In the interview with Ulrike Werneck, Director, Demand & Field Marketing EMEA at DocuSign

It’s not been that long since companies that digitally signed their documents were rare. That has changed in the meantime. Especially among large and international players, the digital signature has become the norm. Since 2003, DocuSign has been supporting companies in connecting and automating all workflows for preparing, signing, executing, or managing agreements and contracts. To this end, the technology provider has developed a solution that can be used practically on any device, from almost anywhere and at any time within the cloud. More than one million customers and over one billion users in more than 180 countries show that process optimization in the area of document signing has become the standard. Today, we talk to Ulrike Werneck about the availability of a component that has become so important in everyday business life, the significance of the e-signature as a building block of digital transformation, and of course also about the legal certainty of a “virtual autograph.”

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Ms. Werneck, the advancing digitalization of business processes is becoming increasingly relevant. New technologies, new business models, hybrid working, and sustainability are now top priorities for management. What role does the e-signature play in the big picture of digital transformation?

Ulrike Werneck: The e-signature is a crucial building block of digital transformation. It helps employees carry out day-to-day business more efficiently and cost-effectively. From sales contracts and offers to account openings and invoices, all these types of contracts can be sent and signed with an e-signature practically anywhere and at any time. In addition, the electronic signature helps meet increasing customer expectations and legal requirements.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: For many companies you speak to, there are probably also many concerns about implementing such a solution in the company. What are the most common concerns raised during implementation, and what, in your opinion, absolutely speaks in favor of digitally signing contracts?

Ulrike Werneck: Our recent mid-market study on “process digitalization,” conducted together with Statista, clearly showed that security concerns are the main reason many companies hesitate to introduce digital contract management. However, with highly secure encryption standards, permanent availability, and complete digital audit trails, we can absolutely trust every transaction. In addition, companies can benefit from the fact that with DocuSign, transactions can be completed up to 25 times faster than with paper-based processes, thus offering a much better customer experience.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: A key role is certainly played by the legal certainty or validity of contracts. We still frequently experience that especially with important documents, a company stamp is required. What are your experiences in this regard?

Ulrike Werneck: Many people ask themselves: “Can my electronic signature be forged, misused or copied?” The fact is: the conventional handwritten signature is more susceptible to forgery and manipulation, since electronic signatures undergo multiple security and authentication layers and create a legally permissible transaction record. With DocuSign solutions, you can sign electronically while simultaneously meeting all eIDAS requirements. This EU regulation governs electronic signatures, among other things. Legal certainty is therefore ensured throughout all negotiation phases, from drafting to the conclusion of contracts.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: The speed of processes as well as the entire implementation process certainly plays a major role. How complex is the implementation?

Ulrike Werneck: Day in and day out, companies issue hundreds of contracts and documents that need to be signed. Often, this process is unnecessarily slow. A simple “business as usual” approach can become very costly. By switching to digital signature processes, employees can make decisions faster and collaborate more effectively. Our experience shows that switching to electronic signatures generally requires minimal effort and can be seamlessly integrated into existing IT infrastructures.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Now, signing a multi-million-euro contract digitally might give some people pause. How can you ensure that contracts cannot be challenged, hacked or forged? A single word or minor change in the contract can have major consequences.

Ulrike Werneck: In principle, all contracts contain sensitive data such as names, addresses and, of course, confidential information. When companies process sensitive data, they must ensure that the solutions used are GDPR-compliant and also meet all other EU security guidelines. That’s why contract platforms should also employ very strong encryption technologies. To protect our customers, DocuSign uses strict security and encryption levels for every signed document. All applications and documents can be secured with two-factor authentication and traceable electronic audit trails.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Jägermeister counts among your important customers and uses your system worldwide. What was the decisive factor for Jägermeister to choose DocuSign?

Ulrike Werneck: Jägermeister was looking for a company-wide, i.e., global digital solution to sign contracts and agreements. Process optimization and the elimination of paper-based processes were the main focus. To achieve this, as well as to streamline the signing of protocols from meetings in subsidiaries worldwide, the corporate group decided on DocuSign eSignature.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: How can we imagine the introduction of a digital signature in the company? Are there recommendations on which area to start with?

Ulrike Werneck: The introduction of eSignature and in particular a digital contract management should be a team-oriented process between the key stakeholders in the company, the legal department, and the IT department. First, the business requirements and use cases should be defined. Contract management platforms can be integrated into systems the company may already be using, such as Salesforce, Google, or SAP.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Let’s take a final look into the future. What topics are you working on so that your company can achieve similar growth figures in the market in the coming years?

Ulrike Werneck: Even now, the use of artificial intelligence enables deeper insights into contract terms and similar clauses across the entire company. AI can identify compliance risks, detect questionable clauses, and ensure that the best overall terms are applied to all contracts, regardless of their origin. It provides early warnings about known contract issues so that you can take countermeasures in time and avoid future costs and risks. In the coming years, we naturally plan to continue providing our customers with market-leading solutions.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: That sounds exciting, and thank you for the detailed interview.