Maintaining Relationships in an Electronic Age

Are you concerned that electronic signatures and electronic document execution processes will make your relationships with clients less important, or insignificant?

Do you think much of the value you bring to a professional relationship is in the face-to-face interaction?

In real life interactions are an important part of relationship building and maintenance. However, online tools can enhance our ability to communicate and relationship-build without regard to physical location. 

Tools like Facebook, Twitter, blogs and even DocuSign are additive to relationship building. These tools enable us to connect with those we choose to, without the constraint of geography.

For example, last week, I visited Phoenix, Arizona for a friend's wedding. When DocuSign subscribers heard I was going to be in town, we set aside an evening for a Tweet, Meet, and Greet that they arranged. I had never met any of these subscribers in real life before. All of our interactions have been over email, instant messenger, Twitter, Facebook, Active Rain, blogs... in other words, all online.

Did I feel I had a relationship with them, on an individual basis? Yes. Did I feel I had a relationship with them as a group? Yes. Do I feel thankful and blessed that they spent an evening with me in Tempe, just talking about real estate, life, upcoming events, whatever we wanted to discuss? Absolutely.

This type of interaction would not have been possible without the relationship building facilitated by online technology and tools.

Frankly, without the online interactions prior to my visit, they would have no reason to care that I was in town. The interactions provided the basis for continuing the relationships in the real world.

What about Face-to-Face interactions? Aren't they important?

In-person and “In Real Life” interactions are absolutely important. At this time, body language and other subtle nonverbals are impossible to interpret via online interactions. This is why online interactions are additive to, not a replacement for, in-person interactions.

DocuSign Electronic Signature Service enables its subscribers to take advantage of online interaction to achieve the goals set forth by the professional relationship.

Take, for example, a real estate transaction. The agent and the client want to make an offer on a property. After the initial offer, they must respond to the seller's counter offer. If they accept the counter offer, they have to sign documents to move the process along.

With DocuSign, the signing process can happen remotely if that's what the client needs. However, we realize that some subscribers and their clients value the in-person signing experience. DocuSign's in-person signing capabilities enable you to leverage the power of electronic signature and provide the in-person interaction as well.

Now you can see how technology tools such as DocuSign can enhance relationships, driving value for all parties who use them.