In a 2018 State of the CIO report, International Data Corporation estimated that spending on digital transformation will exceed $2 trillion in 2019. In addition, as much as 40 per cent of all business technology spending will go directly into digital transformation.
Paperwork continues to be a heavy draw on personnel with all its inefficiencies and redundancies. eSignatures offer an easy win to show the impact and ROI of digital transformation on business-critical processes.
The question is not whether your organisation should adopt an eSignature solution to improve customer experience, efficiency and security—the question is which eSignature integration option is right for your organisation now that you’re ready to pursue transformation?
Your options for deploying eSignatures
We can’t say we’re sad to see so many eSignature options pop up but it can be extremely confusing to know which solution is right for you if you’re just getting started.
On the Dropbox Sign team, we’re a bunch of eSignature workflow nerds but we know not everyone is. That’s why we put together this easy primer on how to choose the right eSignature implementation based on your organisation’s wants and needs. And as a bonus for everyone who reads until the end, we’re even throwing in some amazing tips for making your eSignature roll-out as painless as possible.
1. Use eSignatures with a mobile or web app
An out-of-the-box mobile or web-based eSignature application is great for organisations that don’t have complex eSignature needs and don’t plan to conduct tons of signing transactions. eSignature apps are ideal for single-sided documentation like sales contracts, HR forms and the like.
Because it isn’t integrated deep into your workflows or technology stack, an eSignature app can be up and running as soon as you’re able to get your staff trained on it. While this solution means you don’t have to have any IT or development resources on hand, it also means you’re forfeiting the ability to customise the workflow to add your branding or integrate your existing processes.
We built our Dropbox Sign (formerly HelloSign) app for teams who dread dealing with code and want a simple, fast eSignature solution. But just because Dropbox Sign is simple to set up and delightful to use doesn’t mean it lacks any power under the bonnet.
Business-class team management tools empower administrators to add, remove and upgrade team members easily. You can sign documents as well as request signatures from up to 20 different people and watch your document's progress throughout its execution. You can even create your own templates to save time and sanity on repetitive signature events!
And for organisations who want to add more than ten users, we also offer Dropbox Sign Premium—a secure and scalable eSignature platform.
2. Embed eSignatures with an API
To seamlessly embed a suave eSignature experience right into your workflow, website, or application—we recommend an eSignature API. eSignature APIs increase efficiency by helping businesses create system-generated processes for complex documents such as credit applications, insurance claims, mortgages, account creation and more.
eSignature APIs are ideal for organisations with complex, nuanced workflows and medium-to-high transaction volumes. They tend to offer advanced workflow customisation so you can tweak and tightly integrate their functionality to fit even your most unique processes. That level of customisation extends to branding and user flow—meaning you’re empowered to create an experience that inspires employee adoption as well as customer loyalty!
While an eSignature API isn’t a plug-and-play solution like its web-based counterpart, a trustworthy provider should have SDK information, clean documentation and developer-run support to help your development resources get your integration up and running smoothly.
As an API-first company, we prioritise making Dropbox Sign API easy to implement, hassle free, feature rich and fully customisable. We want our customers to not only use but to enjoy all of its great benefits like flawless customisation, easy maintenance, extra-strength legal and security features, fast setup and plenty more.
Not sure whether an app or an API is a better fit for you? Contact the helpful, tech-savvy Dropbox Sign team today to find out which of our powerful eSignature systems is best for your business.
3. Add eSignature integrations and extensions to your current apps
eSignature integrations and extensions help you get business done more efficiently by moving information between services and automating actions without you ever having to leave the app in which you’re working. See how easy it is with Dropbox:
With an eSignature extension, you can grow the functionality of the business systems your employees are already using. When implemented into your user-facing workflows, they can help customers get tasks done faster—which is something we can all appreciate!
We love building integrations and extensions that make it as easy as possible to sign in whatever tool you’re using. Check out our full list of integrations here!
How to deploy your eSignature solution
No matter which solution you choose to deploy, implementing any initiative has its own upfront challenges.
When the going gets tough, don’t question your investment in eSignatures—follow these steps to ensure your eSignature system is set up for lasting success.
Carefully choose the right partner
Implementing eSignatures in your workflow can really stir things up. Do you want to go through that change with a service provider whose idea of customer service is an FAQ page or do you want to team up with a specialised partner who’s done this before and is with you every step of the way?
Look for a partner who will anticipate your needs and is willing to help you develop a unique roadmap to ensure your eSignature deployment is successful now and in the future.
Establish your unique workflow
eSignature software is powerful. Chances are whichever solution you choose will come with all kinds of new options and opportunities you didn’t have in the past. Take some time to learn about and play with all of these features to find ways to improve efficiency and productivity across your organisation.
Practise until it’s perfect
Once you think you like your new eSignature workflow, it’s time to put it to the test. Not only should your eSignature software be easy for customers to use, it should save time for the people in your organisation who interact with it—all while maintaining security and legality.
Quality assurance testing is especially important if you’ve chosen to integrate your eSignature solution deep into your IT configuration. Sure, you might want to make tweaks in the future but taking your new eSignature process through a few dry runs is a great way to make sure the program gets off on the right foot and garners early adoption.
The right eSignature deployment, simplified with Dropbox Sign
Whether you need the simplicity of an app, the customisability of an API or the jet-pack to productivity that integrations and extensions offer—choosing the right eSignature deployment is an important decision that every business will need to make on its way to digital transformation.
Whatever you choose, Dropbox Sign has a deployment option for you—and none of them skimp on the security, compliance and ease of use for which we’ve come to be known.
And if the solution you choose today isn’t the same one that fits in a few years, we get that! Our solutions are scalable and our team highly adaptable. Sign up for a free trial today and see for yourself—if you can’t find the right fit, we’ll build it for you.
