Charles River achieves successful implementations through a combination of experienced implementation management and proven methodologies focused on speed and quality of delivery. Each implementation is customized to a firm’s unique needs based on the environment, available resources, budget, and overall goals. The Charles River approach is pragmatic but flexible—Charles River provides the project team, tools, training, support, product knowledge, and proven methodologies for successful system deployment.

Charles River begins each implementation with a thorough assessment of the current situation including technology, hardware, geographic distribution, workflow, and key constraints. Charles River’s implementation team works closely to define the overall implementation framework and tailor the project plan according to workflow needs, data requirements, and product customizations.

Charles River's methodology is proven—each team has performed numerous successful implementations with project scope ranging from domestic and international equity and fixed income securities to complex compliance projects and global roll-outs utilizing 24 X 7 operations.

Implementation Managers have a thorough knowledge of Charles River products as well as industry and business process insight to ensure an efficient and cost-effective implementation. Each Implementation Manager has successfully completed the Charles River Certified Professional Program—a series of training courses that includes a rigorous certification exam.

Consulting

Charles River's consultants can help existing clients improve efficiencies, productivity, and performance across their entire investment management infrastructure through 'Solutions Through Analysis & Re-Engineering' (STAR). STAR follows a documented methodology that closely analyses all infrastructure components. The analysis begins with the client's Charles River IMS setup and continues to include workflow reviews and best-practice recommendations, database tuning and hardware analysis, and a review of integration with in-house systems, trading destinations, and settlement venues.

Based on the analysis, Charles River's consultants make recommendations as to how a client might best re-engineer and / or tune their trading environment and workflow processes. Through a review of the Charles River IMS setup alone, these experts can identify opportunities that result in immediate workflow improvements.

Technical consultants are available to provide assistance with periodic Charles River IMS upgrades. Both packaged and customized upgrade services go beyond standard technical support to help kick off an upgrade initiative. Services range from a 'quick start' upgrade package (designed for clients who prefer to manage their own upgrade but want to accelerate the in-house effort by leveraging Charles River's hardware and staff resources) to comprehensive services including planning, interface analysis, system testing, regression testing, performance tuning, on-site training, and on-site support during the production upgrade.