How Customers Benefit From eSign Software And Electronic Signatures

Key Takeaways

• Accelerated agreement processes: Customers like those at Santander experience a dramatic reduction in wait times, with processes that once took weeks now being completed in days or even hours.

• Convenience and flexibility: eSign software enables customers to easily sign documents from any device and location, which is especially important for multi-party agreements and for a global client base.

• Improved trust and transparency: The use of eSignatures provides a secure, reliable, and legally compliant way to handle agreements, which builds trust and improves the overall customer relationship.

Businesses worldwide are embracing eSign software, digital tools that enable legally binding electronic signatures on documents without the need for printing or scanning. Docusign eSignature helps organisations transform their agreement processes with remarkable efficiency. With more than a billion users trusting electronic signatures globally, the benefits are clear and measurable. Companies report up to 80% faster document completion times, significant cost savings, and enhanced security through features like identity verification.

In the sections that follow, we'll explore real-world success stories from Docusign customers who have experienced dramatic improvements in sales cycles, employee experiences, risk management, and sustainability. These organisations have revolutionised how they conduct business by adopting electronic signatures that are both legally compliant and incredibly convenient.

What is eSign software?

eSign software enables businesses and individuals to securely sign documents electronically, eliminating the need for printing, scanning, and physical delivery. Modern eSign solutions like Docusign go beyond simple signature capture to offer comprehensive agreement management capabilities that streamline workflows and reduce contract turnaround times.

Core features of professional eSign software include document preparation tools, customisable signing workflows, identity verification options, and secure storage with detailed audit trails. Unlike basic scan-and-sign methods, proper eSign platforms ensure compliance with relevant regulations while providing enterprise-grade security to protect sensitive information throughout the agreement process.

Electronic vs digital signatures

While often used interchangeably, electronic signatures and digital signatures have important distinctions. An electronic signature is a broad category encompassing any electronic method used to indicate agreement on a document—from typing your name to drawing your signature on a touchscreen.

Digital signatures, however, represent a specific technology implementation within the electronic signature category. They use Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology to create a unique digital "fingerprint" that securely associates a signer with a document. Digital signatures offer additional safeguards against tampering and forgery through cryptographic validation, making them particularly valuable in regulated industries or scenarios requiring enhanced identity verification.

Adobe and other providers offer digital signature solutions, but these typically require more steps to implement than standard electronic signatures, which are sufficient for most everyday business transactions.

Is eSign software legally binding?

Yes, eSign software creates legally binding signatures in the UK and most countries worldwide. In the UK, electronic signatures are recognised under the Electronic Communications Act 2000 and the UK's adoption of the eIDAS regulation.

The eIDAS (electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services) regulation establishes a clear legal framework for electronic signatures across the EU and UK. It defines three levels of electronic signatures:

1. Electronic Signature (SES): The basic level suitable for most standard agreements

2. Advanced Electronic Signature (AES): Requires identity verification of signers

3. Qualified Electronic Signature (QES): The legal equivalent of a handwritten signature with special legal status

Docusign electronic signature solutions support all three eIDAS levels, ensuring compliance with UK and EU requirements. The platform maintains comprehensive audit trails and authentication records that help organisations meet their legal e-signature obligations while streamlining agreement processes.

For highly regulated transactions or specific industry requirements, it's advisable to consult legal counsel to determine the appropriate signature level for your specific use case.

Key business benefits of using eSign software

Implementing electronic signature technology is the best way to transform your agreement processes and drive tangible business value. With Docusign, you can maximise efficiency whilst delivering exceptional experiences to every recipient throughout the signing journey.

Speed and sales acceleration

Accelerate your business cycles with electronic signatures that dramatically reduce turnaround times. Santander UK reduced their customer onboarding process from 12 days to just 2 days. The ability to sign from anywhere, on any device, means agreements move forward regardless of signatories' locations—enabling faster sales cycles and quicker revenue recognition. Features like collaborative commenting and multi-channel delivery ensure recipients can complete agreements through their preferred channels, whether via email, text or WhatsApp.

