We at DocuSign listen to our customers when they talk about their electronic signature needs. This weekend, we stumbled across some comments about DocuSign and our free eSignature customer support. They were just too good not to share! Without further ado:

DocuSign’s Electronic Signature Customers Comment on Customer Support

The first story shares the experience of signing up for DocuSign’s eSignature service:

The reason I joined DocuSign was because of their AMAZING customer support. I joined on a Saturday night around 6pm and by 9pm I was having issues and needed to get a contract done that night. I asked if anyone knew the answer on twitter and within 5 minutes I had both their twitter account and the owner of the company talking to me on twitter and walking me through it. Then An, who is behind the twitter account, called me to make sure everything was ok. THAT IS SERVICE.

OK so they don’t offer free phone support. I have NEVER had a problem getting an immediate answer with them on chat or twitter. The support is some of the best I have ever seen. If you had a problem with any product in the world and put something out there on Twitter what do you think the chances of anyone, never mind the Founder and Vice President of Product Strategy of the company, offering help at 9pm on a Saturday night?

You have free email support and also free support via chat, the product is amazing, the support is amazing.

- Dean Ouellette, Tempe Real Estate

The second story details the robust support options DocuSign offers to its eSign customers:

I’ve used DocuSign for over two years and never needed to call them. Not once. Twice I had a question about how to do something (that if I’d taken a few minutes on my own to find the answer, I could have. It was on their site) and was immediately answered via email and Twitter. I also have agents that have been using DocuSign for two years — never needed to make a phone call for support for two reasons: 1) The product is robust and easy to use; and 2) there are many other ways to get support beside the telephone.

Lots of companies charge for extended (read phone) customer support. DocuSign isn’t the only one, not by a long shot. I’d rather them charge for extended support than raise my rates so they can handle all the “I forgot my password” and “It’s broken” (when it’s not) phone calls.

Have you tried the [free] chat, email, twitter, forums, webinars, blog, and/or FAQs for support? They work, and work well.

- Jay Thompson, Phoenix Real Estate Broker

The third comment explains a customer’s experience with how easy and intuitive DocuSign’s electronic signature service is for his clients:

I have used the DocuSign service hundreds of times over the past couple of years and I love it. More importantly, my clients LOVE it. The recent enhancements to their system helped an already great product become even more beneficial to my business.

My experience has been that anyone that can log on to the internet and do even the most basic of tasks have great success with the DocuSign service. From young to old, computer savvy to “old school,” I have never had a complaint.

- Nick Bastian, Tempe Real Estate Agent

The fourth comment discusses how one DocuSign user has worked with DocuSign on eSign policy issues and product feedback while turning to online help and web content:

I’ve been a Docusign user for several years now and have been really pleased with the technology. I enjoy being able to sign ANYTHING. I’m pretty technically inclined and have only had to contact customer service a couple times with help on policy issues, like FHA not recognizing e-signatures.

I’ve spoken with their Chief Legal Counsel and they’re now working with FHA and lenders to gainer wider acceptance of electronic signatures. I consider that responsive.

When I call in about product limitations or ideas, my requests are acknowledged and supposedly added to the feature request for future releases. I hope they don’t charge for these types of call. [ed. note: We don't charge for feedback-type calls, but as a best practice, email or chat works better discuss product limitations or ideas - we can log and track these communications and share them more effectively with the Product team!]

On the other hand, their online help has always been responsive and there’s a lot of material published on the website that’s gotten me through most issues.

- Derec Shuler, Denver Real Estate Broker

Do you have a story similar to Dean, Jay, Nick, or Derec’s? Do you have your own story about how DocuSign’s eSign service you want to share? Leave a comment to share your thoughts – we welcome them!

We’ve rolled out many new changes since the start of 2010, including the release of Version 10.1, the exclusive DocuSign REALTOR® Edition, and a new phone system. If you subscribe to DocuSign’s electronic signature service, you get access to new features every time we do a new release – this means you can always use the newest features and have access to the latest innovations in electronic signature technology.

