Best Practices for Implementing a Unified Payment Solution
September 30, 2025 by Emma Lunceford
As technology evolves and more payment services move online, residents increasingly engage with government through digital platforms. Today, they expect modern, convenient solutions that work for them, and agency staff want digital tools that streamline their daily tasks.
In a recent National Association of Counties webinar, Morgan Jines, vice president of Payments, and Mike Brown, business process manager for Riverside County, California, discussed the county’s transition to a single payments vendor and how it ensured a seamless transition and implementation.
Improving Resident and Staff Experience
Creating positive interactions and experiences for both staff and residents is essential for any agency. Having multiple solutions and different providers can create unnecessary burdens on accounting and complicate matters for residents. Brown said Riverside County’s previous solutions included four separate accounts and multiple middlemen that prevented a smooth reconciliation process. In addition to this, residents occasionally had to pay well in advance for services not yet rendered, like booking the county’s wedding chapel. According to Jines, disparate systems and providers are a common theme and issue for agencies, often serving as the catalyst to find a better alternative. These challenges — including multiple providers, complicated reconciliation, and a suboptimal payer experience — were among the key reasons Riverside County aimed to transition to a single, unified solution and simplify the business of life for its residents.
Modernized Technology and Integration
Today, modern conveniences are paramount; residents expect seamless service, and staff want features that streamline their day-to-day tasks. Digital wallets, omnichannel payment solutions, and better reconciliation reporting were among the key features Riverside County sought in a new vendor. Brown stated that it was essential to offer its residents and staff these features to enhance their experience, meet their needs, and stay current with the latest technology trends. Modern payment technology not only delivers what residents want but also facilitates the integration of payment solutions with an agency’s other systems, such as records management. Once Riverside County transitioned to a new payment platform, it benefited from a single-payer portal, an omnichannel solution, less interaction with personally identifiable information (PII), and the flexibility to customize reporting for the needs of each department.
A Rigorous Testing and Implementation Process
Ensuring a smooth rollout is achievable through thorough testing, effective implementation, and careful coordination of the change management process, all of which set an agency up for success at go-live. For Riverside County, involving key stakeholders was essential to gain their support and to start the project on the right track. Jines noted that Riverside County’s approach fostered a successful environment by engaging relevant parties from the beginning, creating a detailed plan in collaboration with the vendor’s project manager, and dedicating the necessary resources. Following these initial steps, Riverside devoted ample time to testing, exploring every payment scenario, and meticulously reviewing payment processes for several weeks.
Riverside County’s dedication, time, and effort in finding and implementing a new payment platform have created better experiences for staff and residents, provided seamless modern technology for all, and ensured long-term success. Learn more about how they achieved this by watching the webinar here.
Learn how your agency can benefit from unified payments technology here.