If you will be giving staff credit on their phones on a regular basis, you can save yourself and the administrative staff a lot of hassle by following this method:
Make a list of every person who should get credit each month, and how much each will get. Approve that list with a signature. Then buy all the credit in one batch.
You can then use any of the following techniques to get the credit to the staff once each month:
- This is the best method for early on: Buy scratch cards in a group once each month and distribute them in the office. See the detailed procedure and the tools you need in these attachments:
Phone Card Distribution Instructions
Phone Card Authorization Memo Template
Phone Card Distribution Sheet Template
Switch to method 2 or 3 below eventually if you can (You’ll still need to follow steps 1 – 3 in the instructions):
- Put a “communications allowance” in each person’s paycheck (but this may have income tax consequences for staff who receive it so watch out).
- Work with the phone companies to transfer the appropriate amount directly to each person’s phone each month. Generally, you would prepare a list of names and numbers, how much each person should get, then transfer the total amount to the phone company with a letter asking them to credit each person’s account. (But don’t just assume the phone company will do this. Call them up and talk with them about it to find out what their procedures are.)
In future months you just review the previous month’s list and make updates. When you have HR or other administrative staff, you can ask them to review and prepare the memo before you sign it.
Keep some extra cards in the office (with the custodian) in case any staff must make a lot of phone calls during a particular month.
If a staff person wants a permanent increase in their credit allowance:
- He should write a quick note to her supervisor explaining why. (email is fine).
- If the supervisor agrees, she writes a quick note approving the increase. (Email is fine here too).
- The requester brings his request and the approval to the person who manages the list.
- The person who manages the list will file the approval properly, and increase the allowance in the next cycle.