
Dealing with a huge pile of paperwork, creating numerous sticky notes, sending the right papers to the right person for the signature through the post, waiting for their signature, remaking the document from scratch if something goes wrong while signing in drafting the paper, etc has to be done to validate a document and make it acceptable for the court of law.
Though the signatures are important for every agreement and content to be accepted by the involved parties, the hustle can be eliminated completely. All the activities mentioned above can be performed digitally in a few minutes rather than having to stretch to it for days.
Many smart organizations and individuals have understood that there is only one solution to this in the present time, and that is deploying the best esignature software features in the workflow.
However, not every free e signature software is the best signature software.
Not every solution is built equal. There are some criteria that have to be met if you want the solution to work for you. Then technology you deploy and invest in must add value to the business.
Here are a few factors that can be considered before choosing any of the esignature software features for the company.
Will it legally protect the documents?
Industries or organizations that deal with high-value data or perform high-value transactions need assurance that the process is legally backed and authentic.
Nobody wants any confusion or dispute when the stakes are high. So, you need to make sure that the solution you are deploying is authorized by the laws of the land like ESIGN and UETA to provide the process and the signature of the value and weight they deserve from the perspective of the court of law.
The right signature software will enable you to track the progress of the document.
Security
A perfect digital signature solution will connect the signatory to the document via are signature. This means, the signature will create a digital fingerprint on the signed document and it can be used to authenticate the record.
The vendor must offer features that protect the document, content on the document, and the signatures. The solution must be tamper-proof and reliable.
Safety in the cloud
Digital signatures are usually used as software as a service (SaaS) solutions. The vendor has to choose a robust cloud and make the necessary settings so that the data that the solution deals with can be stored safely.
With limited accessibility, the data can be kept safe. If the vendor has SOC 2 or related security certificates, then it would be a plus point. The users will be assured of the security of the data if such authentication certificates are available.
Ease
Esignature software features, no matter how modern and advanced they are, are of no use if the solution is not user-friendly.
Nobody wants to switch to a process that is complicated, hard to understand, and even harder to track. A simple, easy-to-use solution will always add to the user's work value and efficiency. You are suggested to choose a solution that eases the process of the documentation and comforts the customers too.
Ways of capturing signatures
Just like there are different ways of accepting the terms and conditions or agreeing to the contract in the traditional process (stamp, handwritten signature, typing name, fingerprint, etc.), electronic signature solutions must accept multiple types of signatures to make the process more user friendly and faster.
Compare esignature software, and choose the one that does it. An electronic signature can be of many types such as, pasting an image of a handwritten signature, clicking a checkbox, making a signature on a mobile device with a stylus or a finger, typing your name, using voice, etc.
Customization
Now, this is the factor that every user wishes to have. Customization is a crucial part of branding and helps in customer relations.
Select a vendor who provides a solution that can allow you to create a customized brand for your organization.
Mobile-friendly
The use of smartphones across the world is increasing. People want to perform tasks while they are moving. There is hardly any time to sit and do the task.
Right from shopping, making payments, accepting payments, studying, and meetings, everything is done through smartphones, then why not signatures? Look for a vendor that provides you with a movie-friendly solution, as nothing will please your customers more than the relief that they can perform the task from anywhere at any time from mobile phones.
Read the blog- Three main signature categories And Their Impact on the Process
Flexibility
Your organization needs a solution that blends easily with your existing work process and ads value to it. This integration has to be smooth and seamless.
If there is a solution that can be integrated with your organization's CRM software, it would be a great combination.
Understanding your sector
E signature solutions will perform their job the best irrespective of the sector the user operates in. However, if the vendor of the solution can create software that is designed specifically for your sector, then that is an extra advantage.
Sectors like finance and banking or insurance sectors deal with crucial financial data of the customers. If the vendor understands this, then extra care can be taken in terms of safety and speed.
Goodwill
Last but not least is the Goodwill of the market name of the vendor. Make sure you do proper research before selecting any solution provider.
There are some providers in the market which claim to offer hi-tech features in their solution however fail to perform in reality. You can surf the internet or go through the reviews both online and offline to choose the best one for you. Prefer to connect to a vendor that has been in the market for many years and boasts positive client testimonials.
Conclusion:
There is no doubt that you deserve the best Esignature software.
However, while choosing this software you must take certain precautions and consider certain factors. Here we have listed 10 criteria that you can pay attention to before choosing and deploying any esignature solution.