Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

Five sales stages during which an e-signature may be necessary

Sales managers today cannot imagine sales processes without the use of a qualified electronic signature. At what stages of the sale is it worth using an e-signature??

The decision to implement an e-signature paves the way to changing processes in an organization. Approximately 600,000. The number of certificates of qualified signature issued in Poland shows the growing scale of the phenomenon. The signature is used not only by the management boards or company owners but also by accountants, HR departments and especially managers responsible for sales.

Sales stages in which an e-signature is useful

Electronic signature and implementation of the paperless approach means full control over creation, editing and amendment of documents at all decision-making levels of the organization from management to legal department to accounting department.

1. Tender documents and offers

The e-signature can be used already at the stage of offer. The sales department preparing an offer or participation in a tender may send ready-made documents to be signed by people at any time, regardless of where they are at the moment. In this way they gain time and increase comfort of work. What is more, in case of tenders, signing documents with qualified e-signature is often one of the requirements.

2. Non-disclosure agreements (NDA)

The solution enables a smooth transition from words to actions. The step preceding the cooperation is usually the signing of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which can be mutual or concern only one party. This can be done using an e-signature. Instant approval of NDAs paves the way e.g. to prepare an offer.

3. Purchase and sales agreements

Finally, when a positive decision on cooperation is made, thanks to the e-signature the closing of the sale and signing of the contract remains a matter of minutes, which brings the sales department closer to success and quick conversion. Thanks to the possibility of using qualified e-signature, there is no need to send documents by post and wait for their return. The contract can be sent electronically to the contracting party immediately. The likelihood that the client will change his mind in the meantime is also reduced.

4. Annexes to contracts

When the need arises to annex e.g. all or part of existing contracts, in which case you can also use the e-signature. the whole operation of signing many documents at once can be carried out during one online session – such an opportunity is offered by the SIGNIUS Professional platform, which enables signing many documents with just a few mouse clicks.

5. Sending e-invoices

A qualified e-signature will enable efficient signing and sending of e-invoices, regardless of whether the action concerns a few or several dozen invoices simultaneously. This not only saves time, but also reduces printing and mailing costs.

A qualified electronic signature – e.g. available completely remotely on the SIGNIUS Professional platform. It is issued by one of the certified trust service providers – EuroCert and has the same legal force as a handwritten signature.

– The current situation is reminiscent of the first decade of the 20th century, when, despite the widespread use of e-mail, companies sent faxes. For contractors moving with the times, this was inconvenient and annoying. Today, an e-signature is not only a business alphabet, but also a sign of respect for business partners, especially for the time they have to spend on bureaucracy – says Ɓukasz Konikiewicz, CEO of EuroCert, one of the five qualified trust service providers in Poland.

– Every company that uses an e-signature helps build a digital workflow that streamlines work for everyone. A transition to a paperless model is a proof of digital maturity of the organization, ordering and simplification of internal processes in the spirit of transparency and security – adds Jack Piekarski, VP Sales and Co-founder of SIGNIUS, a company developing a platform for remote document signing.

What if a counterparty does not have an e-signature??

What if the partner does not have his own electronic signature?? The problem is solved by the SIGNIUS Professional platform. Allows remote placement of qualified signatures by designated individuals, issuing them with a qualified electronic signature based on remote video verification of identity.

It is crucial in this situation to confirm the identity of the person who is to make the signature. – For this, a trained professional conducts a secure verification process during a single, short video call. After a successful operation, a qualified certificate is issued. Our contractor can immediately put a qualified electronic signature on the documents indicated by us, from anywhere in the world – explains Jacek Piekarski from SIGNIUS.

According to the EU eIDAS regulation, a contract signed in this way is legally valid in the countries of the European Union.

The benefits of e-signature go beyond simply saving time and reducing administrative costs associated with scanning and printing documents. – Giving up the circulation of paper documents is not only saving the cost of office supplies or courier work. It is also an element of the transition to functioning in the papereless model, which is more efficient, environmentally friendly and builds a positive image of the business run in this way. Digital workflow incredibly speeds up processes, which directly and measurably translates into accelerated business growth. It also has a measurable impact in caring for the environment, which is often an important part of CSR campaigns. Finally, basing business daily life on efficient digital processes gives new opportunities in contact with customers and employees – notes Lukasz Konikiewicz of EuroCert.