How the digital signature helped shape modern business

How do you currently get your clients to sign important documents? I’m not talking about how you convince them to sign, but the actual process of signing. In days gone by I’d send an email with my document attached. My client would have to print off a copy, sign, scan it, attach to another email and get back to me again. We’ve been signing documents this way for a long, long time. Enter the digital signature!

The Birth of the digital signature

After the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce (E-SIGN) Act was signed in 2000, electronic signatures were given the same legal standing as the traditional physical signature. Digital signing became the way forward.

Since then the electronic signature has had a huge impact on modern business. Aside from saving paper, trees and the obvious environmental impact, electronic signatures are saving thousands of hours in office productivity, are legally binding and form a seamless integration to any document signing process.

The changing face of business

In only a few short years, the way we do business has changed dramatically. Entire teams and “offices” now work remotely from anywhere in the world. The scanner and most certainly the ancient fax machine no longer form part of the modern office vocabulary.

We’re more mobile orientated than we’ve ever been. So why wouldn’t we facilitate the digital signing process? Forcing a client to head to the office just to sign a document won’t do much for that “feel good” factor they should experience at the start of a new project.

So, what is a digital signature?

Put simply, an electronic or digital signature is a legally binding, digital representation of your own signature. It makes a document authentic and allows you to sign most anything using a few simple clicks.

The benefits of digital signing

Proposals, contracts, purchase orders, you name it, a digital signature is the quickest and most efficient way to get your legal documents signed.

Whether you’re an agency, studio, or freelance consultant, signed documents play a crucial part in your business. So let’s take a look at some of the key benefits of e-signatures:

Reduced time to signature

The speed at which a company signs a document can have an big impact on your sales cycle. An e-signature will make sure you get your document signed as quickly as possible. With the project in the bag, this will allow you to plan your schedule more accurately and have more control over your future sales pipeline.

Increased efficiency

A digital signature removes the need to spend time printing, signing individual pages, scanning the signed document and emailing it back. Get it signed right in the browser without the need for expensive office equipment.

Since we started (digital signing)…we eliminated 99% of the paper and were able to get rid of those cabinets: no more wasted time managing paperwork and no more wasted space. Larry Denny, vice president and associate general counsel Tivo.

Administrative relief

Not having to print each proposal on nice, extra thick paper for proper storage sounds pretty good to most office managers. Administrative costs, combined with shipping all add up. Regardless of your sector, if you have a management system that requires documents to be printed, manually signed, and physically filed, then you’re unnecessarily losing money and resources. With e-signatures everything is available digitally.

Filing heaven

What happens after you print and sign the document? That’s right, you file it! Documents occupy space. Think of all the filing space your agency needs. And those files just keep piling up until your office looks more like a library. With a digital signature, the bulk of data is stored in electronic form. If needed, the document can be printed.

Easy coordination

Today, customers and clients are more mobile than ever. Tracking down clients just to get a document signed can be tedious. As more and more businesses begin to work remotely, it makes sense to let your customers sign documents regardless of their location. Let them sign there and then, in the web browser.

Get your proposals signed in seconds

Make doing business with you as easy for your client as possible. Client’s don’t just want results, they want a great work experience as well. This is why at Nusii you don’t need a printer, fax machine or carrier pigeon to get your proposals accepted. Nusii lets your customers accept and sign your proposals right in the browser, in a matter of seconds.