Tis the season when retailers hope to make some big bucks. Also, a lot less money is being given to charity. But it makes you feel good inside when it does. I was touched by this story partly because it mentions Sprint/Nextel’s Revenue Assurance department was one of the benefactors. Now that is a bit odd, when you think about it. Why just the RA department, and not other departments in Sprint/Nextel? And given the kinds of loss suffered by most telcos, was the money given by Sprint/Nextel from its recovered revenues or were the employees giving out of their own pay packets?
Anyhow, this all got me thinking. RA people often moan they lack executive sponsorship, and that it is hard to motivate other parts of the business to take RA seriously. But on the other hand, most big corporations want to be seen to be charitable to raise their profile in the community, get good press etc etc. So is there not an obvious synergy here? Instead of RA trying to persuade the CFO to do a risk-reward deal with some sleazy software vendor, why not link revenue recovered and cost efficiencies to charitable giving? Then everybody in the business has added motivation to support the cause, and the business gets to buy publicity with money it would never have had otherwise. Even if just 5% of the benefits delivered by RA went to charity, imagine the added returns that would generate. So, all you revenue assurance people, don your red hats and fake beards because now is the time for you to play Santa Claus…