Customer and employee experience

Transform cumbersome processes into seamless digital experiences that delight both customers and employees. With 88% of documents being e-signed within 24 hours, recipients enjoy the convenience of completing agreements instantly from any location. For employees, electronic signatures streamline workflows and eliminate frustrating administrative tasks. Salesforce reduced their offer letter completion time by 80%, creating a more responsive recruitment experience that helps secure top talent in competitive markets.

Faster onboarding and faster sales cycles with eSign software

The bottom line is that implementing electronic signature makes it easier for customers to do business with you. Many of DocuSign's customers are streamlining their customer onboarding process, closing deals faster and improving their customer's experiences along the way.

Santander: cutting onboarding from 12 days to 2

Some of the workflows within financial services are very long and include lots of manual paperwork. Santander UK's SME, Commercial and Corporate Banking teams offer financial services products to businesses with a turnover of between £500,000 and £500 million, but two of the biggest frustrations for business customers in securing loans included the previous onboarding process and the time it took to get cash.

Using Docusign, Santander has drastically reduced the time it takes for new customers to open an account and access funds. They can now do so digitally, without the need to go to a branch or send paperwork. This unnecessarily manual process took customers an average of 12 (and sometimes up to 25 days) to complete.

With help from the Docusign Customer Success team, Santander implemented Docusign eSignature and designed an advanced signing workflow that allows multiple people to collaborate on and sign the same document simultaneously. Since many businesses have multiple signatories in various locations and others who may just fill forms out prior to signature, this radically improved a slow, linear process. It now takes an average of just two days for customers to open an account.

Read the full Santander customer story.

ADT UK: Overcoming outdated processes

Prior to implementing DocuSign, ADT UK struggled with time-intensive manual signing processes that created significant operational inefficiencies. The company relied on traditional paper-based methods and manual email exchanges, which were cumbersome and inefficient. This lack of a streamlined process hindered their ability to close deals swiftly and made it difficult to track contract status, ultimately creating compliance issues.

Streamlining for success

By integrating DocuSign eSignature, ADT UK was able to significantly streamline its document management while maintaining rigorous legal and regulatory standards. The company automated contract management by integrating the DocuSign API with its CRM system. This move delivered immediate benefits in efficiency, allowing their mobile sales force to close deals from anywhere.

Reducing legal and operational risk with digital signatures

Legal compliance and risk reduction are major benefits of implementing digital signature solutions. For regulated industries and businesses handling sensitive agreements, proper electronic signature implementation provides essential safeguards against legal challenges.

Womble Bond Dickinson: 66% of contracts signed in under an hour

Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) is a full-service transatlantic law firm that has over 120 partners and around 450 lawyers in eight offices across the UK as well as 540 lawyers working in 19 offices in the US. The innovative firm is in the UK's top 20 law firms. WBD has been at the forefront of electronic signature adoption, achieving remarkable results: 66% of contracts signed in under an hour and 88% in 24 hours.

The firm recognised that traditional 'wet ink' signatures and virtual signings via email were not only outdated and inefficient but also presented potential legal risks. By implementing DocuSign eSignature, WBD has significantly strengthened their document security through multiple layers of protection:

• Advanced encryption and tamper-evident technology that exceeds paper-based security

• Comprehensive audit trails that provide court-admissible evidence of all signing activities

• Multi-factor authentication to verify signer identities with greater certainty

• Automatic compliance with UK eIDAS Regulations for legal enforceability

Transforming processes during challenging times

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for the Real Estate team to transform their signing process. Previously, they relied entirely on paper documents that were emailed, printed, physically signed by multiple parties across the UK and abroad, then returned via post or courier. This cumbersome process made it impossible to predict when agreements would be completed and created significant legal bottlenecks.

Two critical legal developments accelerated WBD's digital transformation:

• The Law Commission's report on electronic signatures (September 2019)

• HM Land Registry's acceptance of electronic signatures in conveyancing (July 2020)

These regulatory changes enabled the Real Estate team to finally execute documents using eSignature technology, dramatically reducing completion times from a minimum of 2 days (and sometimes up to a week) for "wet ink" signatures to just hours in most cases.

Cutting paper waste & freeing resources with eSign software

Many organisations adopt electronic signatures to go paperless and reduce their environmental impact while freeing up valuable resources. The sustainability benefits of eSign software extend far beyond just saving paper—they contribute to meaningful reductions in carbon emissions, water usage, and waste.

