Category: Insights

The 5 Payment Fraud Monsters: Simple Defenses and How Smart Tech Can Protect You

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The front doors are decorated, cobwebs draped just so, porch light on. From the sidewalk, your payments house looks festive and fine, ready to greet the spooks and ghouls when they come knocking.

But open the door and—yikes! Your business is like a well-decorated haunted house—inviting from the outside, but vulnerable to lurking dangers within. Fraudsters knock on your door as if they’re seeking treats, meanwhile tricking (no treat) your platform, sneaking in and turning Halloween fun into freaky horrors if you’re not in tune with the warning signs.

And when that happens, the real fright isn’t a jump scare; it’s the slow, compounding cost of doing nothing to protect your business.

The good news: you don’t need garlic, silver bullets or a room full of fraud analysts to make progress. A handful of pragmatic controls—turned on, tuned up and measured—can calm the chaos before it becomes a budget-eating monster.

The real horror: Inaction will cost you gravely

Fraud doesn’t take a holiday. When “just a little” card-not-present fraud invades your system, you can end up paying a lot more than you expected via billed authorization fees on doomed attempts, operational time answering tickets, chargeback losses and representment work, plus the invisible cost of turning away good customers when rules get over-tight after a spike.

Worse, once attackers find a soft door, they come back with friends. In other words: if you don’t have a clear “Monsters Not Welcome” sign hung and the doors securely locked, your system could be infiltrated before you even know the monsters are there.

The Halloween spike (and the morning after)

October through January is peak distraction: higher traffic and increased shopper activity create the perfect storm for fraudsters to exploit vulnerabilities. Card testing bots take advantage of the increased cover noise to stage account takeovers (harvested passwords work just fine on bill-pay portals) and abuse refund policies that are already stretched like taffy.

Then comes the January 1 reality check: disputes pile up, approval rates wobble and teams spend weeks mopping instead of supporting their clients. The trick is getting ahead of it—now.

The 5 monsters and how to keep them at bay

  1. Card testing (bots & scripts): Tell-tale signs: sudden bursts of tiny authorizations from many cards, same device/browser fingerprint, weird IP clusters.
    Stake through the heart: Enable velocity limits per IP/device/card, BIN throttling, bot filtering and AVS/CVV checks that cool suspicious bursts.
  2. Credential stuffing & account takeover: Think skeleton keys for login pages. Reused passwords + high-value bill-pay accounts = easy pickings.
    Counter-spell: Enable multi-factor authentication or opt for one-time password access when available; add device fingerprinting when risk is high, login throttling and watchlists for unusual behavior.
  3. First-party Misuse (“friendly fraud”): The cardholder is real—but the chargeback reason isn’t. Subscriptions and recurring billing are common targets.
    Ghost hunter: Set up clear descriptors, reminder emails/SMS, solid receipts and dispute playbooks with evidence packs. (You don’t win what you can’t document.)
  4. Refund & return abuse: Policy gaps turn into open graves.
    Fix it; don’t forget it: Require consistent refund inputs, track serial returners and align customer service scripts with policy (no accidental loopholes).
  5. ACH returns & NSF loops: It’s not fangs; it’s friction—in the form of fees, staff time and annoyed customers.
    Risk remedy: Get return monitoring, smart re-debit rules and payment plan options that reduce surprises.

 

An in-house hardening plan

Before you step into the payments graveyard, make sure you’re packing the right gear to close the door on monsters. Here’s your checklist to safeguard your business from horrors lurking in every transaction.

  • Shut the doors: Turn on velocity limits everywhere you accept payments—web, mobile and text-to-pay. Add BIN/IP throttles. Confirm AVS/CVV enforcement.
  • Turn on the lights: Instrument your funnel so you can see: approval rate, decline reasons, chargeback codes and ACH return codes. Create alerts for abnormal spikes (declines, AVS mismatches, refund volume).
  • Prove the customer (selectively): Apply an authorization + capture approach when risk is elevated—not on everything. Use issuer-friendly data like network tokens to raise approvals while keeping checkout smooth.
  • Stop the leaks: Enable Account Updater for recurring portfolios to prevent passive churn and risky retries. Stand up your dispute playbooks and track win rate like a KPI, not an afterthought.

 

Don’t witch-hunt the good customers

Over-blocking is its own monster. Blanket rules can repel fraud and revenue. Instead, layer your checks: let low-risk customers glide, step-up medium-risk customers and block the obvious ghouls.

When the monsters get smarter, it’s time to call in backup

The hardening plan are your garlic, but there’s no silver bullet. That’s why implementing simple, high-impact defenses to stop everyday ghouls at the gate are more important than ever. But as fraudsters evolve, so do their tricks. Scripted attacks turn into adaptive bots, synthetic identities mimic real customers and human fraud rings mask their intentions well enough to sneak past.

It might be time to consider a fraud detection platform, which analyzes big data with AI/machine learning, using advanced rulesets to spot subtle, emerging fraud patterns that less-dynamic systems can’t see. A strong platform can:

  • Cover multiple payment methods, channels and fraud vectors
  • Adapt to your specific business risks and industry needs
  • Elevate suspicious transactions in real time, allowing teams to promptly review flagged items
  • Filter and allow the legitimate transactions
  • Learn and adapt in real time

 

Two quick wins before the candy’s gone

  1. Turn on Account Updater and tokens for your recurring or invoice-based portfolios. That’s instant stability for approvals and fewer awkward “your card didn’t go through” moments.
  2. Add velocity limits and bot filtering on your most exposed endpoints. You’ll blunt card testing without clobbering good traffic.

 

Ready to de-spook your payments?

CSG Forte can help you implement simple defenses now, and plan for more robust protection tomorrow. Every day, the haunted maze of fraudsters learn more tricks, increasing the dangers and making goblins even more difficult to see.

Let’s do a fast risk review and make sure the only scares this season are the intentional ones. Get in touch today to talk to a payments risk expert.

Navigating the Forrester Merchant Payment Providers Landscape: How CSG Forte Addresses What Matters Most

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We’re excited to announce that CSG Forte has been included in the Forrester Merchant Payment Providers Landscape, Q4 2025 report—a recognition that we believe highlights our quality products and service, as well as our commitment to empowering organizations of all sizes with scalable, secure and future-ready payment solutions.

But what truly sets CSG Forte apart in a crowded field of payment providers? We believe the answer lies in our deep partnership approach and the real-world results our clients achieve.

 

How payments are evolving—and why merchants need to keep up

The payments industry continues to evolve rapidly, moving away from cash and checks and toward digital wallets and omnichannel experiences. In fact, cashless transactions are expected to triple from 2020 to 2030—a shift that no organization can afford to ignore. For enterprise organizations, this means integrated payments are no longer a “nice to have”—they’re a strategic necessity for growth, customer satisfaction and competitive differentiation.

Industry experts predict that continued cloud adoption and digital transformation across the software vendor sector will boost industry growth by nearly 24% annually through 2032. To stay ahead, businesses must develop a payment integration strategy that not only meets today’s needs but is also flexible and scalable enough to adapt to tomorrow’s innovations.

 

Why embedded payments matter

Facilitating online payments allows businesses to own the full payment flow, delivering seamless, branded experiences that reduce friction at checkout and boost conversion rates. With CSG Forte, merchants can:

  • Centralize payment data for better support and optimization.
  • Minimize latency and failed transactions.
  • Enable recurring billing and support emerging payment methods.
  • Scale efficiently with modular infrastructure and flexible monetization models.