Where do we get our feature ideas? We often solicit feedback from you, our users, about new feature ideas. You can follow @DocuSign on Twitter or become a fan on the DocuSign Facebook Page for announcements when we look for user feedback. We’ve even hosted focus groups such as the Mix and Mingle at the Keller Williams Family Reunion, to determine what features and functionality you, our users, deem most important so we can prioritize them on the product roadmap.

DocuSign is committed to providing industry-leading electronic signature solutions to real estate professionals as the exclusive and official ESIGN provider through the NAR Member Benefits® program. Our commitment is such that we just released the exclusive DocuSign REALTOR® Edition along with a real estate-specific electronic signature service because we understand that you have unique business needs, different from those needs of our other customers, and we want to accommodate your business needs.

ESIGN Support

When you purchase DocuSign, adding phone support is always an option. This is not new. When you sign up for DocuSign, we offer phone support as a premium option. Instead of charging everyone for phone support, we’ve chosen to charge only those who use phone support. This enables us to keep our prices down and offer the robust features and plans that we do.

If you want to upgrade your account and add phone support, you can contact support (service@docusign.com) with your preferred contact information (phone, email, etc.) and let them know that you want to add phone support, so they can work with you to help you choose the DocuSign plan with phone support that best fits your business needs.

However, our commitment to customer service means that support is NOT a premium option. We have many FREE support options.

Free ESIGN Support Options

Email (service@docusign.com) has a service level agreement of two hours during support hours. Because I work remotely, I often email support with questions and receive a response almost instantaneously, so it’s possible to get almost real time response. Emailing support means that you can also send them screen shots of what you’re seeing on your screen, so they can see what the issue is and can help you effectively.

Instant Messenger enables you to copy and paste any messages that trigger the question you want to ask support. It also provides you the benefit of real time conversation, similar to what you’d experience on the phone. With the ability of our support personnel to read your messages and gain an understanding of your issue, they can effectively help you.

Forums are great for questions and feedback you have for our engineers, product managers, and professional services folks that aren’t time sensitive. You can see if someone has already had a similar issue or question or ask and someone from the technical side of the house will respond.

DocuSign’s YouTube Channel provides informational how-to videos that walk you through the various standard and premium features of DocuSign. We’re continually adding new videos and if you don’t see one that you want, let us know! We’ll add it to our editorial calendar.

Weekly Free Webinar eSign Trainings that you can sign up for and attend from the comfort of your home or office enable you to learn how to use DocuSign’s eSignature services.

DocuSign’s eSignature Blog provides how-to’s, tips and tricks, product announcements, in-person events, industry news and more. We continually seek to share information about what we’re working on and how you can leverage eSignature to close deals faster, increase your customers’ satisfaction, and save time.

Sender FAQ and Signer FAQ provide the answers to the most common questions from senders and signers, since we know they’ll have different questions. We also offer sender demos,signer demos, sender user guides & documentation, signer documentation and other resources on the DocuSign web site.

Additionally, we do not charge for signers who call support – we understand that signers are using DocuSign because senders have requested that they sign documents using DocuSign. Please do leave comments with your questions, concerns and thoughts as we’d like to work with you to help you understand how customer support works at DocuSign!

Our First Nest Realty uses DocuSign to accelerate the signing process for real estate documents. DocuSign has expedited the average turnaround of real estate documents from days to minutes. Houston-based Our First Nest Realty also leverages DocuSign as a green technology differentiator and as part of the company’s commitment to environmentally-friendly business processes.

Paul Silverman, Owner, Our First Nest Realty

Our First Nest Realty owner Paul Silverman first discovered DocuSign when working with a buyer for a hot property with multiple bidders. The need for an alternative to ink signatures became paramount when the buyer had to sign papers while out of state. Silverman registered for a free trial of the DocuSign eSignature service and within minutes was able to electronically send the documents for e-signature. His client received a DocuSign email notification, quickly adopted a signature and signed the documents online. Silverman presented the offer and it was accepted immediately. Later, Silverman’s client used DocuSign’s service from her Apple iPhone to electronically sign additional paperwork.

