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In an effort to streamline municipal payments collection, Grant Thornton Bharat offers a comprehensive automation solution. Our expertise enables municipal corporations to efficiently manage their billing systems, while payment apps and bill service providers bear the fee. Our methodology involves a thorough understanding of the municipalities' systems and requirements, followed by a structured onboarding process.
The validation process begins with a pro-bono consultation to understand the municipalities' systems and requirements. This involves categorising requirements, identifying potential gaps, and assessing the present stage. A validation workshop is conducted to incorporate the identified gaps into the Business Requirements Document (BRD) and document the value proposition for Third-Party Application Providers (TPAP). The bill payment opportunity is also assessed by evaluating the number of customers, transactions, expectations, value of transactions, and present stages of automation.
Based on the validation of the requirements, one of the following options will be selected: TPAP onboarding, digital integration, or end-to-end digitisation. TPAP onboarding involves evaluating potential offerings for municipalities and initiating the process. Digital integration supports integrating websites with payment gateways and third-party applications. End-to-end digitisation requires preparing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for digitisation, including ERP-based development, payment gateway integration, and third-party application integration.
User Acceptance Testing (UAT) preparation, testing, and go-live support are provided to ensure a smooth onboarding process. A UAT strategy is prepared, test cases are identified for each module, and testing is performed. Issues are identified, and reported errors are fixed. Finally, sign-off is obtained from department heads, and the system is live.
Access to past billing information and consolidated ledgers act as a system of checks and balances, greatly reducing the incidence of corruption within municipalities.
Automating bill collection through TPAs can help municipalities cut down on IT infrastructure costs, including server maintenance, security, software updates, and data storage. The savings can then be redirected to other essential municipal needs.
By issuing bills earlier and enabling residents to pay through TPAPs, municipalities can benefit from the float—the interest or earnings on funds held before transfer to the government’s account. This additional revenue strengthens the municipality’s financial health.
TPAPs enable faster fund transfers, ensuring that collected revenue is deposited into the municipal account promptly—either on the same day (T) or within one day (T+1). This improves cash flow and enhances financial planning efficiency.
Implementing an automated billing system allows for real-time financial tracking, preventing revenue leakages.
Automation enables timely and efficient dues collection, strengthening municipal finances.
Automated systems reduce transaction failures caused by system fragmentation. Payment system democratisation has benefited cities like Delhi and Mumbai, streamlining processes and significantly cutting operational costs.
TPAPs efficiently manage grievance redressal, easing the government's burden and improving customer satisfaction through dedicated support teams.
