote and manage. The page was a great way for our users to show their Validas pride by putting us on their own Facebook profile by becoming a fan.
So, the first thing we want to say is a big “Thank You!!!” to all of our loyal Validas-ers who became our fans. And Mr. Fix My Cell Bill told me to give a big, warm shout-out to all of his Facebook friends and wants to let them know that he’ll be back soon and is looking forward to continuing to provide tips and tricks for saving on your cell bills. Stay on the lookout for our revised second-generation presence on Facebook, and we’ll see you there soon!
what it means to be all about you
Validation of the Validas concept and accolades about its accessibility, effectiveness and functionality continue to come our way. And we at Validas genuinely appreciate it. It is an honor to become known as an industry standard, and one of our most recent awards was being named a Fierce15 Top Wireless industry company by FierceWireless.com. FierceWireless, “the wireless industry’s daily monitor,” raved about Validas’ abilities to save cash for the consumer while maximizing user-friendliness and efficiency.
“Validas’ technology knows the ins and outs of wireless and uses that knowledge to reduce customers’ bills and optimize their service,” wrote FierceWireless, continuing, “The best part? The service is fully automated, which means bills can be automatically uploaded into Validas’ system, analyzed and–if savings can be derived from changes to a wireless service plan–the company’s technology can spit out an email addressed to a carrier’s customer care center that outlines exactly what changes need to be made.”
This great feedback from FierceWireless picks up on a key theme: Validas is about you. We get you results, efficiently and effectively–because our entire business revolves around saving you money and giving you greater control over your wireless bill. California is using Validas to save a projected $25,000,000 this year; how much will you be able to cut your costs by? Find out at Validas.com today!
Common Myths about Minimizing Wireless Service Costs
Myth 1: Pooled minutes are all anyone needs.
False – Though pooling minutes is often beneficial, every line is assigned a minute allotment with a different rate plan that contributes to the pool. Most often, organizations do not have an optimal mix of plans and don’t take advantage of “Friends and Family” features. This results in too many minutes going unused and overspending by 20 percent or more.
Myth 2: The 15% discount that a government agency can get is about as good as one can do.
False – Greater discounts to enterprise customers can be found! Further, discounts say nothing about signing bonuses or retention bonus payments and don’t apply to account level charges like activation fees and early termination fees. All of these add-ons should be negotiated or eliminated as they all contribute to cost control and customer benefits.
Myth 3: There are no real savings in selecting data plans.
False – Though many data plans are unlimited these days, many are not. Data overage can be extremely costly, pushing the cost per megabyte from 4 cents to 12 cents rapidly. Further, not all users need data plans. Subscribing only the correct users to appropriate data plans is an important way to trim an extra 10 or more percent off monthly wireless expenses.
Myth 4: Phone companies reliably and automatically give you all the discounts and bonuses to which you are entitled.
False – Mistakes can be made when applying discounts, special rates, and bonuses to the right lines at the right times. Enforcing specialized contract terms is critical to realizing the long term value of a hard fought RFP or wireless bid process. For one state government customer, Validas found a data plan rating error that persisted for three years and resulted in retroactive credits of more than $180,000.00
Myth 5: It’s rare that plans include expensive unneeded features.
False – On a one-off basis, a $4.99 charge for roadside assistance doesn’t seem like much. But when it’s tacked on to several hundred lines every month, the costs add up quickly. This is just one example of excess services. Others include handset insurance at $5 per line, 411 billed at more than $1.30 per call but which can be accessed for free, device back-up for $2 per line, and other add-on features that organizations usually don’t need but rarely groom from their bills.
Myth 6: With less than a thousand phones, it’s not worth the effort.
False – Validas has completely automated the wireless bill auditing and optimization process, so there is no effort for the customer. We process bills with hundreds of lines in just a few minutes and can handle the entire change management process with carriers, or automate it through a properly formatted email. A customer with 500 lines, even with pooling and discounts, is likely to see $75,000.00 or more per year in savings. All we need is the carrier-formatted PDF of your organization’s bill and we can show you up front, before you pay us anything, exactly how much you can save.