DocuSign came to the rescue. It helped streamline the process, provided my client an added service and reduced my company’s carbon footprint in just one service. Being able to sign from a mobile phone was a huge advantage. Clients always tell me how easy it is to DocuSign—it’s convenient, safe and legal. This is clearly the best tool I have ever used. – Paul Silverman, owner, Our First Nest Realty, and strong advocate of green technology

DocuSign has reduced or eliminated the need for Our First Nest Realty to print, fax or waste paper, ink and energy. He is pleased that he is helping clients with a hassle-free transaction and also upholding his pledge to the environment. Silverman holds a number of green designations and certificates including the National Association of REALTORS® Green designation and is a National Association of Homebuilders Certified Green Professional (CPG).

The DocuSign Advantage

After reviewing other e-signature solutions providers, Our First Nest Realty has continued using DocuSign based on the following key criteria:

• Ease of Use—DocuSign makes it easy for Silverman to send documents for client e-signature, and just as simple for clients to sign electronically. This intuitive service closely replicates the traditional signing experience, creating a positive client experience. DocuSign’s Designed for Mobile functionality provides Silverman’s clientele with anywhere, anytime electronic signing capabilities from an Apple iPhone, RIM BlackBerry, Google Android, Windows Mobile or any other Internet-enabled mobile device.
• Compliance—With DocuSign, Our First Nest Realty is assured of security as documents are an encrypted PDF. Signers are authenticated and contracts can only be returned only if fully completed, ensuring 100 percent compliance.
• Real-Time Visibility—DocuSign reveals the signing status of every agreement in real-time: when it was opened, when it was signed, the time the transaction has taken, and which contracts remain to be signed. Our First Nest Realty knows immediately when a real estate document is completed so deals can be transacted faster in a highly competitive market.
• Workflow Management—DocuSign automates Our First Nest Realty’s workflow processes. DocuSigned documents are returned only when complete, thereby reducing turnaround time from days to minutes.
• Cost-Effective—DocuSign reduces administrative costs associated with the traditional signing process, eliminating the need to print, fax or drive to meet clients for in-person signings
• Going Green—Environmentally-friendly, DocuSign aligns with Silverman’s green initiatives and further differentiates Our First Nest Realty from competitors using older, resource-wasting business processes.

For more information about the business benefits DocuSign provides Our First Nest Realty, read the detailed eSignature case study.

REThink Real Estate implemented DocuSign’s eSignature solutions to accelerate its real estate document signing process. This leading San Francisco Bay Area-based real estate firm employs DocuSign’s electronic signature services as the primary vehicle to complete real estate transactions.  DocuSign expedites the average turnaround time of real estate documents from days to minutes. DocuSign helped REThink Real Estate successfully expand and leverage DocuSign’s green technology as a market differentiator and competitive advantage.

Tara-Nicholle Nelson, MA, Esq. REALTOR®, Owner, REThink Real Estate

Owner of REThink Real Estate, Tara-Nicholle Nelson, MA, Esq. is a successful real estate broker, attorney, author and accredited buyer’s representative. Nelson recently represented a buyer in a competitive real estate transaction where the seller’s agent wanted to collect as many offers as possible to present to her client. To stall Nelson and her buyers, the seller’s agent sent a 150-page disclosure agreement that typically takes hours to fax to clients and hours for clients to sign and fax back. Instead, Nelson scanned the disclosure agreement and sent it via DocuSign to her clients. Her clients received an email notification, adopted an e-signature and returned the completed disclosure within the hour. The selling agent was obligated to present the offer to her client and it was accepted.

DocuSign has changed my life. I can’t imagine doing business without it. My clients love the convenience. Sometimes a buyer can make more than 20 offers before one is accepted. That means signing hundreds of pages at least 20 times! With DocuSign, it’s click, click, click and you’re done. – Tara-Nicholle Nelson

Nelson credits DocuSign with giving her more freedom—from paper, faxing and wasting time. By leveraging the Internet, Nelson notes that she and her clients can write, sign and submit an offer without being in the same state. With DocuSign, clients are rarely aware that Nelson is out of town for a speaking engagement or training. DocuSign also provides a much more polished and professional offer to agents, making Nelson’s offers appear more persuasive than the handwritten, scanned and faxed documents typically presented to sellers.

