I am sure we have all at one time or another been in that situation: “Please return a signed copy signed by an independent witness. This person cannot be related to you or your business.” The only time this becomes even more fun is when that witness signature needs be from a ‘professional’. Great, now I’m knocking on doors trying to find the lawyer or doctor on my estate…
There are no winners, just time wasted. Surely there is a way to implement some sort of remote witnessing solution?
From electronic signing to electronic witnessing
Great strides have been made in the world of electronic signatures, with all of us having signed something online at some time or other. It’s almost second nature. Yet the same issues remain – proving who signed. Yes, the IP address is tracked, and it’s linked to an encrypted email link etc etc but can we really be sure? How many of us have signed something online digitally only to have to then print it to witness electronic signatures? Well what’s the point in that?
Electronic Witnessing is not something that is widely considered as yet, with the majority of people taking the “everybody does it that way” approach, but we now have solutions ready to go that can save you and your business time, money and stress. You can use our software to witness electronic signatures and prove without doubt who signed the document. Finally, an eWitness!
Indeed, by using an electronic witnessing solution such as Videosign, the need to witness a signature is no longer there. Using verification biometrics, video and photo evidence of the signature and full audit trail, Videosign can prove without doubt who signed the document, when and what top you were wearing! Videosign can be that eWitness.
Benefits for legal and HR professionals
Now, lets think about this in real world business scenarios and look at how using an electronic witnessing solution can influence the process. Obviously the application we automatically think about is that of legal documents as mentioned above. However, in order to fully appreciate the opportunities around the witness requirements, let’s broaden our horizons somewhat and look at Remote Witnessing in other applications.
Take Human Resources, HR for short. The validity of documents held within one’s personnel file are, by and large, never questioned. Hopefully the only time your HR file is opened is when you get that well-deserved pay rise or you leave for a new opportunity. Unfortunately, for many, the file and its contents are regularly accessed for a multitude of reasons.
Disciplinary documents, disputes, sickness all require the filling in and confirmation of paperwork and are often later needed to prove who was in fact right. So, when the document is accessed, and there is a signature there, how do we prove who signed it? If an employee claims that in fact they never signed the document, then we can be talking about a lengthy process to get to the bottom of the issue.
I was recently talking to a friend of mine who works in the HR department for a large manufacturing company. It amazed me that she described the processes involved in protecting the company against bogus employee disputes and claims. Meetings including senior executives signing and countersigning paperwork which is also signed by the employee and their representative, purely to ensure everyone “is protected”.
Imagine the time and money that would be saved by having a non-repudiable document. For years now businesses have been focused on returning employees to value-added activities; in other words spending time on things that make the business money. Sitting in meetings to witness a signature in case the employee sues years later is definitely not the best way for employees to spend their time. Especially not when an eWitness would solve all the problems.
Speeding up sales
Coming from a sales background, and indeed many salespeople will tell you this, one of the biggest frustrations we have is the fall off between having a new customer excited and ready to go and waiting for the PO or signed contract to arrive. All that hard work and they are convinced. “I’ll send you a proposal/contract/e-signing link”, you say and retire to your couch confident of another deal done.
Two weeks later and it’s still not back, lost in the bureaucratic maze and overtaken by other priorities.
You know what I’m going to say next. If we had been able to sign the contract during the virtual meeting we were in, the customer is onboarded quickly and efficiently, and while their enthusiasm and motivation is at its highest.
Benefits of virtual witnessing
I’d like to conclude this blog by switching things up and going back to my opening paragraph; wandering the streets finding a professional to witness my signature.
Whilst I have approached the majority of this from a business viewpoint and the time and money saving aspect, let’s think about the customer perception. We all just accept the witnessing situation, as frustrating as it is. So, imagine coming across a company that doesn’t send your documents by post. It invites you a time, convenient to you, where we all log in, view the documents and sign them. The process is recorded and therefore automatically witnessed, job done, very little effort needed. In fact, almost pleasurable and no stress.
“Don’t worry Sir/Madam, we can sort all this online with our Remote Witnessing solution, the software acts as an eWitness and we can have it all done within 5 minutes”.
We tell our friends about it, they are impressed … well you know how word of mouth works. And we return time and time again.
So, let us conclude. Virtual witnessing and signature saves time, saves money, improves customer experience and eliminates disputes and queries. It makes your processes more effective, and your valued customers are happier and commit faster. It really is the only choice to make.
Secure your documents using an electronic signature platform – there really are only benefits.
Verify, Meet, Sign.
Use Videosign.
Arrange your free demo today and see how effective Videosign can be for you – https://www.videosign.co.uk/request-a-demo/