But the benefits go beyond technology. By partnering with a payment processor like CSG Forte, organizations of any size gain access to infrastructure, compliance expertise and ongoing support—without having to divert resources from their core business.

 

Real-world results: Buildium and Rentec Direct

The impact of CSG Forte’s embedded payments strategy is best illustrated by our clients’ success stories.

Buildium, a leading property management software provider, needed a payment processing solution that could handle high transaction volumes and offer cost-effective ACH payments. By partnering with CSG Forte, Buildium was able to launch a tailored Automated Clearing House (ACH) solution quickly, driving 35% year-over-year growth in transactions and a 39% increase in dollars processed.

The partnership’s stability and personalized support were key: “Having the same person on our account from nearly the beginning of the relationship has made a huge impact,” said Buildium’s cofounder. The results speak for themselves—Buildium scaled rapidly and was ultimately acquired for $580 million.

Rentec Direct, another property management platform, faced inefficiencies with traditional rent payment methods. By integrating CSG Forte’s digital payment solutions, Rentec enabled online and recurring payments, reducing late payments from 22% to just 1% among users of the recurring system.

Over five years, Rentec saw an 112% increase in average payment volume and 98% revenue growth. During the COVID-19 pandemic, landlords using CSG Forte-powered recurring payments experienced 20% less churn and fewer vacancies—a testament to the resilience and value of embedded payments.

 

The CSG Forte partnership difference

So, what makes CSG Forte the partner of choice?

  • Security & compliance: Forte is PCI-compliant, offering end-to-end encryption and tokenization to protect sensitive payment data. Achieving this level of security independently is costly and complex; with CSG Forte, it’s built in.
  • Flexibility & customization: Our APIs and developer-friendly solutions allow companies to quickly adapt to industry changes and evolving customer preferences.
  • Fast, smooth onboarding: CSG Forte’s streamlined onboarding process helps merchants get up and running quickly, making a strong first impression and accelerating time to value.
  • Scalable revenue models: Whether through referral partnerships, payment facilitation-as-a-service or full payment facilitation, CSG Forte offers multiple paths to monetization that grow with your business.

 

The Forrester landscape

Inclusion in the Forrester Merchant Payment Providers Landscape is more than a milestone—For us it’s repeated validation of CSG Forte’s ability to help merchants deliver seamless, secure and scalable payment experiences. Our embedded payments strategy empowers software providers to differentiate their platforms. This change can unlock new revenue streams and future-proof businesses in a rapidly changing industry.

Reports like the Forrester Merchant Payment Providers Landscape are invaluable tools for organizations that are seeking clarity in a rapidly evolving payments landscape. They provide unbiased, objective insights that help organizations cut through complexity, benchmark providers and make well-informed decisions to drive business growth and innovation.

Ready to learn more? Connect with our payment experts to see how CSG Forte can help you embed and monetize payments for long-term success.

Disclaimer: Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand or service included in its research publications, and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here.

Beat The Numbers Game: Guard Against Card Testing Fraud

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Card-testing fraud has gone from nuisance to nonstop swarm—supercharged by cheap bots and off-the-shelf artificial intelligence (AI). In 2025, fraud teams report that card testing (aka enumeration) remains one of the most common attacks online, hitting roughly 45% of merchants worldwide even as some other fraud types cooled this year. At the same time, nearly half of financial institutions say monthly bot attacks are rising, underscoring how automation is amplifying low-value, high-volume probes that quickly cascade into chargebacks and network monitoring trouble.

For merchants, that “pennies at scale” behavior isn’t harmless: enumeration drives ecosystem losses in the billions and can push businesses toward acquirer/network programs when thresholds are crossed—especially under 2025’s tighter Visa monitoring rules. If your checkout, APIs, or account pages aren’t rate-limited and bot-mitigated—and if you’re not leaning on tools like velocity controls, AVS/CVV with intelligent retries, 3-D Secure 2.x, and network tokens—you’re inviting attackers to find valid PANs and move up the value chain.

Payment solutions can play a major role in protecting businesses from card testing-related losses. But does yours have the right capabilities? Read on as we explain card testing and some fundamental ways to reduce its impact on your customers and your bottom line.

 

What is card testing?

Card testing is a payment fraud technique where cybercriminals use automation or bots to guess valid credit card numbers. It’s literally a numbers game. Fraudsters submit a barrage of small transactions of just a few cents each, testing to see if a card number is valid. Once they’ve identified a set of card information that works, they then use it either to make larger unauthorized purchases or sell the card info on the dark web.

For merchants, falling victim to card testing can disrupt operations and generate costly chargebacks. But it means more than revenue loss: there’s also reputational damage to consider. According to a PYMNTS survey, 21% of consumers said that losing money due to fraud would be the most important factor that would erode their trust in a merchant.

 

5 layers of protection against card testing attacks

In the battle against card testing fraud, your strongest line of defense is a modern payment solution. It can safeguard your transactions and customer data in multiple ways. Here’s how:

1. Spot it early

As we all know, the earlier fraud is spotted, the better. Modern fraud detection platforms are doing this better than ever by engaging machine learning and sophisticated, dynamic rules that identify suspicious transactions and evolving patterns as they happen. These systems flag and report suspicious activity before bad actors “crack the code” and make a successful unauthorized charge, or before they can go on to do significant damage with the stolen card information.

  • Tell-tale signs: sudden bursts of tiny or $0/$1 authorizations, many declines in a short window, the same card BIN showing up repeatedly, or a spike in traffic with few real checkouts
  • Why it’s happening: fraudsters now use cheap bots—and increasingly AI—to run thousands of quick tests to find a “live” card number before moving on to bigger purchases elsewhere

2. Boost your tokenization technology

Modern payment solutions typically replace sensitive card data with unique tokens—randomly generated values that are unrelated to the original card data. This adds an extra layer of security. Even if bad actors intercept the merchant’s card data, the tokens render that data useless for making unauthorized transactions.

3. Make testing harder

  • Add a light “are you human?” check on payment and account pages when activity spikes.
  • Slow rapid-fire attempts with simple limits (e.g., only a few tries in a short period).
  • Turn on AVS and CVV checks for first-time payments so obviously bad attempts fail fast.

4. Get 3DS authentication

Modern payments solutions often integrate 3D-secure protocols, or “3DS,” which stands for 3 Domain Secure. This is an authentication method for online transactions that relies on three domains:

  • Issuer domain — The bank or financial institution that issued the card
  • Acquirer domain — The bank or financial institution processing the payment on the merchant’s behalf
  • Interoperability domain (card scheme) — The payment card network (e.g., Visa, MasterCard) that connects the issuer and acquirer domains

If you’re using 3DS, a cardholder making an online purchase undergoes an additional authentication step. This typically involves redirecting them to a page hosted by their card issuer or having them provide a one-time authentication code that is sent to their phone. And it’s this extra step that adds another strong barrier against card testing attempts.

5. Update and monitor regularly

Payment fraud techniques evolve, and so should your defenses. Your SaaS provider should provide regular updates and enable round-the-clock monitoring, making sure your payment system is always equipped with the latest security features.

  • Watch for patterns, not just single declines: Unusual spikes in small authorizations, odd geographies, or “many cards/one device” should trigger a closer look.
  • Have a short playbook: Pause the affected page or endpoint, tighten limits for an hour, review the attempts, and notify your payments partner if thresholds were hit.
  • Clean up quickly: Void/refund test charges, update blocklists and, if needed, rotate any exposed credentials.