NY Times: results of Validas bill analysis is “something to check out”
Validas is rapidly becoming known as the go-to resource for anyone trying to reduce their wireless costs. On April 23, the New York Times published an article written by reporter Alina Tugend that strategized methods of saving real money–not ideas like clipping coupons or picking up low energy light bulbs to save some pocket change here and there. The Times’ suggestions are ways to save hundreds to thousands of dollars–such as fundamentally modifying spending habits, downsizing your home and drastically lowering your wireless bill. When it came to killing cell bills, the Times turned to Validas and Ms. Tugend reports we achieved projected savings of $600 off her own personal wireless bill.
To quote from Ms. Tugend’s article: “Another big place to save, Mr. Yeager said, is cellphones. Don’t have one. I fear this is a battle Mr. Yeager is waging largely in vain. But his argument is that most people spend at least $1,500 to $2,000 a year on cellphone bills (I did a quick calculation, and that is true for us). While most of us tend to believe that having a cellphone is not just a convenience but a safety issue — how else do I keep track of my children? — the number of people killed using phones while driving belies any true safety claim, he said.
While I’m not going to give up my cellphone, I did go to the Web site fixmycellbill.com and plugged in some information to see if I was on the right plan. People waste a lot of money paying for add-ons or minutes they don’t need. The site will, at no cost, tell you how much you could save by changing plans or carriers. For $5, it will give you a detailed report.
I was happy to see that our plan was the most economical one available on our carrier, but apparently if I switched carriers, I could save about $600 annually. Something to check out.”
We can endlessly recommend our service, but what truly validates Validas is the blessing of our users. So, this time it’s “don’t take our word for it, check out what the New York Times has to say about us.”
just because you jumped into the ring doesn’t mean you can box
Competition is one of the fundamental qualities that continues to advance our capitalist American democracy. Without an opposing team, there is no game. Monopolies form, prices inflate, and quality suffers. In short, like it or not, we need the “other guys” to exist so that we can beat them–and continually hone our own product in the process.
And, at Validas, beat them we do. A smattering of assorted entities have apparently started dancing to the Validas drumbeat with their recent attempts to offer similar services targeting the same folks who faithfully use our product. And we say bring it on! Validas Users are smart consumers and we’re confident that it’s no accident they choose our company to slash their cell bills. We always encourage side-by-side comparisons of our bill audit results with those achieved by any “competitor.” We believe that Validas will consistently outperform for you, lowering your bills by more money while simultaneously providing you with greater insight into, and oversight of, your wireless service. That’s why we actually audit your bill for free and let you know how much we could save you before you’re committed to paying a cent; see what you can save through us for nothing and then see if the competition can realistically match our results.
So, we welcome other contenders into the ring. But putting on the gloves doesn’t make you a boxer. We work tirelessly for our users to ensure that their wireless bills are optimized and we are committed to achieving the best results for them.
How much cash do you feel like wasting?
How much money are you comfortable wasting? For a business owner, tying up loose ends to stop unneeded expenditures is crucial to maximizing profit and, sometimes, necessary for simply surviving. We certainly hold our elected officials to high standards regarding fiscal accountability. Americans have a proud tradition of taking to the streets when elections fail to stem governmental corruption. Remember “no taxation without representation,” the battle cry of the American colonists as they rebelled against the British and began the Revolution? Among various grievances, these patriots faulted the British for collecting their money without allowing them to decide how it was used–in a word, they faulted the British for wasting their hard-earned tax dollars. The American colonists were not comfortable with their money being wasted to the point of organizing a movement, a military, and a sovereign nation known as the USA.
So, again, how comfortable are you with wasting your money? Do you review your household expenditures with the fine tooth comb of the successful business owner and the passion of an American patriot? In this tough economy, maintaining personal fiscal accountability remains more important than ever.
