The Benefits of Consolidating Payment Services Presenters: Moderator, J.A. Nicholson, City of Pataskala, OH Speaker: Frank O Leary, Arlington County, VA David Quackenbush, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
An Integrated Payment Process Frank O Leary Treasurer foleary@arlingtonva.us
Treasurer s Mission To receive or collect state and local taxes and other revenues; to safeguard (i.e. invest) the funds; and to disburse the funds in accord with the dictates of the local governing body.
The Three C s Communication Convenience Compliance
What we process: Utilities Water & Sewer Personal Property Taxes Real Estate Taxes Court Fines & Fees Custodial Taxes Meals, TOT & STR Agency Debt Business License Tax Parking Tickets State Income Taxes Dog Licenses
Payments The "What" Other Custodial $28,119,580 3% Parking Tickets $6,414,218 1% Court Collections $1,028,000 0% Departmental Collections $365,890 0% Meals Tax $34,704,843 3% Dog Licenses $62,715 0% Mystery Checks $770 0% Vehicle Personal Property $52,239,352 5% Business Tangible $35,972,273 3% Business License $63,819,531 6% CRIFs $83,905,822 8% Utilities $94,669100 9% Other $35 0% Real Estate $647,611,945 62% Total Payments: $1,048,914,073
Question How do you handle an incredibly large volume of transactions arriving in a relatively compact period?
Payments The When" 220,000 200,000 180,000 160,000 140,000 Volume 120,000 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Personal Ppty Decals Real Estate Parking Tickets Utilities Misc. Fees BPOL Custodial Taxes
Answer Reduce the burden. Outsource to the maximum degree possible!
Payments The "How" "Check Free" (ACH) 35,293 5% Automatic Bank Debit 36,596 5% Set-Off Debt 8,641 1% Telephone 3,997 0% Neighborhood Payment Program 1,409 0% Wires 82,734 11% Lockboxes 242,575 31% Cashiering 161,045 21% CAPP 200,016 26% Total Items Paid: 772,306
The Traditional A/R Structure Utilities Payments System Personal Property System Courts Real Estate Dog Licenses System Payments Etc
A Holistic A/R Structure Based Upon the Concept of a Tax-Paying Entity
Examples of Tax-Paying Entities Include the Following: The Traditional Household Professional Businesses Merchants Hotels Restaurants Third Party Payers Relatives Court Appointees Itinerants in Temporary Residence Exclude: Tourists Non-Residents with Parking Tickets Other Persons Lacking a Re-Occurring Pattern of Payments
A Single Record Structure? Taxpayer ID Data Who Where Etc. Banking/Credit Card Information Real Property Data Data on Utilities Data on Vehicles Data on Businesses Dog License(s) Parking Tickets Other items Ad Nauseum
A Logical Data Structure Courts Utility Payments VPP Payments Real Estate Dog Licenses The Taxpaying Entity Business License Meals Tax Business Tangible Transient Occupancy Tax Parking Tickets
Building the Logical Data Structure What We Arlington Recommend Did - At great Find a cost, vendor both with emotionally an existing and proven financially, Payment replace Portal the to mainframe funnel any and systems all transactions with award-winning to their relational proper destination data base (i.e. over A/R a period sub-system). of four to five years.
A Logical Data Structure Courts Utility Payments VPP Payments Real Estate Dog Licenses Internet Payment Portal Business License Meals Tax Business Tangible Transient Occupancy Tax Parking Tickets
Arlington Internet Payments Rudimentary system started in 1998. Enhanced systems implemented in 2001 and 2003. Current system introduced in 2010. In FY2013 processed 200,000 payments totaling $147,000,000. E-Checks 135,000 payments, totaling $136,000,000. Credit Cards 65,000 payments, totaling $11,000,000.
Creating the Customer Profile Establish a team to (laboriously) put together profiles. Allow the customer to create his/her profile (the preferred solution! )
The Missing Link? The Tax-Paying entity and the related A/R data files must be linked by a system assigned set of characters (Customer ID or CID).
Data Security To maximize customer convenience, it would be desirable to store relevant banking/credit card data, but only in a totally secure environment (i.e., a PCI compliant site) under the control of a reputable third-party vendor.
The Shopping Cart With minimal effort the customer can effect a single payment for a number of different accounts and specify his/her method of payment (e.g., credit card, echeck, etc.).
Impediments? Privacy Laws Lack of Data Links Confusion between ownership and Taxpaying Entity Requires Good Judgment by Staff Requires sophisticated thirdparty vendor. Funding?
