Lucas County

Just west of Lake Erie and north of the Maumee River, Lucas County is home to 441,800 Ohio citizens. The county’s Treasury department was in need of a simplified, modern method to accept tax payments that wasn’t paired with the exorbitant fees they had previously encountered. Lucas County was directed to CSG Forte Payment Systems and found an easy, secure solution with an affordable fee structure.

Gina Hughes, Cash Management Supervisor of the Lucas County Treasury, explained that the department was only able to accept tax payments by mail and in-person at the cashier window. This required the use of carbon copies and employees were forced to hand-enter data into the computer. In an effort to modernize the process, Lucas County partnered with a payment processor that expanded their available payment options. However, that company came with a high fee structure and unresponsive customer service. Though these fees were transferred to the taxpayers, Lucas County wanted a better option that cost less and needed a team of payment professionals who would be responsive to their needs.

Since Lucas County already had infrastructure in place from a previous payment processor, the transition to CSG Forte was “pretty seamless,” according to Hughes. Taxpayers can now use an online shopping cart to make payments, making the tax collection process more efficient for both Lucas County and its citizens.

• Offering more options: Taxpayers can now make payments via credit card or eCheck, along with IVR and EMV-compliant point-of-sale options.

• Providing excellent service: Hughes enthusiastically praised CSG Forte’s customer service, saying that our reps go “above and beyond” to ensure that any issues are handled in a timely manner.

The Lucas County Treasury department has enjoyed a positive, beneficial partnership with CSG Forte, and both parties continue working together to find fitting solutions for payment processing .

Since adopting CSG Forte solutions, Lucas County has seen a vast reduction in posting issues, along with an increase in credit card and eCheck transactions. There has been a 283% growth in the number of transactions processed from 2012 to 2017, the time in which CSG Forte and Lucas County have been partnered. Additionally, the department has noted less complaints from taxpayers concerning the fee structure.