What really gives you a headache is managing all the administration – the nightmare of document overload, outdated processes, repetitive and tedious steps, and, not to mention, that nagging concern in the back of your mind about your data security during the whole process…
The result? You keep worrying about the process rather than staying focused on the result.

What if frictionless interaction, easy and scalable workflows and data security are automatically part of your daily operations? What if you could actually focus more on a deal itself instead of being occupied by every cumbersome administrative step that revolves around it? Imagine the possibilities.

Today is the day. You set yourself one goal. To obtain a final and fully approved document: with everyone’s feedback processed, the status correctly updated, all the reviews and approvals checked and with a signature on the right spot from every relevant stakeholder, both internally and externally. It’s the dream scenario.

Before you hit that send button, take a moment to reassess the situation. How are you going to filter out all the noise in this process?

Let’s face it. Once a document is traveling around, it starts to live a life of its own. Finding the right connection between workflows, document management and software solutions puts pressure on the entire operation.

What if your recipient does not have access to the application you’re using? Then the document needs to be converted into a different format. Once the recipient receives the accessible document, she can give feedback, after which you have to re-adjust the format again. Adjust, send, re-adjust, repeat. The cycle continues until all parties agree.

If we’re not speaking the same language, it’s hard to understand each other. You can get lost in translation easily. This is true for document management and software applications as well. Imagine if required actions from a document’s recipient are pre-defined in workflows? What if you only have to select a document template? Based on your internal selection, your recipient is automatically guided through a specific workflow. You could then easily accommodate each recipient with tailored formats while staying on top of all the incoming feedback thanks to real-time status updates within your system.

Just like that, a smooth and secure digital experience cancels out any noise you previously may have experienced. Alignment in tools and processes is key if you want to avoid friction and move forward in an effective way. With automated workflows and digital document trails you don’t lose your grip on vision, versions and formats.

Let’s say you need a credit check from your internal credit manager before moving on with a sales deal.  Or you want to update a quote with new feedback from the client (“If the wait is too long, the color can be changed from blue to black”).  Or the vehicle you are dealing with is in need of a repair session, and you want to track and centralize all the follow-ups from the workshop.

These are just small examples of daily interactions between multiple stakeholders for different quotes. They all demand your attention. These conversations take place internally – within teams and across departments – and externally – with customers and between other external stakeholders.

What if all of this information is passed down to you via a separate application? Working with an API can offer solutions, but it also entails a risk. Alternatively, you could update the information manually. However, having to re-enter the missing data is time consuming and increases the risk of errors. And, let’s be honest, a manual fix during this phase feels like a low-value task altogether. Once the document is final, a number of things can go wrong again. What if you lose track of the latest version? Are you feeling the frustration yet? That feeling can run high on either side of the interaction.

Easy connections with every stakeholder, internally and externally, not only eliminates an overall bad experience for senders and recipients, but it also steers everyone involved in the right direction, thanks to clear instructions, shared updates, dedicated fields and personal notifications about follow-ups.

Easy connections, of course, also follow from clear boundaries on accessibility. With that topic in sight, let’s put the focus on the security issues involved in the next section.

Storing downloaded versions of documents in your inbox? Saving the corresponding feedback on your local drive? These practices should rightly give anyone cold shivers by now. The risks are numerous: from data leaks to unauthorized views, you simply lack control over how a document is secured or shared within a network of contacts.

No doubt, our data deserves security. Documents often include sensitive information, personal requests or they are simply still works in progress, not meant to be shared just yet. By using a secure cloud environment, you ensure confidential data is handled with trust and care.

It’s not just a matter of secure online spaces. It’s also about who should have access to do what exactly. With limited access and the option for two-factor authentication, the security of your documents is maximized. After the recipient is finished with the necessary follow-ups, links should become invalid, boosting the security of your data even more. After all, once a document is signed, nobody should be permitted to change it anymore – it’s locked up tight and everyone should benefit from a tamper-proof document with valid signatures only.

Digitalization of mails and paper trails via one accessible centralized system offers you trust and ease of mind, on all these levels.

The transition to automated workflows and a full digital experience may seem cumbersome at first. However, the transition also offers a great number of opportunities, once you have clear sight of the benefits. This is the perfect time to declutter noise, finetune your workflows, and clean up documents and processes.

By prioritizing digitalization and automation, you can keep track of everyone’s input, streamline workflows, define and dedicate instructions to different roles, and monitor limited access to confidential information.

In the end, what helps you to organize your internal and external agreements? A strong connection thanks to frictionless interactions, a scalable process that helps you to build bridges, and finally, a high level of security to provide trust between all parties. Connect, scale and secure. Now that’s a cycle you want to repeat.