Forte Partners With Accela to Deliver Cloud-Based Payments Solutions for State and Local Governments
CSG (NASDAQ: CSGS) has announced a strategic partnership with Accela to enhance payment processing for government agencies. This collaboration aims to provide a comprehensive payment processing engine integrated with Accela's SaaS solutions, streamlining online and in-office transactions. The partnership addresses the need for improved digital payment capabilities, particularly in the wake of COVID-19, allowing agencies to reduce complexities and costs while enhancing service delivery. Key features include end-to-end payment capabilities, data transparency, and a seamless user experience.
- Strategic partnership with Accela enhances service delivery for government agencies.
- End-to-End Payments Capabilities offer a fully integrated payment module.
- The collaboration allows for reduced payment complexities and flexibility in payment options.
- Real-time insights into payment transactions improve operational efficiency.
- None.
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Forte Payment Systems®, a CSG® (NASDAQ: CSGS) company, today announced a strategic partnership with Accela, a leading provider of cloud-based solutions for government, to provide a powerful payments processing engine for Accela’s SaaS solutions. Together, the two organizations will streamline processes for residents, contractors, and government agencies, leveraging a best-in-breed, integrated solution for online and in-office transactions.
Governments must navigate new business and citizen needs in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. As work-from-home mandates for citizen and agency employees have complicated team workflows for accepting paper or in-person payments, online transactions have become an absolute requirement. Agencies are also under pressure to keep costs low while also providing robust online services for transactions related to regulatory processes and business growth opportunities.
This partnership will empower government agencies to refine otherwise cumbersome manual processes for evolving regulatory and business procedures. Accela customers leveraging this integration will gain value with a partner like Forte that can serve as a gateway for 90 percent of online payment processors. Moreover, this partnership provides a cost-competitive solution that enables customers to process service and convenience fees.
“Forte has a long history of delivering innovative solutions to help manage customers’ payments processing needs,” said Jeff Thorness, head of payments solutions, CSG. “The ability to partner and integrate with Accela’s SaaS solutions will give government agencies the ability to benefit from an end-to-end dual partnership that simplifies and increases business operation efficiencies.”
Together, the two organizations will help state and local government agencies modernize its service delivery, provide flexibility and scalability of their operations, and reduce network costs through the deployment of a cloud-based full-stack payments solution with:
- End-to-End Payments Capabilities: A fully integrated, end-to-end online and in-office payments module with EMV chip transaction certified payment devices.
- Reduced Payments Complexities: With Forte’s single integration and advanced payment routing capabilities, Accela customers can choose from many of the top credit card issuers and ACH/EFT originating financial institutions across North America.
- Data Transparency: The Forte/Accela integration gives government staff real-time insights into payment transactions both online and in-office, leveraging the latest Payment Card Industry security requirements including EMV Chip certified terminals which include end-to-end encryption for swipe transactions.
- Seamless User Experiences: Government agencies can now provide their contractors, developers, and residents a more seamless payment experience across agency departments that guarantees a superior level of convenience, efficiency, and transparency.
“Today’s customers are demanding more secure, compliant digital payment and card processing capabilities as more transactions take place online,” said Tom Nieto, chief operating officer, Accela. “Forte has a deep understanding of the vast complexities and nuances of the government payment landscape as the leading expert in the space. With this partnership, we’re proud to offer our customers an end-to-end solution with a dedicated government support team and robust APIs to help better meet their needs.”
About Forte, A CSG Company
Forte Payment Systems delivers innovative and flexible payment solutions that help organizations maximize the effectiveness of their payment operations and increase revenue. The company offers a scalable and secure suite of payment processing solutions that support ACH and card payments made via any device or channel, enabling companies to transform their payment operations into a competitive business strategy. Forte is a part of CSG’s award-winning suite of innovative revenue and customer management solutions that help companies acquire, monetize, engage, and retain customers.
For more than 35 years, CSG has simplified the complexity of business, delivering innovative customer engagement solutions that help companies acquire, monetize, engage, and retain customers. Operating across more than 120 countries worldwide, CSG manages billions of critical customer interactions annually, and its award-winning suite of software and services allow companies across dozens of industries to tackle their biggest business challenges and thrive in an ever-changing marketplace. CSG is the trusted partner for driving digital innovation for hundreds of leading global brands, including AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DISH, Eastlink, Formula One, Maximus, MTN and Telstra. To learn more, visit our website at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
About Accela
Accela provides market-leading cloud solutions that empower the most innovative state and local governments around the world to build thriving communities, grow businesses, and protect citizens. More than 275 million citizens globally benefit from Accela’s software, which is powered by Microsoft Azure, for permitting, licensing, code enforcement and service request management. Accela’s fast-to-implement Civic Applications, built on its robust and extensible Civic Platform, help agencies address specific needs today, while ensuring they are prepared for any emerging or complex challenges in the future. The company was recently recognized as a 2020 Microsoft US Partner Award winner for its innovative SaaS solutions to help governments respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Accela is headquartered in San Ramon, California, with additional offices around the world. For more information, visit www.accela.com.