 

Act today

Safeguarding your organization against card testing is a must. Do you know if your payment ecosystem has all these protections in place for you and your customers? Talk to us at CSG Forte, and we can help you ensure your payments security is up to task—even as fraudsters put it to the test.

Rent Payment Methods

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Managing rent collection is one of the most critical responsibilities for landlords. With many rent payment methods available today, landlords are no longer limited to paper checks or in-person cash payments. By weighing the pros and cons of different solutions, you can identify rent payment options that make the most sense for your business model.

 

Traditional rent payment methods

Property owners have relied on tried-and-true approaches like cash, checks and bank drafts for decades. These traditional rent payment methods remain in use across the rental market, especially with small landlords or tenants who are less comfortable with technology. Nonetheless, they have limitations, especially when scaling operations or managing tenants across different locations.

Cash payments

Paying in cash is one of the oldest rent payment methods and is still common in certain markets. Tenants hand over bills directly, and landlords issue a receipt as proof of payment.

Pros of cash payments include:

  • Immediate access to funds without waiting for bank processing
  • No banking or processing fees
  • Cash can be the only viable method for tenants without checking accounts or digital tools

Cons of cash payments include:

  • Cash is vulnerable to miscounting, theft or loss
  • Requires strong manual record keeping to avoid disputes
  • Needs in-person delivery, which can be inconvenient
  • As your portfolio grows, handling rent in cash becomes cumbersome and inefficient

Personal and certified checks

Checks remain a familiar method, particularly for tenants who prefer banking-based payments. Certified checks provide an added level of security since the bank verifies that funds are available during issuance.

The benefits of check payments are:

  • Checks create a clear, traceable payment record, making accounting and settling disputes easier
  • Widely accepted and comfortable for tenants who prefer paper-based methods
  • Certified checks reduce the risk of insufficient funds
  • Unlike credit card or app-based transactions, checks generally don’t have processing fees

The drawbacks of check payments are:

  • Personal checks can bounce, causing delays and possible bank penalties
  • Mailing introduces risks of lost or delayed payments
  • Certified checks require a bank visit and involve fees
  • Longer processing times may delay cash flow

Cashier’s check or bank draft

Cashier’s checks and bank drafts are some of the most secure traditional rent payment methods. Unlike personal checks, these are backed by the issuing bank’s funds, offering higher security.

Pros of this payment method include:

  • Because funds are withdrawn before issuance, there’s no risk of a bounced check
  • Cashier’s checks can instill confidence in high-value transactions like deposits or the first month’s rent
  • Each check is tied to a bank, providing strong documentation

The cons of this payment method include:

  • Require tenants to visit a bank, which may be inconvenient
  • Banks typically charge fees for each check or draft
  • Not practical for recurring monthly rent payments due to the effort required
  • Hard to scale; for landlords managing multiple properties, the effort to reconcile accounts adds up quickly

 

Modern rent payment methods

Digital payment tools have revolutionized how landlords and tenants handle rent.

ACH payments

Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments allow tenants to transfer rent directly from their bank account to yours, reducing manual handling and risk.

A few advantages of ACH payments are:

  • Funds are deposited straight into your business or personal bank account without requiring in-person exchanges
  • ACH processing typically costs less than credit card transactions
  • Tenants can set up automatic transfers, reducing late payments and improving cash predictability
  • Transactions are logged by the banking network, providing reliable records for both parties

However, ACH rent payments do come with some potential drawbacks:

  • Funds can take a few business days to clear, especially on weekends or holidays
  • Tenants unfamiliar with digital banking may need guidance to set it up
  • In rare cases, tenants can reverse payments, requiring additional follow up
  • Incorrect inputs may delay payment or lead to payment failures

The right payments partner may offer value added services that reduce these potential drawbacks, such as account verification services, and non-sufficient funds recovery, which can improve the end-to-end results of ACH payments.

 

Peer-to-peer (P2P) payment apps

Apps like Venmo and, PayPal have made sending money almost instantaneous.

Pros of these P2P apps include:

  • Fast transactions completed from a phone or computer
  • Most tenants already use at least one app in their daily lives
  • Tenants can send rent anytime, from anywhere

Cons of P2P apps include:

  • Larger rent amounts may exceed daily or weekly sending caps
  • Typos or wrong usernames can result in money going to the wrong recipient, with limited recourse
  • Less structured recordkeeping compared to dedicated rent collection platforms

Credit card payments

Some tenants prefer paying rent with a credit card because it allows them to manage cash flow, earn rewards or build their credit history. For landlords, this option introduces both advantages and challenges.

The benefits of paying rent with credit cards are:

  • Credit cards help tenants manage cash flow, especially during unexpected financial challenges
  • Fast processing delivers funds quickly to your account
  • Tenants may prefer this option to earn cashback or points, which can encourage on-time payments

However, paying with credit cards also creates disadvantages, including:

  • Fees of 2% to 3% per transaction, which can cut into rental income if not passed on to the tenant
  • Risk of chargebacks if a tenant disputes a payment
  • Requires specialized processing arrangements, making it less straightforward for landlords to adopt

 

Online rent payment options and property management software

Dedicated rent collection platforms and property management software combine different ways to pay rent into one centralized system. These systems often integrate rent collection with other management features, such as maintenance requests, tenant communication, compliance tools and actionable insights.

Pros of centralized rent payment systems include:

  • Landlords can accept multiple payment methods, including ACH, credit card and mobile wallets through a single interface
  • Tenants can enroll in recurring payments and receive alerts about due dates, reducing missed rent
  • Real-time dashboards help track income, late fees, refunds and transaction history
  • Built-in encryption and compliance features enhance security

Cons of centralized rent payment systems include:

  • Some platforms charge monthly subscriptions or per-transaction fees
  • Both landlords and tenants may need onboarding to use these tools effectively
  • Tenants without consistent digital access may face barriers unless offline alternatives are available

 

How to choose the best rent payment option for your property

Below are key factors landlords should evaluate when comparing different ways to pay rent:

  • Ease of use: Look for tools that offer intuitive interfaces, mobile accessibility and automated options like recurring billing
  • Security: Payment methods should protect both your funds and tenants’ information through encryption, tokenization and compliance with industry standards
  • Speed of access to funds: If you need quick fund availability, choose a method that reliably delivers cleared funds without delays, such as mobile apps or credit card payments
  • Documentation and recordkeeping: Digital platforms automatically log transactions, making disputes easier to resolve. Paper-based options require careful organization of receipts or bank statements, which can become difficult at scale
  • Costs and transaction fees: Understanding the actual cost per payment helps protect your margins, especially when processing high volumes each month
  • Portfolio size: Landlords managing one or two units may tolerate manual methods like checks or cash. But once you’re overseeing multiple properties or units, scaling manual processes becomes inefficient
  • Technological proficiency: Older tenants may prefer checks, while younger renters often expect online rent payment options
  • Proximity to properties: Collecting cash or checks in person may be workable if you live near your rental. For landlords managing properties from a distance, digital rent payment methods become essential for convenience and timeliness

 

Accept multiple ways to pay with CSG Forte

Rent collection works best when tenants have options and you maintain control. Whether you manage a single-family unit or a growing portfolio of rental properties, integrating secure, flexible and scalable online rent payment options helps streamline operations and improve tenant satisfaction.

