6 questions to ask before selecting an e-signature solution

Oct 29, 2021

Once you decide to switch and get an electronic signature app, there’s a lot to consider — price, features, security, and system integration; there’s no shortage of different factors between e-signature solutions. To help you decide on the best fit for your business, we’ve compiled six questions that you should ask before deciding which online e-signature solution is for you.

What to ask yourself before selecting an e-signature solution

There are many considerations when selecting the right e-sign service provider. You don’t want to compromise your security, and it’s also important to make sure that you’re working with a team you trust. The following questions can help to narrow down the choices:

1. How much will it cost?

This isn’t the most important question, but it’s arguably the easiest to answer, making it an essential step in your research process. Your e-signature provider should be able to give you a clear answer about the pricing structure of their service. It’s important to note whether or not there are any hidden costs and if there is a contract involved with the service.

Many providers offer a free plan of their service, which is a great way to get a feel for if they’re going to be the right fit for your company.

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2. Will it integrate with my workflow?

If you rely on automation and integration between different applications, your best e-sign solution will integrate seamlessly with the process you currently use. This means that they’ll be able to connect with other applications and help simplify the process.

Even if your e-signature solution of choice does not offer integrations, make sure that the workflow makes sense to you and your current process. You may need to switch between applications additional times, but if the signing process fits your workflow, it may feel all the more natural.

3. How does it protect my data?

For many businesses, security is one of the biggest concerns when moving to an online e-signature solution. Even if your business never gets hacked, it’s still essential that you have a strong protocol in place to protect your data from hackers and other criminals.

This should be a question that you ask each e-sign provider, as this may be unique from one service to the next. Most providers will grant you access to additional security features, which will help protect your identity and information in the event of a hack.

4. Is it a solution that doesn’t require constant updates?

It’s easy to become frustrated when you have to constantly update software to ensure that all of your files are being properly secured. This can be time-consuming and costly, even if it’s just one application. And software with constant downtime can interfere with your operations — which nobody wants.

5. What is the user interface like?

Whether you are using an e-sign provider regularly or sporadically, you’ll want to feel comfortable with your interface of choice. Some are very basic, which is great if you’re just looking for an electronic signature app that will require little maintenance. Others are more complex, making it difficult to adjust to if you’re moving from an option that doesn’t have as many bells and whistles. You’ll need to find a balance between features and interface that will instantly make you feel at home whenever you log in to your e-signature solution.

Furthermore, you may want to consider if it’s important to your business that documents can be prepared and sent on the go on any device. Some e-signature solutions are optimized to work on mobile devices, giving anyone access to their documents from anywhere.

6. Are they tested and tried?

Whenever you are looking at a new tool, you want to know what other, existing (or former) users have to say. Ask your friends or business associates, visit review sites, or do your own detailed testing of the service. You don’t want to worry about getting stuck in an buggy solution, or have your information hacked and your credit card information stolen, just because of relying on an untested system.

What you should do next?

When all your questions are answered, the next step is weighing your options. You should select at least two e-sign providers that fit your criteria and compare the features offered. And you should take them for a test drive if they offer a certain amount of free services.

You want to make sure that your online e-signature solution of choice can handle all of your paperless needs.

Conclusion

Your e-signature services can benefit your business. It’s important to choose service providers like Countersign that focus on providing you with the best technology for your business. You can feel confident that your signature solution is secure and will work seamlessly with the software you’re already using.

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