Where Speed Meets Accuracy: Fulton County Transforms Tax Payment Processing With OPEX® Technology
Fulton County Achieves Same-Day Tax Payment Processing with The Successful Solution from OPEX and Mavro Imaging
The Background
The Fulton County Tax Commissioner’s Office in Georgia collects property taxes, motor vehicle ad valorem taxes, tag and title fees, and transfer fees for residents. Dr. Arthur E. Ferdinand, Fulton County Tax Commissioner, leads the office focusing on improving efficiency and saving taxpayers money. The office processes approximately 380,000 property tax bills annually, including lien and adjusted payments. On a typical day, the office receives multiple trays of mail, each holding around 600-700 envelopes – a number that significantly increases during peak tax season.
The Challenge
Before automating with OPEX®, the Tax Office manually opened incoming mail, sorted payment coupons and checks, reprinted bills, made copies, scanned documents, and keyed in information to process property tax payments. This manual workflow consumed considerable time and required 14 full-time employees (FTEs). Processing payments often took two or more days, especially during peak tax season, and sometimes needed additional help from employees in other divisions in the office.
Key Challenges
Obsolete scanning solution with no available support
Manual, time-consuming processes led to slow turnaround times
Labor-intensive payment processing workflow
The Solution
The Tax Office discovered OPEX’s scanning solution at another local county office while searching for a replacement for their outdated scanner. In 2019, they implemented their first OPEX FalconV® RED™ One-Touch scanner with integrated mail opening. Initially, the Tax Office kept the existing software, limiting the scanner’s potential. However, after partnering with Mavro Imaging, OPEX’s technology partner, they paired the FalconV RED scanner with a robust software solution.
Dr. Ferdinand was impressed with the results, leading the office to invest in a second, updated version of the OPEX scanner, the FalconV+ RED. The combined solution from OPEX and Mavro Imaging eliminated several manual steps, such as mail opening, pre-sorting, prepping, reprinting, making copies, and most data entry. The OPEX scanners open envelopes and then present the envelope and contents to the operator to be scanned with minimal prep. To improve tracking, the envelope is also scanned to capture the postmark date.
Dr. Ferdinand was impressed with the results, leading the office to invest in a second, updated version of the OPEX scanner, the FalconV+ RED. The combined solution from OPEX and Mavro Imaging eliminated several manual steps, such as mail opening, pre-sorting, prep, reprinting, making copies, and most data entry. The OPEX scanners open envelopes and then present the envelope and contents to the operator to be scanned with minimal prep. To improve tracking, the envelope is also scanned to capture the postmark date.
This streamlined process reduced labor needs by 36%, lowering staff requirements to nine FTEs, with the remaining staff reassigned to other areas. The Tax Office now processes thousands of property tax payments on the same day they are received, eliminating delays and the need for additional staff.
Key Results
36%
Decrease in Labor Needs
(Staff reassigned to other areas)
50%
Reduction in Tax Payment Processing Time
1
Day to Process Incoming Tax Payments
“No matter how much mail we receive, we can process it the same day.”
Gladys Bradfield
Property Tax Administrator, Fulton County Tax Commissioner’s Office
The Future
The successful integration of OPEX and Mavro Imaging positions the Fulton County Tax Commissioner’s Office to easily handle the high volumes of property tax payments without delay. The faster process boosts taxpayer confidence by ensuring payments are processed promptly. The Tax Office plans to explore additional ways to use the solution, enhancing its workflow for greater efficiency and cost savings.
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