CSG Forte allows landlords and property owners to accept ACH, eCheck, debit and credit cards, phone payments and other contactless payments through a unified platform. It supports recurring billing and automated reminders, making it easier for tenants to pay on time and for you to maintain consistent revenue. It enables you to track every transaction in real time through an intuitive reporting dashboard, offering visibility into payment trends and helping you stay organized.

The platform includes robust tools that automate dispute resolution and simplify reconciliation, so you spend less time sorting out late fees or reprocessing failed transactions. From payment acceptance to refunds and account management, CSG Forte keeps everything centralized and secure so you can focus on running your business, not chasing down rent.

Contact one of our payment experts today to see how CSG Forte can help modernize your rent collection process.

What Is Payment Facilitation and How Can It Help Your Business Scale?

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Imagine this scenario: Your software platform is thriving, attracting new customers every day. Your website analytics show rising engagement, lower bounce rates and strong interest in your product features. But when it comes time for users to pay, you notice a troubling trend—many abandon their carts at the payment stage. The culprit? A clunky, third-party payment form that disrupts the user experience and erodes trust.

As an independent software vendor (ISV), your platform’s growth depends on delivering seamless, trustworthy payment experiences. Yet, too often, legacy payment flows force your customers to abandon their carts—especially when redirected to unfamiliar third-party portals.

Embedding those payment processes directly within your software platform eliminates this friction and keeps users engaged, building trust and loyalty along the way. Whether you want full control and higher revenue share as a registered payment facilitator, or prefer a faster, low-lift launch with payment facilitation-as-a-service (PFaaS), read more to learn what to look for when considering taking on more of a payment facilitation role in your business and offer scalable, compliant payments.

 

Why embedded payments matter now: trends and industry drivers

Today’s customers expect instant, secure payments—without leaving your branded environment. ISVs across industries are modernizing with embedded payments to boost conversions and customer loyalty.

To meet these expectations, you must be able to onboard merchants in hours (not weeks), support multiple payment methods and simplify compliance requirements. Whether you’re in healthcare, property management, financial services or another industry, embedding payments within your platform is now a competitive necessity.

This surge in digital payment adoption is transforming industries. Healthcare providers want to offer patients easy, secure ways to pay for services online. Property managers need to streamline rent collection and automate recurring payments. ISVs are looking to reduce friction in subscription billing and renewals. Across the board, organizations are seeking to modernize payment acceptance and deliver a frictionless experience that keeps users coming back while maintaining nimble processes.

And they can’t do that with legacy billing and payment systems, which are often slow, expensive and difficult to integrate with modern platforms. These clunky platforms can create bottlenecks in onboarding and expose your business to compliance risks. This frustrates customers with confusing checkout flows and leads to those abandoned carts you’re trying to avoid.

Embedding payment facilitation services within your branded platform empowers delivery of a unified, branded experience—one that builds trust, accelerates onboarding and supports rapid growth.

 

How payment facilitators operate: essential functions, demystified

Payment facilitation is the natural evolution of embedded payments. Once ISVs are beyond simply accepting payments, CSG Forte allows you to gain ownership of the enrollment process and the power to underwrite merchants that meet your standards, while raising the revenue opportunity derived from this knowledge, strengthening loyalty and giving you control over the payment experience.

Whether you want to fully own payments or prefer a lighter operational lift, CSG Forte’s flexible models let you monetize transactions and deliver seamless flows—no matter your growth stage.

Traditional model:

  • Customers are redirected to a third-party payment site.
  • The payment experience feels disconnected from your brand.
  • Onboarding is slow, compliance is complex and revenue opportunities are limited.

PFaaS model:

  • CSG Forte handles the heavy lifting: merchant onboarding, compliance, risk management.
  • Your team focuses on product innovation and customer engagement.
  • Onboarding is slow, compliance is complex and revenue opportunities are limited.

Payment facilitator model:

  • Customers stay within your branded environment for the entire transaction.
  • You control the payment flow, user experience and branding.
  • Onboarding is fast, compliance is streamlined and your share in payment processing revenue is higher.

For ISVs and platforms evaluating embedded payment strategies, becoming a payment facilitator enables you to own the payment relationship, monetize transactions and deliver seamless payment flows. While there are less hands-on models that suit businesses seeking minimal operational responsibility, platforms ready to scale and differentiate should consider going the payment facilitation route. Whether choosing PFaaS as a steppingstone to full payment facilitation or jumping right in, choosing the right partner is how you make that leap—without the heavy lift.

 

Regulatory and compliance considerations for payment facilitators

Payments are complex and highly regulated. Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS), Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements are non-negotiable for payment facilitators. CSG Forte’s PFaaS offering handles compliance, merchant underwriting, transaction monitoring and fraud prevention. Our transparent fee structures and chargeback management tools help you scale confidently, knowing risk and compliance are covered.

As a payment facilitator, you’re responsible for consolidating payments across many sub-merchants. This means risk management becomes a top priority. CSG Forte’s platform is built to support this complexity, providing automated tools for compliance, fraud detection and regulatory reporting.

With CSG Forte, you don’t have to become a payments expert overnight. Our team guides you through every step, from initial setup to ongoing compliance. We handle the operational details, so you can focus on growing your business.

  • Merchant onboarding: Traditional payment models require each merchant to undergo a lengthy underwriting process, often taking weeks. As a payment facilitator, you can onboard merchants under your own brand in hours or days. CSG Forte’s platform automates underwriting, risk assessment and compliance checks, so you can scale faster and support more customers.
  • Transaction monitoring & fund movement: Payment facilitators oversee the flow of funds between customers and merchants, monitor transactions for fraud and ensure timely disbursement. CSG Forte’s infrastructure provides real-time monitoring, advanced fraud detection and automated fund movement, so you can deliver a secure, reliable payment experience.
  • Chargeback management: Handling chargebacks and disputes is a critical part of payment operations. CSG Forte’s platform includes built-in chargeback management tools, helping you minimize losses, resolve disputes efficiently and maintain operational stability.
  • Compliance & risk management: Operating as a payment facilitator means expanding your scope into a highly regulated space. PCI DSS compliance, KYC protocols and AML requirements are non-negotiable. CSG Forte’s PFaaS model shifts the security and compliance burdens off your shoulders; we handle merchant underwriting, transaction monitoring and fraud prevention on your behalf.

 

Benefits of becoming a payment facilitator

ISVs who embed payments with CSG Forte unlock new revenue streams—transaction fees, referral programs and value-added services. You’ll keep the entire customer journey within your software, reducing drop-offs and boosting conversions.

Our platform is built for scalability, letting you add payment methods and subscription billing without reengineering your core infrastructure. Stay competitive and future ready as payment technologies evolve, with strategic and financial advantages, including:

  • New revenue streams: Monetize every transaction, offer referral programs and introduce value-added services.
  • Improved user experience: Keep the payment process within your platform, reducing friction and boosting conversions.
  • Scalability: Easily add new payment methods—credit cards, ACH, digital wallets and subscription billing—without major infrastructure changes.
  • Operational efficiency: Automate onboarding, compliance and risk management, freeing your team to focus on innovation.
  • Competitive differentiation: Stand out in your market by offering seamless, branded payment experiences.

 

CSG Forte’s commitment: partnering for growth

At CSG Forte, we believe in partnership. Our team works closely with yours to understand and align with your goals, address your challenges and refine your growth strategy. Whether you’re ready to become a registered payment facilitator or want to start with PFaaS, we provide the expertise, technology and support you need to succeed. We also offer co-marketing opportunities, strategic guidance and ongoing operational support. Our goal is to help you launch, scale and differentiate your platform in a competitive market.