The DocuSign Advantage

After reviewing other e-signature solutions providers, Nelson chose DocuSign based on the following key criteria:

• Ease of Use—DocuSign makes it easy for Nelson to send documents for client e-signature, and just as simple for the client to sign electronically. This intuitive service closely replicates the traditional signing experience, creating a positive client experience. Plus, DocuSign’s Designed for Mobile functionality provides Nelson’s clientele with anywhere, anytime electronic signing capabilities from an Apple iPhone, RIM BlackBerry, Google Android, Windows Mobile or any other mobile device.
• Compliance—With DocuSign, RETHink Real Estate is assured of security as documents are an encrypted PDF. Signers are authenticated and contracts can only be returned only if fully completed, ensuring 100 percent compliance. Aged, confidential documents are archived and purged automatically, thereby safeguarding personal client information.
• Real-Time Visibility—DocuSign reveals the signing status of every agreement in real-time: when it was opened, when it was signed, the time the transaction has taken, and which contracts remain to be signed. REThink Real Estate knows immediately when a real estate document is completed so deals can be transacted faster in a highly competitive market.
• Workflow Management—DocuSign automates Nelson’s workflow processes. DocuSigned documents are returned only when complete, thereby reducing the turnaround time from days to minutes.
• Cost-Effective— DocuSign reduces administrative costs associated with the traditional signing process, eliminating the need to print, fax or drive to meet clients for in-person signings.
• Going Green— Environmentally friendly DocuSign aligns with Nelson’s green initiatives and further differentiates REThink Real Estate from competitors using older, resource-wasting business processes.

For more information about the business benefits DocuSign provides ReThink Real Estate, read the detailed eSignature case study on the DocuSign Web site!

This REALTOR^® branded version of DocuSign is a direct result of the collaboration between NAR and DocuSign. It is a representation of the power of what good partnerships can bring to the real estate industry and more importantly, reinforces why all real estate professionals benefit from NAR’s REALTOR Benefits^® Program. We are looking forward to the future and watching how the increased adoption of DocuSign’s e-signature services will revolutionize the industry. – Bob Goldberg, senior vice president of marketing and business development, commercial services and business specialties for NAR.

DocuSign REALTOR^®Edition builds upon DocuSign’s award-winning eSignature service offerings and includes the following features:

Branded Signature—NAR members have the option to adopt an exclusive REALTOR^® branded e-signature to further promote NAR membership status with the distinguished and trusted REALTOR^® logo.

Online Dashboard—An intuitive, secure REALTOR^® branded console is available to members anytime, anywhere, enabling busy professionals to check the status of every document in real-time. Senders know when documents are opened, when they are signed, the time of the transaction has taken and which documents remain to be signed.

Branded Templates—REALTOR^® branded email communications reinforce and leverage NAR’s stringent code of ethics with signers and/or customers.

Integration with Real Estate Tools—DocuSign REALTOR^® Edition seamlessly works with a broad variety of real estate software tools, including e-forms and online file management systems.

Mobile Signing—DocuSign Designed for Mobile functionality offers anywhere, anytime electronic signing of documents from an Apple iPhone, RIM BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Google Android and other mobile devices.

Workflow Optimization—DocuSign makes it easy for REALTORS^® to control the recipient signing order, and set automated recipient signing reminders and envelope expirations to accelerate the signing process. Plus, time-saving workflows and templates to streamline the signing process.

Real estate professionals everywhere are discovering the power of DocuSign to accelerate business and increase customer satisfaction in a fiercely competitive market. We anticipate the momentum of new DocuSign subscribers to increase even faster now with NAR’s recommendation and support of the release of our new NAR-endorsed DocuSign REALTOR^® Edition. This new, powerful DocuSign offering is specifically tailored for REALTORS^® and a definite game-changer for 2010. – Dave Thorpe, business development director at DocuSign.

