The Frugal Networker

Guest post by: Pem Guerry

As the digital space evolves, new applications, services and platforms are introduced to the market each year. This multitude of digital tools have certainly proved beneficial in the workplace and at home, but because so many of these programs work independently, users often miss out on the benefits of a truly seamless digital experience.

Integrating, or combining, two or more digital services into one fluid application greatly improves efficiency, usability and the overall user experience. This can be seen in the most robust e-signature integration—where a company combines a third party e-signature service with its own user platform for a swift signing process.

E-signature integration isn’t new to the digital conversation, but the technology behind these integrations has continued to improve—enabling you to offer a completely seamless signing experience for your clients.

API Integration

The most effective way to integrate e-signatures is through an application programming interface (API), which acts as a bridge between multiple applications, allowing you to manage them from a single platform.

The catch is looking for the degree of integration that an e-signature service can provide. There’s a difference between simply connecting two software workflows together and building a truly cohesive, integrated experience for signers. Most e-signature services will be able to provide a rudimentary-level integration where users can flow from one digital service, like a CRM portal, to an e-signature platform—an automatic connection from “Point A” to “Point B.”

Far fewer are able to provide a true private-label integration—where it’s virtually impossible for a user to tell that there are two technology engines behind their digital workflow. However, some technology providers and development resources have capabilities that allow you to customize an e-signature dashboard to match your own user interface with the same colors, fonts, logos, navigation menu and more. Because the end user does not have to switch back and forth between your site and an e-signature site, it’s a transparent process for him. This allows you to appear as the only source your clients must go through to submit approval, providing him with a smooth and easy signing experience.

Why does this level of detail matter? Why not simply take users from Point A to Point B? Two primary reasons:

1. Client Trust

Client trust is a top priority – especially for members of highly regulated, high-stakes industries such as financial services, real estate and healthcare. Your clients are familiar with your brand, have had positive experiences using your software and have grown to trust you.

So think about how they’ll feel if they’re suddenly shuffled to an outsider for a portion of a transaction. For a homebuyer about to sign a real estate contract worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, going from the lender’s original website to a third party e-signature site could suddenly raise suspicion and cause hesitation. An integrated approach gives users a single, consistent and secure platform throughout the entire process.

2. Brand Retention

In a world full of competition, creating a memorable brand—including company personality, logos, slogans and more—is key if you want to stand out in consumers’ minds. E-signature integration contributes to brand retention and exposure by eliminating third party branding and keeping your company name at the center of the signing process.

When searching for an e-signature service, make sure that you’re not leaving the aesthetics out of the conversation. With a cohesive, easy-to-use platform, your clients will complete seamless transactions and have more positive encounters with your company, furthering their loyalty to your brand.

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Pem Guerry is the Executive Vice President at SIGNiX, a digital signature solutions provider that makes signing documents online safe, secure, and legal for any business. SIGNiX offers the only independently verifiable, cloud-based digital signature solution, which combines workflow convenience with superior security. Learn more about what makes SIGNiX different at www.signix.com.