SPIE improves their efficiency with ValidSign

SPIE improves their efficiency with ValidSign

by | Apr 18, 2023 | Case Studies, News, Success stories

When originally founded in 1839, the company’s main focus was light installations, both residential and public.

Over time, the company developed from a civil, electrical, and industrial engineering business into a multi-technical service business in the areas of communications and energy. 

SPIE Netherlands, which is a subsidiary of the SPIE Group, provides a wide range of services to assist its customers with designing, installing, maintaining and operating their energy networks, facilities, infrastructure and (industrial) buildings.

Following the acquisition of Strukton Worksphere in in January 2022, SPIE Netherlands is now the largest multi-technical service provider in the Netherlands with more than 6,000 employees across 41 locations.

Strukton Worksphere was specialized in managing, maintaining, designing and developing different technical installations in buildings, and has been a pioneer in the market when it comes to data-driven maintenance and digitizing business processes.

They are therefore continuously searching for new ways of creating more efficient and sustainable work processes.

In 2020, the Program Manager for Digitization Sandra Bakker, came to the realization that there could be major efficiency improvement if the document signing process would be fully digitalized. The company therefore started the search for a e-signature provider to initially use for singing external documents, like quotations and purchase agreements.

When Strukton Worksphere merged with the Building Solutions division of SPIE Netherlands in 2022, the entire application landscape of Worksphere was incorporated at SPIE, including ValidSign’s e-signing solution.

Sandra Bakker says “earlier, a quotation was drafted digitally, then by printing, signing and scanning (sometimes crooked), the initial quality was greatly reduced to a point where it could even be hard to read. Additionally, having agreements signed by multiple parties was often a time-consuming process, and where agreements sometimes got lost in the mail. But since the implementation of ValidSign, a quotation can be signed within 1 minute!”

Summary

When implementing ValidSign, SPIE tested the e-signature solution for an entire year before introducing it across departments to sign all kind of documents including,   employment agreements.

“The ValidSign platform is userfriendly and provides better control over document flows. The dashboard shows all outstanding signing requests including their status, this means we must take fewer actions to find out where in the process the document is pending action. You can then easily schedule and send reminders after a few days for the signing process to proceed timely,” says Bakker.

Sign wherever, whenever

In addition to having a great overview of document flows, ValidSign offers the possibility to sign whenever and wherever wanted. “It often happens that, for example, offers have to be amended and signed at the last minute. If this would happen after working hours, or if a signatory is not currently in the office, that is no longer an issue! The required signatory can simply sign the documents at home or from any another location, even on their phone,” says Bakker.

The digital signature solution has enabled agreements to be signed fast and easy as signatories can sign as long as they have internet. This has changed the process significantly, from taking weeks to only days, or even just a few hours.

The future with ValidSign

Digitally signing with ValidSign is now an essential part of SPIE. More than 16 thousand documents are digitally signed severy year and that number is only increasing. “ValidSign is slowly being implemented across the organization. It is currently being investigated at what additional SPIE divisions and departments, the digital signature can be rolled out.

SPIE Netherlands is also expecting to start using the integration between ValidSign and SharePoint Online in order to automatically carry out the last step in the signing process, the filing work,” says Bakker. They believe the integration with SharePoint Online is an important add-on for any organization who wants to set up a fully digital working environment!

Want to know more about how ValidSign’s e-signing solution can be implemented in your organization’s workflow?

Contact our sales department on: sales@validsign.eu/ +31(0)85303 3676 or request a free demo HERE!

Housing corporation Stadgenoot implements e-signature organization wide

Housing corporation Stadgenoot implements e-signature organization wide

by | Feb 23, 2023 | Case Studies, News, Success stories

Stadgenoot, one of the largest housing corporations in the Netherlands, has implemented the e-signature from ValidSign to streamline the signing process within its organization. This is a major step forward for Stadgenoot in terms of digital transformation and promises to deliver substantial improvements in efficiency and customer experience. In this article, we take a look at the benefits of this new technology and how it is being implemented across the organization.

Stadgenoot is a housing corporation in Amsterdam and rents out more than thirty thousand social rental properties, that has an average rent of 500 euros per month. The housing corporation was formed in July 2008 through a merger between two Amsterdam housing corporations, the General Housing Association (AWV, founded in 1910) and Het Oosten (from 1911).