More than 20,000 real estate professionals have used DocuSign to accelerate their business, with thousands more subscribing each month. DocuSign real estate subscribers achieve higher sales, increase client satisfaction and maintain a competitive edge. Rather than driving across town to get a signature or inconveniencing clients to find a fax machine, real estate professionals use DocuSign to execute agreements with buyers and sellers electronically, eliminating the old process of printing, faxing and waiting for the return fax. As more than 95 percent of home buyers have Internet access, but fewer than 10 percent have fax service in their homes, DocuSign saves agents time and money while providing client convenience. Clients can electronically sign real estate forms using any Web browser, and documents are legally binding, backed by a court-admissible audit trail.

Pricing and Availability

DocuSign REALTOR^® Edition is available to NAR members as a special Member Benefit^®. Members receive best-in-class pricing with a 20 percent savings over standard DocuSign rates on both editions—DocuSign REALTOR^® Basic and DocuSign REALTOR^® Standard. DocuSign REALTOR^® Basic is a limited edition while DocuSign REALTOR^® Standard is an expanded version offering full functionality and a robust feature set. Subscribers must present a valid National Realtors Database System (NRDS) member identification to qualify.

Pricing and additional product information can be found on the DocuSign Web site for NAR members or to learn more on NAR’S REALTOR Benefits^® Program, visit DocuSign’s NAR Member Benefits^® partner page.

The Crawfords used the Gogo Inflight High Speed WiFi Internet service to stay connected throughout the flight, and using DocuSign’s secure e-Signature service, the Crawfords were able to eSign the purchase agreement and return the documents to Patricia Navone, who works for Morgan Lane, part of McLaughlin Ventures.

The ability to sign and return their offer via DocuSign reduced the Crawfords’ stress, made the process seamless, and allowed them to enjoy their vacation – they didn’t have to spend vacation time dealing with physical documents. By the time they landed in San Francisco, Patricia had already presented their offer to the listing agent, and that they would be opening escrow.

The San Francisco Chronicle shared how DocuSign’s eSignature services enabled the Crawfords to finalize their offer and close on the property. With technologies like electronic signature and transaction document managers, real estate professionals can streamline the dealmaking process.

For example, DocuSign and TransactionPoint have partnered to enable the customers of both services to select an envelope from their member console and upload one or more envelope documents to target TransactionPoint transactions without having to leave DocuSign.

For more information, read the San Francisco Chronicle article and take a look at DocuSign’s real estate eSignature solutions.

Lauren Bernstein, VP of Operations, ActiveRain

It’s the perfect partnership—ActiveRain gives real estate professionals the tools to use the Internet to extend reach and capture business opportunities. DocuSign’s e-signature service uses the Internet to accelerate business and close deals faster. Adding DocuSign as a sponsor offers our real estate community another tool to increase success in a highly competitive environment. – Lauren Bernstein, vice president of operations at ActiveRain

To kick-off the partnership, DocuSign will be a sponsor of ActiveRain’s Denver RainCamp to be held at the Inverness Hotel and Conference Center in Englewood on Tuesday, March 9. The fifth in the U.S. tour, the Denver RainCamp is a full day conference offering valuable content, presentations and innovations that help real estate professionals with social networking, blogging and business planning. RainCamp was developed for real estate professionals seeking successful methods and tools to maximize and grow their online business in today’s modern day real estate market. DocuSign is the exclusive eSignature service sponsor of the event. More information can be found at the RainCamp Web site.

In this economic environment, employing technology is the most cost-effective method to grow a business. We are looking forward to extending our reach through ActiveRain and partnering to help real estate professionals learn how to effectively leverage technology like DocuSign’s electronic signature service to close deals faster, safer and more efficiently. – Dave Thorpe, business development director at DocuSign

More than 20,000 real estate professionals have used DocuSign to accelerate their business, with thousands more subscribing each month. Rather than driving across town to get a signature or forcing clients to find a fax machine, real estate professionals use DocuSign to execute agreements with buyers and sellers electronically, eliminating the antiquated process of printing, faxing and waiting for the return fax. As more than 95 percent of home buyers have Internet access, but fewer than 10 percent have fax service at their home, DocuSign saves agents time and money while providing client convenience. Real estate forms are signed in minutes, not days, from a PC, Mac or even a mobile phone. DocuSign real estate professional subscribers achieve higher sales, increase client satisfaction and maintain a competitive edge.

