Electronic Signatures vs Physical Signatures

We live in a day and age where the physical signature is losing clout. A paper signature used to symbolize an unbreakable contract, but now it’s something that can easily be done with the click of a button. Unless it’s an autograph from a fairly well-known celebrity, an electronic signature can easily replace a physical one in today’s business world.

Some technology experts might claim that the physical signature is simply outdated, and that it’s the sole reason we haven’t reached a utopia of offices without paper and flying cars that don’t need roads. Some businesses might even hold onto the policy of keeping physical signatures on record in case they need to somehow overturn an electronic signature, but this isn’t the case. In legal proceedings, the physical signature holds a similar value to the electronic signature, as displayed in the 1869 Supreme Court case Howley v. Whipple:

It makes no difference whether [the telegraph] operator writes the offer or the acceptance in the presence of his principal and by his express direction, with a steel pen an inch long attached to an ordinary penholder, or whether his pen be a copper wire a thousand miles long. In either case the thought is communicated to the paper by the use of the finger resting upon the pen; nor does it make any difference that in one case common record ink is used, while in the other case a more subtle fluid, known as electricity, performs the same office.

Nearly 150 years ago, it was ruled that electronic signatures hold the same weight as physical signatures. With today’s technology emphasizing mobility, electronic signatures have grown more and more useful. It’s only natural that electronic signatures become the preferred mode of signing off on important information.

This often begs the question, “What’s so special about a physical signature?” Why do people continue to deal with physical copies of signed documents when electronic documents and signatures are far more convenient for everyone? It’s almost as if your John Hancock on a piece of paper is some sort of untouchable and unrelinquishable act. Perhaps this might be a tradition dating back to the days of when the United States Constitution was signed, or even so far back as ancient Egyptian’s calligraphy scrawled onto papyrus.

Regardless, the point stands that institutions which accept electronic signatures will have a far better time when it comes to staying organized. A secure document signing service can do wonders for cleaning up your filing cabinet and cutting down on the sheer amount of physical paper in the office. For example, let’s look at how much time is wasted signing a document received from an email, then sending it back:

• Open your inbox and download the document.
• Print the document, and hope that you don’t have to make an emergency trip to your local ink and paper repository, further wasting time.
• Find a pen and sign the document.
• Scan the document.
• Convert the file to a PDF.
• Attach the signed PDF to an email, and send it.

As you can see, there’s no reason that physical signatures should hold your company back any longer. Computerware can equip your business with the legal and secure electronic signature solutions designed to make signing a digital document easy.

Additionally, if we turn the clock back even further to 1843, we discover the fax machine, first patented by Alexander Bain. Clearly, such an ancient piece of technology is inefficient and bad for your business. Yet, fax machines are still widely used in offices around the world. Like the paper signature, this technology can also be replaced legally with a digital solution like a fax server from Computerware.

Stop doing business in the 1800s and call, fax, or write a letter to Computerware in order to equip your organization with the latest in efficient digital technology.