Ready to transform your platform’s payment experience? Connect with CSG Forte to explore the best path for your ISV—whether you want full payment facilitation or a fast, flexible PFaaS launch. You can also follow CSG Forte on LinkedIn for industry trends, product updates and best practices for embedded payments, and beyond.

Turn Your Healthcare Payment Processing from Back-Office Chore to Strategic Advantage

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Healthcare organizations are under constant pressure to deliver better patient care, but outdated billing systems are holding them back. Legacy platforms routinely underperform, driving up claim rejection rates and slowing down reimbursement cycles. The result? Providers face cash flow bottlenecks and operational headaches that limit their ability to invest in what matters most: patient outcomes.

Today’s patients expect digital-first billing experiences. Yet, many legacy systems offer only limited online payment options, forcing staff to manually process payments and resolve disputes. This not only frustrates patients but also increases administrative overhead—wasting valuable time and resources.

Integration is another persistent pain point in healthcare payment upgrades. Many providers rely on electronic medical record (EMR) systems that simply don’t play well with modern payment processors. The lack of interoperability creates data silos, increases the risk of errors and makes regulatory compliance a moving target.

Then there are the compounding security and compliance risks, which are also amplified by legacy technology. Without robust security features, sensitive patient data could be affected by breaches and regulatory penalties. As the regulatory landscape evolves, traditional systems can’t keep pace, leaving organizations vulnerable.

The bottom line: legacy payment systems are no longer fit for purpose. Providers need solutions that streamline payment processes, improve outcomes and deliver a better experience for both staff and patients. That’s where embedded payments come in—a modern approach that’s rapidly transforming how healthcare solution providers support secure, efficient financial workflows.

 

What are embedded payments and why do healthcare ISVs need them?

Consider how you pay for a ride using an app like Uber or Lyft—there’s no need to pull out your card at the end of the trip, since payment is built directly into the app and processed seamlessly in the background. This is a familiar example of embedded payments in action, making everyday transactions effortless for users. In short, embedding payments means building them directly into software platforms. This allows users to complete transactions without leaving the application.

Unlike traditional payment gateways, which often appear as a fragmented, manual workflow where payment information is relayed between systems, requiring users to leave the main portal, embedded payments keep all parts within a single environment—including reconciliation and tracking. They enable providers to deliver digital-first billing, automate manual processes and reduce errors caused by disconnected systems. Additionally, these platforms support a range of payment methods—credit cards, ACH transfers, mobile wallets, etc.—meeting patient preferences and boosting satisfaction.

 

Embedded payment compliance hurdles

Healthcare payments are governed by strict regulations, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which protects patient health information, and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which safeguards payment data. Business Associate Agreements (BAA) add another layer of contractual complexity. ISVs must ensure their embedded payment solutions meet these standards to protect patient data and avoid costly penalties.

Ensuring secure data transmission, encryption and access controls are just one set of challenges healthcare ISVs face when considering how to accept patient payments. On top of those compliance issues, ISVs embedded in healthcare workflows must also be equipped to navigate complex contracts and demonstrate ongoing adherence to all rules and regulations through audits and certifications.

The risks of non-compliance are real. Financial penalties, reputational damage and loss of business are all on the table. Even more troublesome: security breaches can expose sensitive patient information, not only triggering investigations and legal action, but putting patient wellbeing at risk.

 

Security best practices to overcome payment challenges

Security isn’t optional—it’s foundational. ISVs should implement best practices like encryption, tokenization and secure data transmission protocols. Encryption keeps payment data unreadable to unauthorized parties, while tokenization replaces sensitive information with unique identifiers that are useless if intercepted.

Fraud prevention tools and real-time transaction monitoring are essential for detecting and stopping suspicious activity. Partnering with PCI Level 1 payment facilitators ensures adherence to the highest security standards and regular assessments.

It’s also critical that healthcare ISVs commit to performing continuous security assessments and making all necessary updates. Security and cyber threats evolve, and ISVs must proactively identify vulnerabilities and deploy patches to keep payment systems secure. Prioritizing security builds trust with healthcare providers and patients.

 

Comparing legacy billing systems to modern platforms

When selecting an embedded payments partner for your healthcare solution, it’s important to assess several critical factors that will impact your ability to deliver secure payment experiences that are compliant and feel seamless to patients. Below are the key considerations to help you make a well-informed decision and ensure your organization’s long-term success.

  • Legacy billing systems are defined by limited integration, manual processes and slow reimbursements. These constraints make it difficult for providers to deliver efficient, patient-centric billing experiences.
  • Modern embedded payments platforms offer real-time payments and automated posting. Providers can reconcile payments instantly, reduce administrative overhead and improve cash flow.
  • Digital-first billing options—online portals, mobile apps—enhance patient satisfaction by providing convenient, transparent payment experiences. Embedded payments also support automated reminders and flexible payment plans, reducing missed payments and disputes.

 

Drive faster cash flow with embedded payments

When you embed payment flows, claim submission and reconciliation get a whole lot easier. No more endless paperwork—manual tasks take a back seat, so providers get paid faster and hassle-free. Plus, when you add integrated eligibility and verification tools, you’re not just cutting down on denied claims; you’re making sure every claim is spot-on before it goes out the door.

Think about flexible payment options: Apple or Google Pay, mobile wallets, text-to-pay—you name it. Patients want choices, and these tools help you meet them where they are, which means better collection rates for your practice. Embedded payments aren’t just fancy tech; they’re how ISVs help healthcare providers focus on what really matters: providing exceptional care while keeping revenue cycles running smoothly.

 

Choosing a partner: key factors to consider

Choosing the right embedded payments partner is a strategic decision for healthcare ISVs. Key considerations include:

  • Compliance certifications and security track record: Confirm the partner meets HIPAA, PCI DSS and other relevant standards.
  • Vertical expertise in healthcare payments: Look for partners with proven experience in healthcare environments.
  • Customer support and integration ease: Seamless integration minimizes disruption and accelerates adoption.
  • Transparent pricing and scalable architecture: Select solutions that can grow with your organization and offer clear, predictable costs with simple, workable revenue models.

 

Future-proof your organization with embedded payments

Forte isn’t just another payments vendor—we’re your embedded payments partner, built specifically for healthcare ISVs. We know your world is filled with regulatory hurdles, tough security requirements and the need to move quickly but carefully, without putting sensitive information at risk. That’s why Forte brings bulletproof compliance, best-in-class security and easy integration—so you can focus on what matters most.

Legacy payment headaches? Modern embedded payments platforms are your answer. They don’t just patch up old problems—they overhaul workflows, amp up security and make digital-first billing a reality. Automation means no more chasing paperwork or worrying about compliance gaps. Instead, you get faster cash flow and happier patients, every step of the way.

It’s time for healthcare ISVs to take a hard look at their current systems and ask: “Is my billing holding me back?” Platforms like Forte’s are built for healthcare’s real-world demands—helping you stay ahead of the curve, breeze through audits and deliver seamless payment experiences patients expect. Future-proof your operations and make billing a win for both your team and the people you serve.

If you’re ready to transform your healthcare payments, now is the perfect time to take action. Sign up for a demo or connect with an expert to explore how embedded payments can streamline your processes and boost your bottom line.

What’s Next: The Federal Government Eliminated Paper Checks

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Uncle Sam has ditched the paper checks. As of September 30, 2025, the federal government stopped issuing paper checks for most federal payments.