So, tighten up your spending. Save an average of over $400 annually through Validas.com.
building a reputation
Validas is rapidly gaining a reputation across America as the preeminent method of effectively cutting your cell bill while preserving the features on your wireless plan that you use and value. Especially in the economic downturn, when frugality is not merely just back in vogue but has become necessary for many families to embrace in order to just make it through to the next paycheck, Validas’ wireless bill auditing service provides a timely method for controlling household spending. Just as major entities like the State of California or a whole host of Fortune 500′s use Validas to significantly reduce their overhead (potentially saving jobs), individual wireless customers use Validas to free up cash better spent on things besides unnecessarily padding the pockets of telecom executives.
As these municipalities, companies, and people across our country use Validas, the word continues to spread. ABC News recently used our service and reviewer Daphne Munro gave us “two thumbs up.” The Sacramento Bee looked into the hype and did a side-by-side comparison test of Validas as compared to the competition. After describing the Validas platform as “the most sophisticated and detailed site,” Bee reporter Claudia Buck continued that Validas achieved her $480 of savings in the comparison test as well, nearly doubled what the closest competition could project.
These recent media spotlights come on the heels of major features about Validas produced by Good Morning America, Fox Business News, and the Chicago Tribune to name a few. Do your homework, check us out. We bet you’ll find plenty of good stuff to read.
maximizing savings during tax time
With the impending deadline for tax returns looming in the weeks ahead, many Americans justifiably become obsessed with statistics. What percentage of my income do my taxes represent? How much can I deduct? Should I itemize? How many business or work expenses can I apply against taxes? What is the total of my charitable donations from the past year? The list goes on; everyone’s familiar with it.
Ultimately, we tend to think of taxes as an expense–and so strategies to save on that expense are naturally on our minds around tax time. Scrambling to maximize tax savings serves as a reminder of our frugal priorities; no one wants to spend more on something than is absolutely necessary. It is important to remain in this mindset 365 days per year, rather than just turning on the savings side of our brain when we file income taxes, take advantage of post-holiday sales, or book airfare through ticket price comparison websites.
Yet we still waste huge money as a collective nation. Until everyone with a cell phone audits their wireless bill through Validas.com, we’re throwing away millions upon millions of dollars–and maybe more–on our cellular costs alone. At Validas, we cut the average wireless bill by around 20% in seconds, generally equating to about $400 of annual savings. If you found out a way to potentially reduce your tax bill by hundreds of additional dollars, how long would it take you to jump on it? We all scrutinize our receipts and pay stubs endlessly for reasons to pay less in taxes; with Validas you can often save significantly on your wireless bill with minimal effort.
So, finish up your deductions on that 1040 and file it. But you still probably aren’t done saving for the day yet. Head on over to Validas.com and take the bite out of your wireless bill.
we’re here for you
Even if they provide an important good or service, some companies seem to just use their customers to generate profit. Not so with Validas. Our entire model firmly roots in maximizing wireless savings for our users; no gimmicks, no tricks. It is an ideology that puts our users first–essentially we get paid if you get paid.
We audit your uploaded cell bill for free to establish the kind of savings you can likely expect to see from our plan analysis. We then also provide those projected savings to you–again for free–so that you can decide without any risk whether or not to purchase the $5 Validas single audit or one of our package deals. Think about this set-up for a minute. How many companies do you know that will perform a service for you first with no obligation, give you the results second (again with no obligation), and then finally ask for a minor payment, third, only if those results are satisfactory to your standards?
So what does this approach mean, exactly? Validas only gets paid if the results we achieve for you meet or exceed your expectations. By seeing our projected savings for your wireless bill before you’re committed to paying a cent, you can easily decline to purchase the audit itself (which essentially lays out how we accomplished those projected savings on your bill) for any reason.
More than likely, however, you’ll opt to buy the audit once you see the results. Our cost of five bucks is negligible compared to how much money we usually save our users. On average, we cut down a wireless bill by over 20 percent, which represents about $400 annually kept in the pocket of the consumer rather than in the coffers of the wireless carriers.
We’re clearly about results, so upload that cell bill today and let us get to work saving for you.