The trend towards digital documents has only accelerated over the past year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As a result, an increasing number of businesses are seeking an electronic signature solution so that they can reap a range of benefits including: Eliminating paper, Compliance, Improving the customer experience, Speeding up processes and a Greater level of Security.

While eSignature solutions such as DocuSign have become relatively common in parts of our everyday lives, they may not always be appropriate for businesses with unique needs such as financial or healthcare institutions.

The combined team at Docuworx and DocuWare has over 30 years of experience with compliant paperless processes including eSignatures. By helping over 14,000 customers across the globe, we have learned everything there is to know about successfully implementing eSignature technology, and we want to share those insights with you. Read on for 6 tips for getting your eSignature project off the ground today.

#1 Get your team onboard 

The first step for your eSignature project is to ensure that your employees are eager to undertake the initiative. Therefore, you must start in a department in which people will be excited about the project and ready to make the change.

So how should you motivate your employees to get onboard?

Converting a common paper process into an electronic one is an easy win that you can strategically build upon. While forms can be simple, the gains are big, with businesses realising an average paper reduction of 85%.

Once you have successfully rolled out an eSignature process, you can then expand into other areas in which forms may be more complex. For example, these forms may require complex data entry and multiple signatures from different people who are located in various departments across the business.

#2 Start simple then expand 

While you may initially plan to only rollout your eSignature solution to a single department, it pays to think big.

At Docuworx, we recommend starting simple, gaining success in one department and then expanding into other departments.

If the pilot department is highly visible to other parts of your organisation, chances are the success you demonstrate there will spark interest and buy-in from other stakeholders, department heads, and end-users.

Once you have implemented the solution in the pilot department, consider the next few departments and form processes you would like to target, identifying any unique characteristics.

Put simply, the eSignature needs of other departments might be beyond the needs of your starting department, so you do not want to get an eSignature solution that is limited in its use-case. Make sure you get a solution that works across multiple areas of your enterprise.

#3 Talk to stakeholders 

Many businesses make the mistake of moving forward on the implementation of an eSignature solution without ever actually discussing the solution with their employees and stakeholders first.

Naturally, this can cause frustration among employees. As a result, they may not be as eager to support the rollout of the solution.

If you discuss the value proposition of an eSignature solution with them, you’ll help create willing participants in the shift to a paperless world. As an added bonus, you might even learn something about how to best manage implementation in those departments.

#4. Consider eSignature devices 

When people think of eSignature capture devices, they often think of a single type of device such as an LCD pad. While these are great devices for some businesses, they may not be a good fit for others.

You should consider the types of devices that will work best for you and your customers.

For example, Docuworx has a full suite of mobile eSignature apps available on iPad, iPhone, Android devices, Windows 8, Windows 10 and Windows Phone devices.

 #5. Be prepared 

It may come as a surprise to you that many eSignature projects fail out of the gate due to poor preparation.

Before commencing the implementation of your chosen solution, gather together all of your forms. Next, examine them to see if they are up to date and compliant.

You will only be able to successfully implement an eSignature solution once you have a comprehensive understanding of the forms and processes used by your business.

 #6. Prioritise security 

Today more than ever you need to ensure that you are being smart when it comes to compliance and security.

Ensure that whichever eSignature vendors you consider have top of the line security features. For example, if you are in the healthcare sector, you deal with overly sensitive protected information and some solutions may not meet your stringent security requirements.

A good eSignature solution should have strong cybersecurity capabilities and a dedicated compliance team that provides independent assurance that its security standards are top-notch.

What are you waiting for?

With the rapid ramping up of digital transformation worldwide, there has never been a better opportunity to make the switch to eSignatures, which can save your business money and time.

Although eSignatures are increasingly finding their way into our everyday lives, it is not a case of one-size-fits-all. Due to the complex needs of your organisation, you need to find the solution that’s right for you.

To successfully implement your eSignature project, review the tips outlined above, and should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Docuworx. We are here to help.