Using paper-based payments imposes unnecessary costs and delays, as well as increased fraud risks, lost payments, thefts and other inefficiencies. “Historicalvly, Department of the Treasury checks are 16 times more likely to be reported lost or stolen, returned undeliverable, or altered than an electronic funds transfer (EFT),” according to the Executive Order issued by the White House.

Even though 93% of tax refunds are now delivered by direct deposit, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) still mailed about 6.5 million paper checks in 2025. The transition to electronic payments won’t just affect federal government agencies and government vendors. Independent software vendors (ISVs) serving government agencies may need to expand their digital payment capabilities. And shifting payer expectations will likely impact most billers in the public and private sectors.

Any organization that issues refunds and credits—such as state and local government agencies, utilities, healthcare providers and property management companies—must adapt to customers’ increasing trust in and desire for electronic payments. Keep reading to learn what’s changing for federal government agencies—and five best practices to implement electronic payments.

 

Paper checks are being phased out: the details

The federal government’s shift to electronic payments will reshape the payment process for many industries. Here’s a non-comprehensive list of who is impacted, what’s changing and how each can confidently navigate the switch to digital transactions.

  • Tax refunds: IRS guidance indicates the agency will publish detailed guidance for 2025 tax returns before the 2026 filing season begins. Until told otherwise, taxpayers should continue using existing forms and procedures, including people filing 2024 returns on an extension, as long as they file prior to the end of 2025.
  • Social Security or veterans’ benefits payments: All federal agencies must transition to electronic funds transfer (EFT) and actively enroll recipients in digital payment methods, including the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
  • Receipts: All receipts to the federal government must be processed electronically as soon as practicable. Agencies must eliminate the use of Treasury’s physical lockbox services and implement digital collection solutions.

Treasury will provide agencies with support and guidance throughout this transition.

 

Who’s affected, and how

Payment recipients will have faster access to funds via EFT or prepaid debit cards. Electronic payments are processed and credited much faster than paper checks, which must be printed, mailed, and then cleared by a bank. Furthermore, electronic payments have a lower risk of theft. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service instructs Americans who receive benefits or tax refunds by paper check to sign up for direct deposit, open a bank account (if needed), or sign up for a Direct Express debit card (where they can receive their monthly benefit payments electronically). People can apply for an exemption by submitting the “Request for Payment of Federal Benefits by Check” form.

The transition to electronic payments strengthens Treasury’s capabilities to identify improper payments, prevent fraud, and manage disbursement operations efficiently and securely. Treasury will support payment verification by:

  • Updating systems and guidance to ensure all federal payments are subject to pre-certification verification processes
  • Providing new guidelines to promote compliance with the Do Not Pay Working System (that verifies eligibility of a vendor or beneficiary to receive federal payments)

Payers who get used to making and receiving electronic payments—and having more options—may expect other businesses to offer digital payments (including digital wallets), self-service portals, and payment plans (e.g., installments). ISVs—and businesses—must provide modern, convenient payment experiences or risk losing customers.

 

Real-world use cases

How can you use modern digital payments to increase efficiency and reduce costs and fraud?

  • ISVs serving government agencies: Embed payment tools such as account capture, account validation (using instant verification or micro-deposits), tokenization and Account Updater into your software platform. Make exception dashboards visible to agency staff, to simplify and accelerate the management of payments that couldn’t be processed due to errors, insufficient funds, or a stop payment order.
  • State and local governments: To reduce mailing costs and check fraud, issue refunds for taxes and/or services via Automated Clearing House (ACH) or—for residents without a bank account—pre-paid debit card.
  • Utilities: Return deposits or account credits electronically instead of mailing a check. To prevent misdirected funds, validate bank account information when a customer sets up recurring payments using ACH. To protect cash flow and prevent service disconnection due to non-payment, use a recovery service to automate the collection of funds when a customer’s payment fails.
  • Healthcare providers: In addition to issuing refunds digitally, provide electronic bill presentment and payment and flexible payment plans.

 

5 best practices for electronic payment processing

As organizations adapt to the new era of electronic payments, implementing effective digital payment processing strategies is essential for security, efficiency and customer satisfaction. The following best practices will help agencies and businesses transition smoothly. A smooth transition can help minimize payment errors and enhance the overall payment experience for both payers and recipients by:

  1. Capturing and verifying bank credentials at scaleCSG Forte’s BillPay tool provides self-service bank information capture. Sensitive payment data captured from the Payment Card Industry (PCI)-compliant form is tokenized and stored on secure servers, reducing PCI scope. Use CSG Forte’s Validate solution to verify that the ACH transaction routing number is valid and the customer’s account is open and existing. This reduces errors, payment failures and fraud risk.
  2. Keeping account information current to reduce failed payments: CSG Forte’s Account Updater automatically updates payment methods when a customer’s credit card information (such as expiration date or account number) changes. Scheduled prompts to proactively remind customers to refresh their banking data. View return codes on the CSG Dex dashboard and use Dex to power your outreach regarding account updates.
  3. Giving payers a choice of secure payment methods and channels: Improve customer experience and reduce late payments by allowing customers to pay and receive refunds using ACH, credit or debit cards, digital wallets, or prepaid debit cards (for refunds/reimbursements). Let them pay online, by phone [through interactive voice response (IVR) or a live agent] or in person using a point of sale terminal. Reduce live agent payment calls by up to 70% with CSG Forte’s IVR solution. You can also boost IVR payment security by using CSG Forte’s Live Agent Assist, which allows contact center agents to send customers a link to custom online invoices (generated on the spot), enabling customers to pay directly without sharing their payment information with someone who may leak it. CSG Forte’s payment solutions utilize tokenization, PCI-validated end-to-end encryption and hosted payment pages to protect data during every payment transaction, reducing the risk of fraud and account takeover. Implement multifactor authentication and payment authentication to further protect sensitive information.
  4. Communicating proactively: Use CSG Forte to send payment reminders, confirmations and late notices—including a link to a custom invoice—via each customer’s preferred channel. This reduces late payments and contact center calls (“did you get my payment?”). Use in-flow banners, emails and texts to prompt customers to add/update their bank information and opt into autopay and/or electronic disbursements.
  5. Automate reporting: Dex provides real-time visibility into payment transactions (e.g., deposits, rejects and disputes), streamlining the identification and management of payments that weren’t processed.

 

CSG Forte—everything you need to manage payments

CSG Forte is an integrated, customizable payments solution that makes it simple to accept payments online, by phone using IVR, and in person. Plus, you can verify accounts, manage payment returns and automatically update account information to better manage one-time and recurring payments. Ready to start your journey with Forte? Reach out today to talk to an expert and learn how we can help you modernize your payment system. Want to learn more first? Check out our government payment-focused eBook.

How to Maximize Collections From Patient Services Billing

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Balancing patient care with financial sustainability is an ongoing challenge for healthcare providers. Rising out-of-pocket costs and high-deductible health plans have made patients responsible for a larger portion of their medical expenses. This shift has created a greater need for transparent, efficient, flexible and compassionate billing practices. By improving patient collections, providers can maintain strong revenue cycles and preserve trust and satisfaction among those they serve.

 

The Importance of Streamlining the Collection Process in Medical Billing

Healthcare costs have been steadily increasing, with patients now responsible for a larger share of their bills than ever before. According to a 2024 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report, the average per-person medical debt in the United States grew from $2,000 to over $3,100 in just one year. At the same time, providers are operating on increasingly narrow margins.

