Out of all of the reasons to go paperless – essential customer documents are probably near the top of that list. This is especially true of invoices, contracts, or anything requiring a signature. Document upkeep is necessary for the contractor on-the-go who tosses their clipboard in the back of their van, running the risk of crumpling paper, ripping documents, or even losing them all together. E-signatures are the answer.
Even if you aren’t getting a signature in person, emailing and scanning from an office, or snail mailing back and forth, can lead to a messy paper trail that’s just too easily unorganized. File upkeep becomes an even more massive headache when it’s time to do financial reports, or if a client project is verging on scope creep and you need to find a signed document to reference quickly.
Over-reliance on scattered paper and PDFs isn’t only a tried-and-true way to frustrate your accountant or office manager. It’s also additional work for both yourself and your customers.
That’s why e-signatures should be part of any contractor’s arsenal. Need a scope approved? Or an agreement signed? With the right contractor software, just email the invoice or estimate, and the customer can sign right there from their browser. No need to open up Adobe Acrobat, or follow the complicated dance of print, sign, scan, and email back.
Here are a few other reasons as to why every contractor should be using e-signatures for their projects.
Convenience
Productivity costs are the hidden costs companies incur for unnecessary busy work. To summarize it, these ‘costs’ arise when you or your team is caught up doing something time-consuming rather than focusing on tasks that eventually lead to profit.
For example: Spending time organizing files, managing PDFs, and scanning documents, rather than pitching new business or upselling current projects.
FieldPulse as a whole seeks to remove these productivity hang-ups by offering digital solutions for invoicing, scheduling, customer management, and file organization. Our latest e-signature feature is just another way to keep your company documents organized and in one central location. Not only can you send invoices or estimates from your dashboard, but you can also accept electronic signatures, which are then automatically organized for you. This structure keeps everything streamlined – allowing you to focus more time on customer satisfaction and growing your business.
Quicker Turnaround
Routing and scheduling is such a huge part of this industry. The longer you wait for a contract to be signed, the longer it takes for you to get a team out; therefore, the longer it takes for you to get paid.
A lot of the waiting game is because signing documents can be a complete headache. Whether you’re printing, scanning, and then emailing – or even using a third party PDF signature tool, it’s just too many steps. With most e-sign programs, including the one found in FieldPulse, a customer can sign a document without even leaving their browser, much less their house.
A Higher Level of Security
While it may sound counter-intuitive, electronic signatures can offer a higher level of security. Not only do they contain a valid signature, but they carry more much more information than just paper and ink. Documents signed electronically store exact times and dates of signing, the type of device, and more.
An even simpler example of security is that by having an electronic document, you decrease the chance of losing it. If using FieldPulse to e-sign, you automatically have the file stored and organized for easier access.
Intuitive
In today’s digital world, it’s just instinctive to have a digital component for documents. Your customers order Uber rides through an app and have automated services deliver them groceries. A streamlined experience is what your customers expect in today’s digital landscape.
Not only are e-signatures a fool-proof way to keep your customer interactions intuitive, quick and easy, but by using FieldPulse’s tool – you never have to leave the dashboard. Not to mention, you’re already using the FieldPulse dashboard, and your customers are already getting invoices. It only makes sense to manage the entire experience through a straightforward app.
Start Using E-Signatures
I’m sure you’re already aware of how simplifying your business can increase customer satisfaction, streamline your process, and allow you more time to handle growth projects. If you’re a FieldPulse user, check out the video below to learn how easy it is to send signatures through our dashboard.
If you’ve yet to try out our platform, give it a shot! We offer a 14-day free trial, with no credit card needed. We’re the perfect solution for managing everything – from estimates and invoicing, to scheduling, to timesheets, to customer management – it’s all managed from a simple web and app-based solution.