Today's interconnected commercial landscape offers countless ways for
organizations and professionals to seamlessly connect with consumers
and other businesses. Making a reservation, sending payments and signing
a contract are all things that happen in seconds with the push of a button.
But it wasn't always that easy. These seamless, secure modern transactions
are not simply the result of innovative companies that have created
brilliant innovations. As digital business exploded in the new millenium,
key legal guidelines have been at the center of that evolution, ensuring that
technology used in digital business transactions meets appropriate criteria.
June 30, 2020 marked the 20th anniversary of the Electronic Signature
in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN) in the U.S. Before ESIGN
established the validity of electronic signature, healthcare and financial
services transactions required ink-and-paper signatures to finalize
agreements. Just 20 years ago, the only way to reliably collect signatures
on business documents was to set up in-person meetings or construct
a hodgepodge signature process involving expensive physical mail, fax
machines, printers, scanners and photocopiers.
The passage of ESIGN eliminated doubt about the legality and acceptance
of electronic signature. ESIGN paved the way for DocuSign and others
to build cutting-edge business tools. Milestones like this one are an
opportunity to celebrate how far commercial technology has come and how
organizations and customers benefit from faster, more connected systems.
Some industries have agreement processes that involve additional layers of
external approval and government regulation. In this ebook, we'll examine
a highlight reel of customers that have used electronic signature tools in
heavily regulated industries to accelerate the speed of business and give
customers a better experience. As you read through, think of the ways your
organization could benefit from an improved agreement process today and
imagine the exciting improvements that will come in the future.