Bill Payer Alert! Program You have a bill!
By email A payment profile is created by either the customer (the tax-paying entity) or Treasurer s staff. Whenever a debt is incurred, the customer is immediately sent a You have a bill! notice by email. The email links them automatically with the Payment Portal. Approximately 66,000 households have signed up, to date.
The Next Steps Get rid of those pesky (and expensive) mailed bills by allowing taxpayers to opt for E-Billing! Notify taxpayers of pending refunds and allow them to opt for direct deposit to a bank/savings account.
The Moral of the Story Communication coupled with Convenience creates Compliance.
Payment and Receipts Trends David Quackenbush Director Senior Product Solutions Specialist Jacksonville, FL
Processing automation Payment Trends Processing improvement through automation 88% of companies surveyed have started or plan to launch automation initiatives within the year* Standardized system integration Standardize Standardized file types Universal messaging standards Standardized security Automate Improve Standardization and automation are enablers for centralization 31 * Source: PayStream s Invoice and Workflow Automation Benchmark Report 2013; www.paystreamadvisors.com
Electronic invoicing Payment #1 Trends Invoice efficiency through automation perceived challenges in adopting invoice automation: supplier reticence, IT resource shortage and system integration* Electronic invoice solutions Offer greater efficiencies for processing invoices Require changing the way buyers/suppliers traditionally conduct business Face considerable resistance both internally and from suppliers can address many needs Need to automate PO presentment, matching to receipts, routing, invoice approvals and more Need to clearly identify and communicate the tangible benefits Need onboarding assistance to obtain internal/external buy in and yield great benefits Improved efficiencies Lower operating costs Stronger control Competitive advantage 32 * Source: Electronic Supplier Payments PayStream Advisors Q2 2012
Check usage is declining Payment Trends 68% 78% of corporations increased use of ACH Half of respondents reported an increase in purchasing card transactions One third of respondents reported an increase in wire transfers of corporations in 2011 were writing fewer checks* Digital Disbursements Distribute funds without paper To any financial institution Using mobile number or email address reduce variable disbursement expenses by nearly 50% helps minimize escheatment management recipients receive payments more quickly eliminate the need to obtain sensitive account info 33 * Source: Electronic Supplier Payments PayStream Advisors Q2 2012
Fraud prevention Payment Trends Preventing fraud in the payments environment 61% of companies surveyed experience attempted or actual payments fraud* Current issues Altered checks Malicious insiders Stolen cards Hacked systems Organized crime Spyware Solutions being implemented Stale date/maximum dollar control Check outsourcing Paper to electronic ACH positive pay solutions Positive pay solutions Card solutions Companies are moving away from manual, paper based payments to help deter fraudulent activity 34 * Source: AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey 2013
Centralization Payment Trends 88% Centralization of corporates indicated they either already have moved or plan to move to a centralized payment structure within 24 months* Current environment Decentralized payment structure Centralized payment structure Solutions companies are implementing CashPro Connect Single file payment types: ISO 20022 XML, SAP IDoc, ASC X12 EDI, EDIFACT epayables and Paymode X 35 * Source: 2012 Annual Cash Management and Trade Finance Survey in association with SEB ; available at gtnews.com
Receivables management Receipt Trends Centralization and standardization of receivables 36% of corporates want to reduce receivables processing time and costs * Current environment Benefits being realized Receivables Processing Receivables Management Cost savings Greater efficiencies Collections/reconciliation automation (STR) Enhanced customer service Enhanced relationships Improved payer behavior Challenges: jurisdiction regulatory/tax issues, invoice detail sharing, customer contact, and varied clearing standards/payment methods Drivers: regulatory reform (SEPA), invoice matching tools, virtual account management, global liquidity overlays and single FX rates Enhanced DSO Cash forecasting Stronger commercial and operational risk management 36 * Source: Aberdeen Group (Jul 2011),"The Order to Cash Cycle: Enhancing performance with process Automation
Go Green and process efficiencies Receipt Trends Finding efficiencies in receivables processing 35% one in three companies have made significant investments in automation * Going green Reduce paper processing: Convert paper document to electronic Evaluate whether processes are environmentally friendly Educate consumers about electronic bills, statements and payments over paper alternatives Potential solutions Image Lockbox Remote Deposit Service Online Client Side Capture Payment Collection Gateway Remote Payments Online Healthcare Revenue Manager Cash processing Efficient processing and early credit with the bank for cash: Faster posting and positioning for deposited cash Avoid risk of employees transporting cash Just in time change and currency Combine transportation management requirements Safe Connect and Recycler Connect Cash Vault Transportation Management Business Deposit Card 37 * Source: Invoice and Workflow Automation Benchmark Report 2013; www.paystreamadvisors.com