Traditional billing methods often fail in this environment. Patients frequently get frustrated by unclear statements, rigid payment processes and limited ways to resolve their balances. On the provider side, teams struggle with fragmented tools and time-intensive follow-up, resulting in aging accounts, delayed revenue and a strained patient relationship.

Streamlining the collection process in medical billing enables medical staff to provide accurate cost estimates earlier, collect payments more quickly and reduce administrative burdens. In turn, patients experience less confusion and anxiety around payments, which can improve satisfaction and long-term loyalty.

Efficient workflows also have a measurable financial impact. Reduced accounts receivable (A/R) days means revenue becomes available sooner for operational needs, and fewer accounts transition to bad debt. In an environment where operating margins remain tight, every improvement in patient collections strengthens financial resilience.

 

6 Ways of Improving Patient Collections

Strengthening patient collections in healthcare begins with a proactive and transparent system that makes it easier to understand and settle balances. Below are seven practical strategies to help your organization collect more while remaining compassionate:

1. Offer Multiple, Convenient Payment Options

Patients are more likely to pay promptly when they can use their preferred payment method. Over 70% of patients prefer to pay their bills online. Offering options such as Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfers, credit and debit cards, checks, digital wallets, online portals and in-person transactions gives patients flexibility. Providing payment opportunities at multiple touchpoints, such as before service, at the point of care and after, can also significantly improve patient collections by reducing barriers to payment.

 

 

2. Provide Clear, Upfront Patient Responsibility Estimates

Transparency is one of the most effective tools for improving patient collections. By giving patients a clear estimate of their out-of-pocket costs before treatment, providers set realistic expectations and avoid the frustration of unexpected bills. This proactive approach can encourage pre-service or point-of-service payments, reduce disputes and increase trust in the billing process.

Staff training is critical here. You should equip your front desk and registration teams to explain estimates, answer billing questions and guide patients through available payment options. Furthermore, the No Surprises Act now makes these estimates a regulatory requirement in many situations, and failing to provide them can carry steep financial penalties.

3. Leverage Digital Tools and Automation

Modern healthcare consumers expect the same convenience from medical billing as they receive from other highly automated sectors, such as retail and banking. Automated payment reminders, electronic statements, patient portals and integrated billing platforms can simplify the collection process for both staff and patients.

Medical practices can automate recurring payment plans, payment reminders and statement delivery. Integrating these tools into your patient billing and collections strategy creates a faster, more consistent process that reduces manual errors and administrative workload. Patients will benefit from timely notifications, secure payment channels and the ability to manage their accounts conveniently.

4. Deliver Clear and Concise Statements

A well-structured billing statement can make the difference between a patient paying promptly and delaying payment. Confusing language, lack of itemization, missing contact details or unclear responsibility amounts often leave patients frustrated and hesitant to act. Clear, visually organized statements that highlight balances due, dates, insurance adjustments and available payment methods simplify the experience and reduce billing inquiries.

Clear statements also lighten providers’ administrative load. When patients understand their statements, staff spend less time answering repetitive billing questions and more time focusing on care. Clear communication directly supports patient collections in healthcare by reducing delays and improving trust.

5. Offer Friendly Payment Plans

Healthcare expenses can be overwhelming. High deductibles and high out-of-pocket costs have made large medical bills more common. Offering structured, flexible payment plans shows compassion for patients’ financial realities and helps providers maintain consistent cash flow. This balance of empathy and practicality is central to improving patient collections. Patients who feel supported in managing their bills are less likely to delay or default, and providers benefit from steady revenue streams.

6. Incentivize Prompt Payments With Discounts

Even modest discounts can motivate patients to pay quickly. A small percentage of balances paid within a specific time frame encourages timely payments and reduces accounts receivable days. These programs work best when promoted clearly at multiple points, such as during registration and on billing statements. Beyond the financial benefit, prompt payment incentives foster goodwill. Patients will appreciate the opportunity to reduce costs, which can increase satisfaction and loyalty.

 

Optimize Patient Billing and Collections With CSG Forte

Healthcare organizations deserve a partner that simplifies every step of the collection process in medical billing while supporting a positive patient experience. CSG Forte combines secure technology, flexible payment options, seamless integration with existing systems and healthcare-specific expertise to create a platform that helps you get paid faster, reduce administrative strain and deliver the transparency patients value.

CSG Forte’s payment solution for medical organizations supports ACH, credit and debit card processing, digital wallets and same-day ACH settlement capabilities, enabling providers to modernize payments within a single, user-friendly platform. Whether you’re a small practice or a multi-location health system, CSG Forte makes it simple to modernize payments, reduce complexity, improve revenue outcomes and create convenient patient experiences. Contact us today to schedule a demo and learn how we can help optimize your patient collections strategy and support your organization’s financial health.

Streamlining Payments for ISVs: What Success Looks Like

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What if the biggest barrier to your platform’s growth isn’t your code—but your payment system? For independent software vendors (ISVs), clunky payments turn ambition into frustration, making a function that could be a revenue booster into an Achilles’ heel.

While online payment systems are a solid investment, they’re known for being costly to build, tricky to manage and a source of endless headaches for any IT team. But with the right strategy, partner and platform, payments can truly become your strongest competitive edge.

Most software providers start small, adding payment capabilities as they’re developed and needed. But over time, this patchwork approach leads to:

  • Multiple processors with different settlement timelines
  • Fragmented reporting and reconciliation
  • Higher risk of fraud and failed transactions
  • Increased support burden and manual inputs
  • Limited visibility into performance metrics

These issues affect any ISV supporting clients who accept payments—whether that’s an organization that processes fines, fees and other government-related payments, or another type of software company that manages subscriptions, donations or invoices.

Whatever your industry and specialty, you’re likely tired of juggling fragmented systems, chasing down failed transactions and wrestling with compliance. You’re not alone. Want to know how leading ISVs are escaping the friction and finally making payments work for them? Keep reading.

 

A universal problem: payment friction and data silos

ISVs of all sizes and types face a common challenge: how to deliver seamless, scalable payment experiences without building their payments infrastructure from scratch. Whether serving government agencies, healthcare providers or small businesses, ISVs need a payments partner that can simplify complexity, reduce risk and grow with them.

That’s where CSG Forte comes in. Our platform is designed to streamline payments across industries, and has decades of experience doing so. That includes the government sector, where CSG Forte’s payments platform has helped multiple agencies go digital without a heavy tech lift.

One remarkable example is in the story of Intech Apex Court Solutions—a Texas-based ISV that serves justice courts statewide. It serves as a powerful example of what’s possible.

 

Case in point: Intech’s transformation

Intech’s platform offers a practical, reliable way for courts to streamline payments and serve diverse communities. Its intuitive design, flexible payment options and accessibility features have helped dozens of Texas courts transform their payment processes, making it easier for both clerks and citizens to manage fines and fees. Intech embedded CSG Forte’s Engage platform into its court management software, and recently began offering the Text to Pay feature, which allows court clerks to text payment information directly to a person’s phone. The recipient can pay on the spot through a secure payment portal.

This feature is especially useful in Texas, where several counties have a large concentration of non-native English speakers. Prior to implementing Text to Pay, the language barrier often led to dropped calls, abandoned payments and incorrectly entered personal and payment information, costing counties thousands in uncollected fees and payments.

Now, clerks send secure payment links directly via SMS, making it easy for citizens to pay fines and fees from their phones—no logins, no hassle. They can also send the information via email or an interactive voice response (IVR) call if the payer prefers.