With more than 300 employees, spread over the four business units, Stadgenoot is an organization of size. Two business units provide financial and public housing management: Finance & Operations and Strategy & Portfolio. The customer-oriented work is housed in the Customer & Home business unit. The real estate-oriented projects are at Real Estate & Development.

Safe signing

Since the beginning of 2020, a large part of the organization has been digitally signing with ValidSign’s cloud based platform. The desire to make the switch over to an e-signature was fueled by the possibility to guarantee the security around the signing process and personal data seamlessly, as the manual signature wasn’t able to offer this guarantee at all times.

After Stadgenoot had made the decision to implement the e-signature, they were referred to ValidSign through their ERP system supplier Aareon. They scheduled a demo with ValidSign to have a tour of the signing platform and to discuss the possibilities for implementing it in their workflow. Ibrahim Hassan, functional administrator at Stadgenoot mentions, “Finding a digital signature supplier is quite easy, but you rarely find a supplier who also identifies as a partner and always thinks along with the customer. We found this in ValidSign.”

Except from two departments, ValidSign’s e-signature has now been rolled out across the organization. These two departments are currently using an e-signature platform from another supplier, but will soon make the transition over to ValidSign.

By using an e-signature, each department provides the highest level of security for the signing of their documents, and at the same time they have full insight into the signing process through the platform’s dashboard. The organization has chosen to identify signers through a second-factor authentication, this SMS authentication feature ensures that in addition to the regular email verification, the signer’s phone number is also verified to make sure it’s the correct person signing.

Then the iDIN authentication is being used by tenants for when signing the leases etc.

Most of the departments uses the platform for signing forms, assignments and/or contracts by external parties, while the finance department signs internal payment orders.

Sign anywhere and at any time

Because of the COVID pandemic, and the new way of working, there is an increased need for the digital way of signing. Ibrahim says: “Like the rest of the Netherlands, in the beginning of 2020 everything changed abruptly when we were only allowed to work from home. Getting an a signature from your manager or director was then a tricky task, and we were forced to rethink the processes. For example, the signatories were not present on location or did not have their own printer at home. ValidSign now allows us to sign, whenever, wherever!”.

Increased efficiency

In addition to the fact that the e-signing solution guarantees a high level of document security, the process has also become more efficient. “The time it takes to receive a signed document has been significantly reduced because a number of actions no longer need to be carried out. The volume of paperwork has also been drastically and employees have more time to spend on other important tasks. The users within Stadgenoot are satisfied with the new way of signing, and they were able to get started working with the platform after an initial introduction, which was nicely organized by ValidSign.

About the future

Within now and a few weeks, we expect the two departments that aren’t currently using the ValidSign platform to make the transition and then even more documents will be digitally signed. In addition, ValidSign and Aereon are developing the integration between the ERP system Tobias AX and ValidSign so that Stadgenoot and other companies can start signing from the trusted ERP system.

Once the integration has been implemented, several departments will be using it. Ibrahim says: “The e-signature is an indispensable part in our processes, and the use of it will only increase in the coming years. That is also why we like to work with ValidSign and Aareon to make the integration even more future-proof. We like to invest time and effort in this, because we believe that we will get a lot in return”.

Want to know more about how ValidSign’s e-signing solution can be implemented in your organization’s workflow?

Contact our sales department on: sales@validsign.eu/ +31(0)85303 3676 or request a free demo HERE!

Unleash your firm’s true potential- 6 reasons to implement e-signatures in your accountancy business

Unleash your firm’s true potential- 6 reasons to implement e-signatures in your accountancy business

by | Feb 14, 2023 | Article ENG

Within accountancy firms, there are a great number of documents in circulation. No matter if it’s an internal or external document, it’s important for to be able to have insight into these document flows.

With the help of various software aimed at the accounting market, accountants can digitally deliver and receive documents from customers and colleagues. But still, when it comes to the last step in the process, the actual signing the document, is still done manually in many organizations.

Here are the 6 main reasons for your firm to implement e-signatures into your document flow:

1. Shortens turn-around time

You have probably experienced it, the agreement has already been orally settled and “it just needs to be signed”. The old signing process where all signatures must be put on paper can sometimes take days or even weeks, depending on the number of internal and external signatories. A contract is drafted, printed, signed internally, scanned, sent by email or post to external signatories, who then would need to take the same actions. Keeping this old process in mind, using an e-signature solution could shorten the process time by up to 80%!