Safe and secure, the DocuSign e-signature process is also easy to use and legally compliant.

February brought us many updates regarding electronic signature. From the launch of DocuSign Version 10.1 SaaS esignature service to participation at multiple conferences to discuss eSign as a speaker or expo participant, DocuSign continues its leadership role in helping you save time and safely send, sign, and manage your documents with confidence.

Ken Moyle to Discuss eSignature at 10th CSO Council Bay Area Event on Electronic and Digital Signatures

We’re pleased to announce Ken Moyle’s selection to a panel at the 10th CSO Council Bay Area event on Electronic and Digital Signatures, March 1st (full day) at Adobe in San Francisco. Ken will be discussing eSigning in the cloud, legal issues of chain of custody, evidence preservation and other related topics.

Announcing the Launch of DocuSign Version 10.1 SaaS eSignature Service

New Customer-Driven Capabilities and Exclusive ESIGN Service Offerings for Adobe PDF, Salesforce CRM and Apple iPhone
Today, we announced our latest innovations in on-demand electronic signature solutions, with the release of the DocuSign version 10.1. This version of our award-winning e-signature service offers unique features and functionality designed to support workflow and productivity.

Don’t Miss Electronic Signature at the National Real Estate CyberConvention and Expo

We’re excited to let you know that Tom Gonser, Founder and VP of Product Strategy for DocuSign, will be a featured speaker with a presentation for Accelerating Real Estate Business With E-Signatures at the upcoming National Real Estate CyberConvention & Expo, February 21-27, 2010.
This online convention means that you may attend all events — without leaving the comfort of your home or office!

Talking eSign at Next Week’s Keller Williams Family Reunion!

New Orleans – What a happening place! Last weekend, The Saints won the Super Bowl. This weekend is Mardi Gras. Next week, DocuSign will be on hand in booth #456 to discuss eSignature with those attending the Keller Williams Family Reunion! We look forward to connecting with many of our current DocuSign customers and meeting with anyone interested in learning more about electronic signature from DocuSign!

Cash in on the Demand for eSignature Services With the DocuSign Affiliate Program

Today’s a big day – we’re announcing the launch of the DocuSign Affiliate Program to enable online businesses to share the benefits of the DocuSign Electronic Signature Services with their online clients and visitors. We’ve extended our reach and shattered expectations with more than 500 affiliate partners joining in the first week of launch.

As Demand for eSignature Services Accelerates, DocuSign Partner Program Expands

Today, we’re announcing the launch of the DocuSign Partner Program, a comprehensive initiative to effectively extend DocuSign’s reach through strategic, referral and affiliate partners. Rapid adoption of DocuSign Electronic Signature Services sparked this new lead referral program to spur partner success. The program is designed to further accelerate the adoption of DocuSign eSignature services.

Network Products Guide Names DocuSign 2010 Hot Companies Finalist

Winners Will Be Honored at Technosium 2010 Hot Companies and Technology Award Presentations and Dinner – Today, we announced our selection as a 2010 Hot Companies finalist by Network Products Guide. DocuSign is the only electronic signature services provider selected as a 2010 Hot Companies finalist.

DocuSign Receives Red Herring 100 Global Award Nomination

Red Herring Reveals the Top Finalists for the Red Herring 100 and Includes DocuSign, the Leader in Electronic Signature Services – Today, we’ve announced our selection as a finalist for Red Herring’s Global 100 award, a prestigious list honoring the year’s most promising private technology ventures from around the world.

