Choosing a contract management solution for your business is arguably one of the most important decisions you make, as it will directly impact your productivity and overall performance. Most companies have to deal with various contracts, from signing contracts with an employee to supply agreements with suppliers and tenders with partners. As your business picks, integrating a contract management solution such as ContractSafe, to handle the increase in contract agreements with a sustainable approach to managing.
The advancement of technology presents digital solutions to help improve how we handle business operations at the workplace. Contract management plays a significant role in streamlining the entire process from creation, planning, retrieval, and tracking.
For instance, by typing in a few keywords, you can access specific contract data relating to an employee, customer, or vendor. Consequently, this helps in improving efficiency and time management while enhancing productivity, checks, and balances.
However, though similar, computation programs have different designs. Even those that perform a similar function may not provide the same convenience, reliability, efficiency, and outcome.
Organizations vary in need, requirements, priorities, and size. On this note, there are factors to consider when making a software selection. Some of these factors are outlined below:
- Size of company – your contract management solution should be directly proportional to the speed of business growth. Select software that will serve you satisfactorily irrespective of your performance. You wouldn’t want to reconsider changing your software because contracts are too many, and the software can’t handle the pressure.
- Compliance
- Collaboration capabilities – ensure that other departments are accessible to your team and have document-sharing capabilities.
Before selecting a contract management system for your business, you need to be vigilant with your chosen software. Below are helpful tips to help you make appropriate contract management software.
Ponder the ease of use
Have you ever tried operating a new gadget that you have never handled before, and it became frustrating to use? What transpires after that is that you lose interest and leave it. That is how you lose business when you have highly complex software that is difficult to navigate.
While lawyers are highly educated, they may not have an IT background or attend training sessions on operating software. Therefore, they need software with user-friendly interphase that is simple and easy to navigate.
Similarly, having software able to transfer information from one platform to another without time and resources is highly beneficial. Effective contract management solutions allow easy integration with other tools already in use. For instance, adding electronic signatures to contracts in the creation stage to simplify approving workflows or searching and scanning through vital details at a glance, ensuring you don’t overlook essential dates for renewal or expiry.
Training and customer support
It is essential to purchasing software from a company that is willing to offer training and support. Besides researching, reading testimonials from previous customers while examining reviews and requesting references can help you determine software authenticity. A vibrant customer support system guarantees that you will receive the support you need in case of any challenge.
Search tools
Missing files, misplaced documents, or lost contracts are common office challenges if filing isn’t correctly done. It gets very frustrating when that one document you desperately need to seal a lucrative deal goes missing when you need it the most.
Unfortunately, these challenges will keep recurring until you invest in an appropriate contract management software solution. With proper integration, you can retrieve files and make references with a click of a button.
Instead of perusing files and papers on shelves looking for a contract, the contract management system offers an electronic solution to these challenges. The documents become accessible from a cloud-based repository allowing for easier access, reference, and information sharing.
Customization
A customized contract management system allows users to identify risks related to the identified sections throughout the entire contract lifecycle. An automatic system saves time since all personalized documents contain inbuilt templates with integrated data to gain specific contract insights.
Storage and delivery capabilities
Availability of a cloud-based solution that allows signing and submitting contracts enables clients to save time as they don’t have to physically present themselves when sealing the deal. In addition, contract management software helps reduce delays.
Collaboration capabilities
Although contract management software enables collaboration between stakeholders such as partners, clients, and suppliers, the platform should offer maximum security and confidentiality of data while allowing teamwork and document sharing.
Designated parties with permission access can check the contract’s status, make amendments, share suggestions or comments without distressing about online safety. Such efficiency enhances stakeholders’ access and accelerates the approval turnaround time.
Conclusion
Proper management of the contract management lifecycle is among the simplest ways to enhance productivity while reducing operational costs in your business. Nothing is more fulfilling than signing contract agreements that you can keep up with and deliver on the laid contract terms.
