E-Signature Plus Contract Management Software Provides the Fastest Path to Closing Deals

The Roadblock at the End of the Sale

When it comes to making a sale, timing is everything. But right before the deal is signed, there's a roadblock: the signature.

Traditionally, the process is cumbersome: print out the contracts in triplicate, find the person to manually sign, post back the signed contracts, and so on. All of this means that just when you want to get going with implementation, everything stalls.

This is particularly frustrating when companies are investing in improving the contract process, but the signing process triggers delays, and risks are reintroduced at the final stages of execution.

According to Aberdeen's latest report, "E-Signature & Integrated Sales Technologies: Accelerating Success for Businesses and Buyers" one of the top hurdles that can hinder the sales process is postponed closing due to delays in approval or a missing signature.

That's why leading sales organizations are 2.5-time more likely to focus on streamlining all proposal, contract, ordering, and sales approval workflows.

E-Signature Coming to the Rescue

E-signatures can come to the rescue, with an integrated Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) + e-signature solution making it easier, faster, and smoother to create, negotiate and sign contracts.

Contract management software is a digital solution designed to streamline the creation, negotiation, execution, and tracking of contracts throughout their lifecycle. An e-signature platform is a digital tool that allows individuals and businesses to electronically sign documents securely and legally. Combining the two technologies can unleash powerful time savings on deal closes.

In fact, by using e-signatures, the average contract cycle time decreases from approximately seven days to 2 hours.

According to another Aberdeen report: "What makes e-signature so effective as a sales technology is that it enables and enhances superior people and process capabilities, while also maximizing the value of other integrated sales technology. It is the anchor point for a complete, end-to-end sales technology stack."

Digitizing the Contract Management Process

Today, e-signature technology can be deployed in tandem with contract management software that digitizes the entire contract management lifecycle.

For the first time in the history of commerce, contracts are being completely digitized. This allows companies to turn these static documents into strategic assets. Companies that manage contracts on a contract management platform enjoy faster turnaround time, reduced risk, and optimized business relationships.

E-signature integration fits perfectly into the vision of a digitized commercial foundation and doesn't require a major overhaul of your existing sales tech stack.

How Icertis and Adobe Are Teaming Up

Together, Adobe and Icertis deliver a complete, best-in-class digital transformation solution for customers who want to bring e-signatures into how they manage the lifecycles of any kind of contract, including outsourcing, procurement, sales, NDA, and intellectual property.

The Icertis Contract Intelligence (ICI) platform is the leading provider of enterprise contract management in the cloud. With ICI, users can model complex business processes, configure intelligent contract templates, and gain unprecedented insight into their contracts.

With Adobe Sign, Icertis helps customers deliver fully digital experiences by automating approvals, providing greater visibility into who's signed and who hasn't, and, importantly, offering the highest levels of security and legal compliance around the world.

Just like Icertis, Adobe Sign has deep integrations with the ecosystems that businesses are already familiar with—Microsoft and Salesforce. Adobe Sign is the preferred e-signature solution for Microsoft and is deeply integrated with Microsoft Office 365, SharePoint, and Dynamics. Adobe Sign also has held a five-star rating on the Salesforce AppExchange since 2005.

It's clear that an integrated CLM and e-signature solution isn't a nice-to-have; it's necessary to drive the business forward. Adobe and Icertis deliver a complete, best-in-class digital transformation solution for customers who want to bring e-signatures into automated workflows and leading business solutions. To learn more about digitizing your contracts, schedule a free consultation with Icertis.

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