Maersk: saving 1.8 million sheets of paper

Many organisations want to move to electronic signatures so that they can go paperless. For example, moving to paperless signatures helped Maersk save 1.8 million sheets of paper in 2021. Every six minutes, a Maersk container ship calls on a port somewhere around the globe. The Danish shipping giant handles one in five containers shipped by sea and transports goods for some of the world's biggest brands. Implementing Docusign eSignature has allowed Maersk to free up resources to focus on supplier relationships and sustainability goals.

"Our mission is about freeing up people to focus more time on value-added things like supplier relationships and environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals," said Nikolaj Jessen-Klixbüll, head of procurement delivery.

Katherine Crowley, Real Estate Practice Development Manager for Womble Bond Dickinson (UK), says WBD is mindful of its impact on the environment. She says, "WBD is continually looking to improve on environmental performance, and Docusign helps us cut our waste as well as saving on time and costs."

How to choose the best eSign software

Selecting the right electronic signature solution for your business is crucial for streamlining workflows and ensuring legal compliance. With numerous options available in 2025, it's important to evaluate each platform based on your specific needs and requirements.

Key features checklist

When searching for the best way to implement eSignature technology, look for these essential features:

• User-friendly interface: that requires minimal training for both senders and signers

• Mobile compatibility: with responsive design for signing on any device

• Template library: to standardise frequently used documents

• Workflow automation: capabilities for routing documents to multiple signers

• Audit trails: that capture detailed signing history for legal verification

• Integration options: with your existing business tools (CRM, document management)

• Bulk sending: functionality for high-volume signature requests

• Customisation options: for branding and personalisation

• Real-time notifications: when documents are viewed or signed

• Document storage: with secure, searchable repository

• Collaborative features: like commenting and in-document messaging

Security & compliance questions

Before selecting an eSignature provider, ensure they meet these security and compliance standards:

• Does the platform comply with eIDAS regulations for European electronic signatures?

• What level of signatures does it support (SES, AES, QES)?

• Are comprehensive audit trails available to track all document activities?

• What encryption standards are used to protect data in transit and at rest?

• Does the provider offer knowledge-based authentication (KBA) for signer verification?

• Is the platform SOC 2 Type 2 certified for data security?

• How does it handle data storage and retention policies?

• Is the solution HIPAA compliant if you're in healthcare?

FAQs about eSign software

Is there a free eSign app?

Yes, you can access free eSign options like the Docusign mobile app for document signing on the go. The app allows you to sign documents from anywhere using almost any device, import email attachments for signing, and easily share completed agreements with recipients. You can start using Docusign to sign documents online for free right now.

What is the best eSign software?

Docusign consistently ranks as the leading eSignature solution in 2025, trusted by hundreds of millions of users worldwide. When comparing options, look for features like secure encryption standards, integration capabilities with existing tools, mobile accessibility, and compliance with regulations like eIDAS. The best solution balances ease of use with enterprise-grade security.

How do I create an electronic signature?

Creating an electronic signature is straightforward with Docusign. Simply upload your document, add recipient email addresses, and place signature fields where needed. For your own signature, you can type your name, upload an image of your handwritten signature, draw using your cursor, or sign with your finger on a touchscreen device—all without printing or scanning.

How can I sign a document online?

To sign a document online, open the signing link sent to your email, review the document, and follow the guided prompts to add your signature. With Docusign, you can sign from any device, even receiving notifications via SMS or WhatsApp. The process is secure and typically takes just minutes, with 88% of documents being completed within 24 hours.

How do I get a digital signature?

Digital signatures provide enhanced security through Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology. To obtain one, you'll need a digital certificate from a trusted provider. Digital signatures form a unique "fingerprint" that validates your identity and ensures document integrity. For high-value transactions requiring stricter identity assurance, consider Docusign's advanced verification options.

Is Docusign secure for businesses?

DocuSign employs enterprise-grade security with robust encryption, comprehensive audit trails, and compliance with global regulations including the eIDAS regulation. With 99.9% platform availability and options like Docusign ID Verification, businesses can confidently manage sensitive agreements while meeting industry-specific compliance requirements.