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Twenty years of trust: How Dog and Bone partnered with the Brotherhood of St. Laurence to navigate a contract expiry & save $500K

Updated: 4 hours ago

As a trusted partner for more than 20 years, we were engaged by the Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) to conduct a strategic review of their 1,000+ mobile phone services. BSL’s carrier contract had expired and the team were looking to reduce costs and improve service outcomes. As such, BSL approached our team to provide advice in independent telco analysis and charity pricing. Taking a collaborative and strategic approach, our team worked with BSL to unlock more than $500K in potential savings over three years, while implementing a roadmap for improved mobile service management.


"Dog and Bone really threw everything at it to get it over the line. BSL have such a high bar that there's not a lot of room for movement, and Dog and Bone continue to meet and exceed it. We have come to expect great things from them, and they constantly deliver."

- Jason Atkinson, Senior Manager ICT, BSL



The Client

BSL is a leading social justice organisation dedicated to preventing and alleviating poverty across Australia. Through a deep commitment to community-led solutions, BSL advocates for systemic change, while delivering essential services that support people at every stage of life, from early childhood to older age. 


For over two decades, our partnership with BSL has helped strengthen their mission, ensuring their telecommunications infrastructure supports the critical work they do in communities every day. 


The Context

With over 1,000 mobile services across two carriers and a contract approaching expiry, BSL faced several key challenges: 


  • Escalating costs – risk of rising monthly mobile expenses 

  • Coverage issues – poor connectivity affecting staff productivity 

  • Feature limitations – inadequate functionality impacting customer service 


BSL was seeking support to optimise their mobile services, align their services and hardware to user scenarios, negotiate the best contracts, and implement a smooth and efficient transition plan. 

"Shout out to Hamish for being very responsive; all of the advice he has provided was very insightful and valuable. Whatever you ask just gets done."

- Chan Heng, ITT Services Manager, BSL


Key Objectives

  • Use clear, data-driven and expert insights to make an informed decision about their telco contracts, services, and pricing.

  • Ensure mobile services and hardware were fit-for-purpose, with the right devices and plans tailored to different user needs.

  • Additionally, optimise connectivity to empower their mobile workforce to deliver the best possible customer service outcomes.


Our Approach

Our engagement consisted of two key projects: Mobile Service Strategy and Mobile Service Migration.


Mobile Service Strategy

We conducted a structured strategic review to assess BSL’s telco landscape:


  1. Current state review – analysed billing data, conducted stakeholder workshops, and engaged vendors.

  2. Commercial analysis and benchmarking – evaluated NFP pricing models and assessed contract costs, tech funds, and termination fees.

  3. Solution and strategy development – designed a tailored solution considering cost, functionality, and technical performance.

  4. Vendor negotiations – Secured best pricing and contract terms.

  5. Final report and implementation plan – delivered an actionable roadmap for BSL.


Mobile Service Migration

The migration project was structured into six critical phases to ensure a smooth transition: 


  1. Project establishment – developed a project plan and aligned stakeholders. 

  2. Current state mapping – documented existing services and infrastructure. 

  3. Transition planning – created a step-by-step migration roadmap and staff support materials. 

  4. Pilot – conducted a small-scale transition trial and gathered feedback. 

  5. Rollout – led the migration, coordinating with vendors for a seamless transition. 

  6. Validation – ensured billing accuracy and escalated discrepancies as needed. 


"Dog and Bone's thorough knowledge of our fleet and process was highly impressive and greatly appreciated throughout the project."

- Dorian Galvin, CIO, BSL


Ongoing Telco Management

To ensure the service remains optimised, BSL continue to engage our Telco Management Service to manage and maintain telecommunications services on an ongoing basis.


  1. Telco BI reporting - presenting telco reporting through our Telco BI dashboard each month that highlights usage trends and identifies cost reduction opportunities.

  2. Telco expense management – proactively managing telco services and expenses to ensure they are being procured, used and billed correctly.

  3. Contract and vendor management – acting as a liaison between the vendor and BSL to ensure service levels and billing aligns with the contract.

"We love Dog and Bone and the work they do. When something works, stick with it. We depend on them and appreciate the quick response we get from any interactions with any of their staff."

- Jason Atkinson, Senior Manager ICT, BSL


The Outcome

Through our strategic review and migration project, BSL achieved:


  • Potential cost savings of more than $500K over three years

  • Removal of 200+ redundant mobile services

  • Improved network coverage and functionality

  • Optimised contract terms for long-term benefits


Proactive ongoing management to ensure effective processes, expenses are managed and service levels are maintained.


Beyond cost savings, BSL benefits from our ongoing telco management and independent, ethical advice. This ongoing partnership ensures their telecommunications services remains optimised, empowering them to focus on their mission to create a fairer Australia.




 
 
 

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