Stay tuned to see what we have coming up for you in March – Ken Moyle’s panel at the 10th CSO Council Bay Area event on Electronic and Digital Signatures, March 1st at Adobe in San Francisco is only the beginning of the developments we have regarding DocuSign and electronic signature!

10 Reasons My Clients LOVE DocuSign

Tara-Nicholle Nelson

The real estate industry is a little schizophrenic when it comes to technology. It is partially cutting-edge, while stuck using decades-old technology (if you can call it that), in other areas. But real estate clients are decidedly un-stuck, technologically speaking.  They are mobile, they are busy, and they are often borderline overwhelmed with their everyday lives – much less their lives during a real estate transaction, with all the additional demands that house hunting, showing their homes, making offers, inspections, etc. put on their calendar.

So, it comes as no surprise how much my homebuyer and -seller clients *heart* DocuSign. For them, DocuSign is largely about freedom. Freedom of time, location and equipment against a backdrop of increased convenience and security. Here are some of the reasons my clients love DocuSign:

1. Freedom of space – travel. I can be out of town. They can be out of town. No matter – wherever we are that we can get to the web, I can send and they can sign a contract or disclosure. (In fact, sometimes I take quick trips across the country and don’t even mention that I’m gone!) I review the blank contract with my clients at our first meeting, so that when they find “their house” or receive an offer, a quick phone call and we’re ready to write, DocuSign and submit. Being in the same room unless absolutely necessary seems slightly Neanderthal now.

2. Freedom of space – location. If two co-buyers are in different places, like their offices, it’s not necessary to sign separate versions or fax and refax, or wait until they can get to the same location. I can sign from wherever I’m at. ALL ON THE SAME DOCUMENT. Counterparts, be gone!

3. Freedom from equipment. With DocuSign, no printer or fax machine is needed. No matter how brilliant, upscale and well-off a particular client may be, they never seem to have printer ink!  Or easy fax access – back in the olden days, pre-DocuSign, I used to literally have a lending library of fax machines I’d cart over to my clients to use for the duration of their transactions, so they didn’t have to keep stopping at the copy shop to pay $1 per page to send and receive faxes.

4. Freedom of time. DocuSign is convenient and fast, and each signer can do it in their own time. No need to leave work, set an appointment, drive across town and sit down in a stale conference room to sign. From a client’s perspective, DocuSigning a contract is faster than printing, wet-ink signing and then faxing a document. And DocuSigning is lightning fast compared to  Click – click – click. Done.

5. Secure. No more papers with confidential information sitting on someone’s fax machine. Every time this stuff is printed in hard copy, the chances the wrong eyes will fall on it skyrocket. Recently, a client of mine was making an offer on a bank-owned home where the bank refused to take DocuSigned offers. My client became irate – at the bank! She send me her offer via fax-to-email, but accidentally sent it to the wrong fax number. She was upset that her information went to who-knows-who, and thought it shameful that the bank didn’t use *my* system, DocuSign.

6. More freedom of space. I can easily generate a stored, digital copy of the documents my clients have signed with no need for paper files. This is especially critical for the clients that make 10 offers before they get one accepted. Hundreds of pages of filing eliminated.

7. Green. DocuSign is paperless. Each of my files runs about 300 pages. Multiply that by the 3 copies of each file I used to make (one for me, one for my client, and one for my office) and you’ll see why my nickname used to be “Tree-Killing Tara.”  No more. My inspectors and escrow company now generate digital reports, and with DocuSign digital transactional documents, I’m singlehandedly saving literally dozens of trees. Imagine the impact this could have if the entire industry switched over.

8. Legibility. In the years B.D. (Before DocuSign), I’d generate a contract and email to my clients. They would sign and fax back to me. I’d check it over and fax it to the other agent. Who would fax it to her clients. Who would sign and fax back to her. And she’d fax it back to me. Then I’d fax it to escrow. Who would fax it to the mortgage broker. Who would fax it to – do you see where I’m going with this?  By about fax #3 of the same flipping documents, not a single word on the page was legible. Almost inevitably, the banks would ask everyone to resign everything once or twice during the transaction because it was total gibberish. My DocuSigned documents are pristine and totally legible.