Rosie Alfaro, Dimmit County court clerk, says it’s “the greatest thing ever,” and estimates she’s saving as much as 20 minutes on payment phone calls. This convenience not only streamlines the payment process for clerks, but also dramatically improves access for diverse communities, eliminating barriers that previously slowed down collections and increased manual work.

After integrating CSG Forte’s platform, Intech’s clients began benefitting from:

  • Cross-precinct payment enablement
  • Multilingual automated voice calls
  • As much as 20 minutes saved on each payment call
  • Limited visibility into performance metrics

These results weren’t just operational wins—they were proof that a better payment experience leads to better outcomes.

 

Why this matters for ISVs everywhere

Intech’s success isn’t about courts. It’s about what happens when an ISV chooses the a right payments partner.

CSG Forte’s platform is built for ISVs that want:

  • Easy integration via APIs and developer docs
  • Dedicated onboarding and support
  • Flexible processing models that adapt to different verticals
  • Scalable infrastructure that grows with their clients

Whether you’re building a software platform for education, utilities, healthcare or a government agency, CSG Forte helps you deliver payments that feel effortless—for your users and your team.

 

The CSG Forte fix: a unified platform that works for everyone

CSG Forte’s platform solves these problems by offering:

  • Text to Pay and Email to Pay: Send secure payment links via SMS or email, enabling instant transactions without login friction.
  • IVR Workflows: Accept payments over the phone in multiple languages, 24/7, without live agents.
  • Installment Plans: Flexible recurring billing options that reduce missed payments and improve cash flow.
  • Real-Time Verification: Instantly validate account details to reduce fraud and failed transactions.
  • Automated Reminders: Keep customers on track with scheduled nudges—no manual follow-up needed.
  • PCI-DSS Compliance: Built-in security and compliance, so ISVs don’t have to manage it themselves.

These features are embedded in CSG Forte’s payer engagement platform, which integrates easily with ISV ecosystems and scales as your client base grows.

 

Payments shouldn’t be a project

For ISVs, payments should be a feature, not a burden. CSG Forte’s platform makes it easy to embed payments into your product, support your clients and scale your business.

Intech’s story shows what’s possible. Now it’s your turn. Ready to streamline and simplify your siloed payments system? Download our ISV-specific eBook or reach out to one of our payments experts to explore how CSG Forte can support your platform.

How Long Does an ACH Transfer Take?

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When it comes to moving money electronically, timing is everything. Whether you’re paying vendors, collecting customer payments or managing payroll, understanding how long an Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfer takes can make or break your cash flow strategy. While ACH payments are known for their reliability and low cost, the processing time can vary—from same-day speed to multi-day delays—depending on factors like bank cutoffs, risk reviews and transaction type. That’s why it’s important to understand the real-world timelines, what influences them and how businesses can optimize for faster, more predictable transfers.

What is an ACH transfer?

ACH transactions are secure, protected electronic funds transfers (EFTs) facilitated directly between banks. They require no cash or paper checks changing hands and take only one to three days to complete. These advantages make ACH transfers appealing to businesses and individuals. During these transactions, money passes from one financial institution through the Automated Clearing House Network and ends in another bank. ACH technology has many uses, including direct deposits for payroll, online bill payments and digital payment services.

Here’s how an ACH transfer works:

  1. Authorization: Before making a payment or requesting money, you must contact the second party and ask permission to use this payment method to send funds.
  2. Payment details: After the second party agrees, your business can begin a transfer with a request to your bank.
  3. Batch processing: The request goes to your bank, which batches it with other transactions to send to the Clearing House or Federal Reserve at scheduled times during the day.
  4. Transaction submission: Those institutions receive the request, confirm that the account has sufficient funds to make the payment and send transactions multiple times each day.
  5. Money transfer: Funds move from the paying account to the receiving account.

This transfer method moves all funds electronically. The originating business can complete a transaction in two ways: ACH credit and debit. A credit means your business receives funds. Your company might use this for collecting payment for a service. A debit means you make a payment. Payroll is an example of how your business might use debits.

 

How long does an ACH payment take?

In general, ACH transfers take about one to three days to complete. ACH payment processing time may depend on the type of transaction, the policy of various financial institutions involved in the transfer and the time when your business submitted the request. Debit and credit transfers have differing requirements for processing speed:

  • ACH credit: A transaction must be processed in two days when your business receives funds.
  • ACH debit: A transaction must be processed in one day when your business sends funds.

Receiving depository financial institutions (RDFIs) can hold transactions to confirm funds which may take up to three days. If you need faster money transfer, you can use same-day ACH, which allows guaranteed transfer within one day as long as you submit the request during business hours. A request added after hours will transfer the next day.

Here’s an overview of each day of the money transfer process:

  • Day Zero: The process begins when you send your money transfer file to a bank. As long as your business sends the request before the last batch leaves, the request will move to the ACH network the same day.
  • Day One: The ACH network sends the transaction to a customer’s bank. It receives the file, debits or credits their account, and credits or debits the funds to the originating depository financial institution (ODFI).
  • Day Two: The payer’s bank must notify the ACH network of any failures within two days after payment submission. This day marks the payment failure cutoff.
  • Day Three: If the transaction fails, your bank will receive a notification from the ACH network and communicate it to you. Depending on the reason for failure, your business may initiate a new transaction or find a different method for paying or receiving funds.

 

How to streamline ACH transactions

Transfer times often vary due to factors outside your control, but you can do a few things to make transfers happen quicker and with fewer errors. These include:

  • Submitting files in the proper format: With an incorrect file, it may take some time for your bank to review the information, discover errors and contact you to resolve the issue.
  • Confirming customer payment details: Incorrect information leaves a challenging path for financial institutions to follow, while a transfer with correct details makes moving money easier.
  • Ensuring sufficient funds: For debit payments, check that your account has enough money to complete transfers. For credits, maintain open communication with customers to confirm they have the funds to pay you.

 

When does the receiver collect payment?

The receiver collects the payment within three days of submitting a transfer request. Factors that influence this timeline include:

  • Payment submission time: Payment leaves financial institutions in batches, so you must submit transactions before the last batch leaves for the day to increase your chances of fast processing.
  • Vendor transfer process: Differing originating and receiving financial institutions have varying rules and transfer processes—some might prioritize security over speed, leading to a slower funds transfer process.
  • Errors found in payment: An incorrectly entered account number or another similar error might mean your business must resubmit the transaction, and the receiver will wait longer for payment.

 

How same-day ACH reduces the wait

While ACH saves time compared to physical money like cash or checks, other digital transfer methods sometimes have shorter timelines. To solve the problem, financial institutions have worked together to create batch processing. With batch processing, your money will move within the same day as long as the initiating party submits the request by 4:45 p.m. EST.

Same-day ACH works because organizations like Nacha, ODFIs and payment processors have worked together to improve processing speeds. Any credit, debit or return transactions will process the same day when your business chooses same-day ACH.

The transaction limit for same-day ACH is up to $1 million, meaning your business can now make more significant payments with shorter wait times. Your business can optimize cash flow and keep money moving so your company, employees and customers gain access to the necessary funds in a timely manner.

 

Manage ACH payments with CSG Forte

ACH payments make moving money more convenient by offering a digital method for transferring funds within days. With CSG Forte’s payment processing platform, your business can leverage ACH payments to make money management easier and faster. A network of over 20 banks means your business can send and receive money seamlessly. Get started with CSG Forte online to make payment processing better than ever.