With a digital signing process, you only add the documents, the signatories, verification method and then the transaction can start. The signatories receive a notification to view and digitally sign the document. A platform like ValidSign makes it possible to sign anywhere, no matter time or device, meaning that documents can be signed within minutes instead of days or weeks.

2. Enhances document security

Using an e-signature to sign your documents will lower the risk of document tampering as it uses cryptographic certificates that shows if the document is in its original state or not.

When using an e-signature solution, you ensure that the document that was sent for signing is the one that was actually signed, and no changes were made to it. This could easily be done when sending a regular digital document for manual signing.

When using an e-signature solution, the signing data, such as the name and email address of the signer, including the time and date of signing are recorded.

This also makes the electronic version nonchargeable and legally binding. Depending on the needs regarding the burden of proof, you can also use additional verification methods such as a TAN code via SMS or bank authentication. 

3. Improves compliance

An e-signature solution uses encryption and authentication methods to verify the signer’s identity, this together with the timestamp provides an audit trail that can be used to determine who signed the document and when. By providing this auditable record, the e-signature ensures that the document is signed in a secure and compliant manner, which will help businesses comply with industry rules and regulations.

4. Improves the control over document flows

With the e-signature platform, you no longer need to waste time trying to figure out who still needs to sign the document. On the dashboard, you manage all incoming and outgoing transactions, and you can directly see the status.

It’s also possible to set up reminders for the document to be signed in a timely manner.

5. Increases customer satisfaction

An e-signature solution makes signing easier and more convenient for your customers, compared to traditional signatures. This will help improve your customer experience, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

6. Cheaper than the “on paper” signature

When you compare digital signing to the regular “on paper” signature, many people are surprised what it costs to actually sign on paper!

The costs for printing, the papery, delivery and storing the documents are quite substantial. Additionally, you should consider the time it takes for employees to handle the documents and the process in full, including follow-ups, reviewing the received document and forwarding into the next signer. Knowing that you can make the process up to 80% more efficient, you probably agree that the e-signature solution will pay for itself in no time!

 

Improve your turn-around time by streamlining your document process with ValidSign

 Through ValidSign’s standard integrations, the e-signing solution can be easily integrated with your current business systems. And with the mobile app, you can control the process and sign from anywhere and at any time!

It’s a fully cloud-based solution with a user-friendly interface, where you can profit from features like flexible workflows, audit trails, branded templates, and server possibilities.

Security is our highest priority, and by using the Netherlands most trusted data center, KPN hosting, we can ensure our clients that ValidSign complies with all current and new European data protection regulations through strict security and procedures.

Want to know more about how ValidSign’s e-signing solution can be implemented in your business workflow?
Contact sales@validsign.eu/ +31(0)85303 3676 or sign up here for a free demo and introduction meeting! 

Unlock the power of e-signatures- 10 ways your organisation will benefit

Unlock the power of e-signatures- 10 ways your organisation will benefit

by | Feb 8, 2023 | Article ENG

In the world of business, change is the only constant, and your business needs to continuously evolve to survive. Finding new and improved ways of serving your customers, but also making current workflows and processes more efficient, are high up on the list. The constant need to evolve has contributed to the importance of the digital transformation within organizations.

Digital transformation is a long-term investment which offers great opportunities and benefits to the company’s future development.

Incorporating an e-signature solution in your business workflows is an important part when it comes to digitalizing your business processes.

An e-signature allows businesses to securely sign documents in a digital format, eliminating the need for physical documents and manual signatures. This can improve and streamline process while offering numerous additional advantages.

Here are 10 ways an e-signature can benefit your organization:

1. Increases overall efficiency:

An e-signature can simplify the signing part of the processes by eliminating the need for any physical documents or manual signatures. As there is no need to print, deliver or scan, it can significantly reduce the time and effort required for a document to be returned signed. E-signatures will reduce the overall time spent on administration and paperwork, allowing your staff to focus on more important tasks.

2. Improves document security:

Using an e-signature solution to sign your documents will lower the risk of document tampering as it uses cryptographic certificates that shows if the document is in its original state or not.

You can then ensure that the document that was sent for signing is the one that was actually signed, and no changes were made to it. This could easily be done when sending a regular digital document for manual signing.

This eliminates the risk of fraud and ensures that all documents are legally binding. By digitalizing the document process with a cloud-based solution is critical for safekeeping sensitive information and ensure your organizations continuity.