9.  Freedom to be co-dependent. Clients can have their other advisors review copies of the documents without making copies or faxing. I just cc: the advisor – CPA, family lawyer or (most often) parent who’s fronting the money.

10. It’s just tech-y and cool. Please believe, homebuyers and -sellers are out there comparing notes with each other. ESPECIALLY women, who make up my personal niche. My clients love to be able to brag that they are having a largely paperless, fax-less, ink-less and high-tech experience.  It’s just plain old cooler than all that printing and faxing.

Tara-Nicholle Nelson is a real estate broker, attorney and syndicated real estate columnist. Tara is the Founder + Chief Visionary of REThinkRealEstate.com, where smart women learn how to use real estate as a tool for lifestyle design. Tara is also the Creator of the Women’s Real Estate + Lifestyle Design Advisor designation for real estate professionals (http://www.wrelda.com).

DocuSign clients will receive $75 off the $299 registration fee for the WRELDA designation with discount code DOCUSIGN at WRELDA.com.

Ready to provide your clients with even better service? Take advantage of our special offer as the official and exclusive provider of ESIGN services under the REALTOR Benefits® Program: “ESIGN Advantage Promotion for Realtors®.”

Virgin America Photo Credit: Tara Hunt

This week, we’ve seen a story on ExecutiveTravel.com from Niels Steenstrup, Vice President-Sales and Marketing for the in-flight Internet provider Aircell and two million mile flyer. Mr. Steestrup shares his perspective on George Clooney’s “Up In The Air” and the frequent traveler lifestyle.

From “A Million-Mile Flyer’s Point of View”:

How do you stay connected during business travel?

Gogo® Inflight Internet obviously plays a huge role and viewers probably noticed the Gogo kiosk at the Alphatech conference in the movie.

Prior to Inflight Internet access, I would spend hours after a flight catching up on email I received while en route. Being able to correspond with colleagues in real-time is a real benefit for the business traveler. A customer actually just told us that he was able to sign the offer papers for his retirement home while using Gogo (and DocuSign technology). Now that’s pretty neat; he and his wife were worried about traveling for their 25th wedding anniversary during a critical negotiation period and were elated that their flight had Gogo access. That says something about the real immediacy of business these days and the benefits of connectivity at 35,000 feet.

Real time information matters. Saving time matters. Your customers and clients can sign paperwork without the hassle of scanning, printing and faxing or the delay of overnight mail and courier with ESIGN. This enables them to move forward with the deal or offer and in this case, celebrate their anniversary.

DocuSign’s commitment to providing electronic signature services that enable you to securely eSign, send and manage your documents with confidence means that we enable you to sign anywhere you have access to your email, an internet connection and web browser.

Designed for Mobile: Last fall, we released this signing process that enables you to view and e-sign documents on your Apple iPhone, Windows Mobile, Google Android, and BlackBerry smart phones without downloading any apps. The status console is optimized for mobile browsers.

Compatible with Mac and Windows Operating Systems: Whether you’re a Mac or a PC, DocuSign has you covered – as a web application, you can use DocuSign to send or eSign your documents with Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Apple Safari.

Integrates with your current technology and tools: Do you use Salesforce as your CRM? DocuSign is part of the Salesforce Ecosystem, with DocuSign for Salesforce. DocuSign also provides the esignature technology, Smart eSignatures, for the Salesforce CRM Real Time Quotes solution.

If you use another CRM, DocuSign provides a free software developer kit (SDK) and access to the DocuSign API so you can create custom integrations. The DocuSign Dev Center also provides a forum to discuss your ideas and ask questions, documentation, downloads, live samples and other tools.

For real estate, DocuSign integrates with all of the major forms providers – zipForms, TransactionPoint, DocCentral, flexMLS Forms, TrueForms, and RealFast. These integrations save you even more time when you create documents for your clients to eSign.

Whether you eSign from your home or office computer, from your mobile smart phone or from an airplane with in-flight WiFi service, you can rely on DocuSign to save you time and close deals faster.