How eSignatures help businesses grow (1)

Remember when signing a document meant printing, scanning, emailing, and waiting? It worked, sort of. But in today’s digital-first world, where speed, security, and compliance matter more than ever, that old approach just doesn’t cut it.

Today, business moves faster. Teams are remote. Decisions are made in Slack or Teams threads. Workflows need to match that pace. And that’s where eSignatures come in, not just as a shiny tool, but as a smarter, quicker, more scalable way to get things done.

So, what is an eSignature?

Let’s keep it simple. An eSignature is any digital way of showing you agree to something. That could be:

• Typing your name at the bottom of an email
   
• Clicking “Accept” on a document
   
• Scribbling your signature on a touchscreen

In the UK, eSignatures have been legally recognised since the Electronic Communications Act 2000, and they’re backed up by the eIDAS Regulation (which covers electronic identification and trust services across the UK and EU).

For most everyday business tasks - approvals, quotes, contracts - your simple eSignature does the job just fine. But what about when you’re dealing with something more sensitive or high-risk?

Meet AES: The upgrade your signatures might need

Basic eSignatures are like a friendly nod in a meeting, good for general agreement. But when it comes to serious stuff, like financial transactions or legally binding contracts, you want something with a little more weight behind it. That’s where Advanced Electronic Signatures (AES) come in.

And now, for some businesses, they’re not just a nice-to-have, they’re a must.

From 6th April 2025, HMRC introduced new regulations requiring the use of AES in certain circumstances. If your business submits tax repayment claims on behalf of clients - and charges a fee to do so - you must now use a secure, Advanced Electronic Signature to complete those filings. This change is part of HMRC’s broader push toward better fraud prevention, stronger identity checks, and higher standards of security in digital transactions.

If you're simply filing a tax return or self-assessment for yourself, no need to worry about the above update. But if you're working with clients and handling tax claims professionally, it's time to level up your signature game.

What makes AES different?

AES isn’t just about speed, it’s about security and certainty. It gives you much stronger digital proof of:

• Who signed the document
   
• That they were the one in control of the process
   
• Whether the document has been changed since signing

For a signature to count as "advanced" under eIDAS, it has to meet some important criteria:

1. It must be uniquely linked to the signer.
    
2. The signer must be clearly identifiable.
    
3. The signature must be created using data the signer has sole control over.
    
4. It must be tamper-proof - if someone edits the document after signing, the signature becomes invalid.

How does that work in real life?

In practice, AES often includes digital verification steps like:

• Multi-factor authentication (a unique code via text or email)
   
• ID checks, where the signer scans a passport or driving licence
   
• Cryptographic security, which locks the signature to the exact version of the document, so it can’t be copied or altered

It’s the digital equivalent of signing something important in front of a notary. Also, it’s a critical tool for mitigating fraud risk, maintaining auditability, and meeting increasingly stringent compliance requirements in sectors like finance, real estate, and healthcare.

Why speed, trust, and seamlessness are the new currency in business

We’re not just working faster, we’re working differently. Everything’s digital now, and expectations have changed. Attention spans are shorter. Patience is thinner. People want things to just work.

eSignatures help teams keep up with that. They remove the friction - no printing, no scanning, no “can you sign this and send it back? - so deals close faster, onboarding is smoother, and everyone breathes a little easier. And let’s be real: time kills deals. Every delay opens the door for second thoughts, missed opportunities, or another provider swooping in. eSignatures help you act while the moment’s hot.

But it’s not just about speed. The more your business grows, the more risk grows with it. Security, identity verification, compliance these aren’t just words, they’re real priorities. Especially when customer data is involved or you’re handling high-value contracts.

That’s why AES is such a game-changer. It gives you the best of both worlds: fast and secure.

So, where do you start?

If you’re ready to ditch the clunky workflows, here’s a quick roadmap:

1. Audit your current workflows

• What documents are taking too long to get signed? Which ones involve sensitive info or legal risk?

2. Understand your compliance landscape

• Make sure your signing process aligns with eIDAS and any industry-specific rules.

3. Use AES for high-value agreements

• For anything involving legal liability, personal data, or big financials use AES. The added identity verification makes a big difference.

4. Educate your team (and your clients)

• A new tool only works if people know how to use it. Equip everyone with clear guidance on when and how to use eSignatures confidently.

5. Start small, build momentum

• You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. Choose one area, maybe sales contracts or employee onboarding, and start there.

As businesses across the South West adapt to digital transformation, eSignatures - especially Advanced Electronic Signatures - offer more than just convenience. They deliver speed without sacrificing security, and they help companies of all sizes scale operations without introducing unnecessary risk.

Signable is an AES provider and is fully ISO 27001 certified, meaning we meet internationally recognised standards for information security management. From how we store your documents to how we verify signatures, everything is designed with compliance, integrity, and data protection at the core.

Whether you're improving internal workflows, accelerating deal cycles, or ensuring airtight compliance, adopting smarter, secure signing methods shows your customers and partners that you're serious about doing business the right way.

In a region full of forward-thinking entrepreneurs, growing SMEs, and ambitious scale-ups, future-proofing your operations with tools like AES isn’t just about keeping up, it’s about leading the way.

Ready to update your digital tools? Signable helps you work smarter, not harder. Whether you're closing deals, onboarding new team members, or managing sensitive documents, our platform gives you the speed, security, and compliance you need to grow confidently. Join the thousands of South West businesses already streamlining their processes with Signable. See how we can support your growth today.