What We Do
Transportation. Technology. Payments.
It’s what we do.
At Clevor Consulting Group, we focus on what we know. A long history of supporting transportation agencies from both the public and private sectors, and an unmatched knowledge of traditional and emerging payment technologies, make us uniquely qualified to support our clients from project inception through full operations. Check out our projects to see how we’re helping change the way people pay for the services they use every day.
Our Expertise
Fare Policy Planning
At Clevor Consulting Group, we pride ourselves in helping agencies navigate the gauntlet of fare policy. Regardless of how complex a fare structure is, we know what strategies are most effective and that results in an enhanced customer experience, while balancing the agency’s business objectives.
Independent Cost Estimation
Both a best business practice and often a requirement for public funding of transport projects, development of independent cost estimates typically follow preliminary system design and specification, but precede system procurement and contract negotiation. With deep experience related to all of these project elements, as well as our ongoing maintenance of industry and supplier contacts, we are well positioned to assist with the creation of realistic cost estimates and project budgets.
Negotiation Strategy
As a very interpersonal process, negotiating should always start with establishing the relationship, and then asking the right questions and listening intently to understand what’s most important to the other party. It’s rare that a win-win isn’t achievable as long the process focuses on the desired results. We have the experience, interpersonal skills, relationships, and industry knowledge to help our clients achieve the strongest position possible.
Customer-Centric Design
We believe it begins and ends with the user experience at the forefront of every single decision. At Clevor Consulting Group, we pride ourselves in establishing a foundation that drives user-focused policies and system design. Every decision throughout the project should push the boundaries of frictionless experience. We challenge that status quo never settling for anything less than a seamless customer conveyance.
Open Architecture
The team at Clevor Group led the fare collection industry to true open architecture by showing the world what’s possible. With our team’s vision, leadership and innovative technical requirements, open architecture has become the foundation of future-proofing fare collection systems. With well designed functional API requirements, agencies are no longer locked into proprietary technology and beholden to one vendor. The Clevor Group knows how to design systems that allow agencies to integrate new technologies as they emerge.
Real-Time Transaction Processing
The staff at Clevor Group led the world’s first implementation of real-time transaction processing. One of the primary benefits of account-based fare collection systems is processing transactions in real-time, providing customers with sub-300 millisecond response times at the payment validator including accurate trip pricing, account balance and other payment information. Our experience designing and overseeing the implementation of this technology enables agencies to forge ahead with best practices in account-based transaction processing.
Program Management
Without the right organizational structure, strong teams and processes, and carefully selected vendors, public-facing technology projects are at greater risk of delay, cost overruns or even collapse. The Clevor Group knows the key ingredients needed for transport agencies to build the right team to create a crystal clear vision and execute the strategy. This is coupled with sound program management and technical expertise that has led to some of the most complex and successful transport payment system implementations in the world. Our experience includes major restructuring of programs to course correct misguided projects.
Revenue Management
At its core, a transport agencies payment system is a highly technical financial system, and revenue controls are critical to agency operations. No other team understands that more than the Clevor Group, and that philosophy is carried through each project we support. We know the only way to ensure proper accounting and controls is to design for them at the beginning of a project, not after the core system has already been implemented.
Our Services
Business Case Development
Fare collection systems should begin with the business case. By carefully analyzing the current state of an agency’s fare collection efforts, a clear business case can be created, which will help drive all key decisions. This proved incredibly powerful while Chris led TriMet’s Hop Fastpass project, beginning to end.
Strategic Planning
We begin every engagement eager to discuss strategic planning. Our most successful projects translate the vision into a comprehensive strategy balancing carefully articulated policy objectives with customer and business needs. This translates into a roadmap that navigates the very real challenges of public-facing policy and system changes.
Procurement Support
In the world of public procurement, at Clevor Consulting Group, we rarely see a one-size-fits-all approach. We have supported small agencies with a few employees, to the largest agencies with tens of thousands of employees. Nevertheless, the same guiding principles always hold true. We identify what the agency goals are, create a procurement strategy, leverage our knowledge of the vendor community, include the meticulously drafted technical specifications, and assist with the selection process, if desired. In the end, the project’s success rests larger with the capabilities of the suppliers; thus, great care is given to the process and ensuring the selected suppliers are, without question, the best value for the agency.
Implementation and Operations Support
After managing the complexities of a multi-year transport payment system project, it can be challenging to dedicate the focus and resources needed to bring the project across the finish line. We have firsthand experience implementing and operating world class systems. Whether it’s resource or operation planning, project execution, testing and launch, or ongoing operations support, the Clevor Group has the knowledge and resources to ensure each phase is carefully executed and supported.