3. Reduces costs:

By eliminating the need to print, deliver, and store physical documents, businesses can save on costs associated with manual paperwork and documents. This leads to significant cost and time savings that can be reinvested into other areas of the business.

4. Improves customer satisfaction:

An e-signature solution makes signing easier and more convenient for your customers, compared to traditional signatures. This will help improve your customer experience, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

5. Improves compliance:

An e-signature solution uses encryption and authentication methods to verify the signer’s identity, this together with the timestamp provides an audit trail that can be used to determine who signed the document and when. By providing this auditable record, the e-signature ensures that the document is signed in a secure and compliant manner, which will help businesses comply with industry rules and regulations.

6. Provides flexibility:

The e-signature solution allows businesses to send and sign their documents from any device, and at any time. This provides greater flexibility when it comes to document handling, as it eliminates the need to be physically present or to use a specific device when signing.

7. Reduces human errors:

The e-signature reduces the risk of errors associated with manual signatures as you can standardize the documents and process through the digital signing platform, making it not only easier but also shorter. This helps to ensure that all documents are signed correctly and accurately, reducing the risk of costly mistakes.

8. Enables automated workflows:

The e-signature can easily be integrated with other business applications, such as CRM and accounting software. This will help automate workflows and reduce the need for manual involvement.

9. Enhances document control:

Through the online platform, you can see the status of your documents, and you can set automatic reminders to be sent in a special order to stimulate a faster signing process.
This will help to ensure that your documents are signed in a timely manner and eliminate the risk of delays.

10. Provides scalability:

By incorporating an e-signature platform, like ValidSign, in your business workflows, enables you to quick and easy scale up business processes to meet the demands of a growing customer base or workforce.

Digitalize the signing process with ValidSign’s e-signing solution 

Through ValidSign’s standard integrations, the e-signing solution can be easily integrated with your current business systems. And with the mobile app, you can control the process and sign from anywhere and at any time!

It’s a fully cloud-based solution with a user-friendly interface, where you can profit from features like flexible workflows, audit trails, branded templates, and server possibilities.

Security is our highest priority, and by using the Netherlands most trusted data center, KPN hosting, we can ensure our clients that ValidSign complies with all current and new European data protection regulations through strict security and procedures.

Want to know more about how ValidSign’s e-signing solution can be implemented in your business workflow?
Contact sales@validsign.eu/ +31(0)85303 3676 or sign up here for a free demo and introduction meeting! 

Java Developer

Java Developer

by | Feb 6, 2023 | Vacancies

Do you enjoy learning and staying up to date with the latest IT developments? You appreciate a relaxed work environment in a small and well-structured team? You have a passion for developing SAAS solutions? Then we have the perfect challenge for you!

Together with your colleagues within the JAVA development team, you will provide the best cloud-based solution for one of the fastest growing companies in the Netherlands.

Job Description

As a Java Developer at ValidSign you are, together with your colleagues, responsible for the technical development of our software solution. You build new functionalities, but also maintain the existing systems. You work closely with the Scrum master and other team members to ensure seamless collaboration between the systems, but also work on developing the authentication and authorization systems, document solutions and integrations with government systems. With that said, you will receive plenty of responsibility and play an important part in the development of our application!

The ValidSign (Development) Team

The development team currently consists of 7 developers, 3 of whom are located in Ukraine. It’s a fast-growing organization, and we expect to expand the development team to approximately 15 employees in 2023. The team spirit is an important part of ValidSign’s culture, which is reflected in the activities that are organized regularly, including monthly drinks and the Friday fries!

In addition, we have a ping-pong table, dartboard and Xbox available for you to enjoy with your colleagues in between work.

What we expect from you:

• Minimum 4 years of professional Java Software Development experience

• Experience with Spring Boot

• Clean coding and automated testing is preferred

• Experience working in Agile and DevOps environments

• Experience with microservices architectures is a plus

• Experience with Docker and Kubernetes is a plus

• Experience setting up continuous integration and delivery pipeline is a plus

What we offer:

• An incredibly fun team

• A great working environment in our paperless office in Eefde (close to Deventer)

• Plenty of development opportunities and responsibilities with room for personal input

• A good salary and vacation benefits

• Pension contribution

Company profile

ValidSign is an innovative and fast-growing organization specialized in e-signatures and document security. With a user-friendly and secure cloud solution, ValidSign makes it possible to digitally sign documents efficiently and securely. ValidSign is the Dutch market leader and works together with many well-known customers from different industries, including government, finance, business services and healthcare.