Efficiencies through consolidations Receipt Trends Operation site consolidations The US Postal Service as well as FIs are streamlining operations USPS: USPS site consolidations still under review Next day delivery of first class mail coverage minimized Potential solutions Image Lockbox Image Cash Letter Remote Deposit Service Online Paper processing sites are consolidating due to accelerated image exchange: Banking centers are enabling image capture Item processing, vaults and returned item paper volumes continue to decline 38 Source: USPS press release, May 2012
Integration Trends
Standardization Integration Trends One process, greater flexibility 2% of international payment messages generate exceptions 5% Current environment Value of standardization Reduced costs Bank interoperability Straight through processing Economies of scale Time efficiencies More Key tools SWIFT ebam XML More 40 Source: SWIFT
Data transmission services Integration Trends Data transmission services 3% Transmission accounts increased three percent year over year Bank of America Protocol Trends New Setups 2011 Connect Direct 7% AS2 2% We offer traditional data transmission services (authentication and encryption are required) SSL/FTP 7% Traditional HTTPS FTP/SSH 11% FTP with PGP sftp (FTP with SSH) FTP with SSL AS2 Connect Direct with Secure+ HTTPS 44% FTP/PGP 29% VPN Emerging SWIFT FileAct (requires SWIFT Corporate Access membership) 41 Source: Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Mobile banking Integration Trends Mobile banking $245 mobile payment services expected to reach $245 billion in value by 2014 1 billion CashPro Mobile offers another channel to meet your electronic mobile banking needs. 42 Source: IDC Financial Insights press release, 2010/0712
Electronic Bank Account Management Integration Trends ebam 50% of corporates employ four or more staff that focus on bank account management; it can take over two weeks to open an account* Compliance and audit controls Visibility Security Automation CashPro Online CashPro Connect 43 Source: Pega System/Finextra survey, September 2009
Channel agnostic file formats Integration Trends Channel agnostic file formats 88% of companies would prefer the use of the same file format, regardless of channel Current needs Integrated multi channel client experience Solutions companies are implementing CashPro Connect CashPro Online Swift Email File VRU Mobile Web 44 Source: Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Securing files using digital identity Integration Trends Digital identity 53% corporates expect they will eventually Enterprise level authentication process, able to bridge multiple channels with interoperability between multiple banks and accounts. require digital signatures as a means of securing the files they send and receive ONE LOG IN ACCESS In lieu of ink signatures, we have: IdenTrust digital identity token device for our ebam service SWIFT 3SKey digital identify token device implementation underway for the signing of payment files 45 Source: Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Cloud technology Integration Trends Cloud technology for treasury services 50+% IT CEOs reported customers using the cloud to implement real world solutions Connecting with multiple cloudbased solutions: Cloud computing is the next transformational technology wave: Has built in controls to ensure capability, security and value of delivering using cloud technology Reduces the need to manage/ monitor disparate applications DATA Online treasury platforms Cloud based vendor ERP solutions, such as SAP Financial Services Network (FSN) SWIFT cloud based connectivity via Service Bureaus and SWIFT Alliance Lite2 Acts as enabler for consumer s treasury management services 46 Source: Sand Hill Group s 2011 Leaders in the Cloud
Balance and transaction reporting Integration Trends Standardizing cash management information reporting 84% corporates want to see format and implementation guidelines standardized Current state of standardizing information reporting: What we are doing to help standardize information reporting: Currently, the BAI2 format leaves room for interpretation and is not standard Looking ahead, X9 standard could be more compatible with other standards (like ISO 20022) Co chaired subgroups that created the BTRS Language and standard approach for formatting Extended Remittance Information (ERI) Will offer Balance and Transaction Reporting (BTRS) in 2013 Standard definition of what a transaction means and how it is to be reported 47 Source: AFP Survey, June 2010
What s Most Important To Global Companies? Issues Very important Important Not important 120 Not important at all 100 80 60 40 20 0 Source: GT News survey. Commissioned by Bank of America Merrill Lynch 48
What s Most Important To You? Discussion Create Ideas Customize Solutions Brainstorm Dialogue Specifics Discuss Issues Improve 49