Why eSign APIs aren't just for large enterprises

Some things seem exclusive to large enterprises, like annual retreats, never-ending email chains and over-inflated job titles. You know, companies that refer to the guy who delivers bottles for the water cooler as a "hydration distribution engineer". 

Thankfully, eSign APIs aren't solely for big businesses. Sure, they require some development from a developer or coding from a coder. But the best ones, like Lumin Sign's, are easy to implement because you're not building everything from scratch.

Let's break things down a bit here. An eSign API is a type of application programming interface (API, for short), which lets two software components exchange data with one another. 

With an eSign API, you can do things that a traditional eSignature tool can't, like creating custom branding and integrating document signing with your website and applications.

Here's why you should consider one as a small or medium business owner.

The problem with traditional eSignatures

You probably already gather digital signatures via a standard eSignature tool like DocuSign or DropBox Sign. While these third-party platforms are much better than collecting signatures on paper – remember those days? – you have to admit they lack features such as customization and integration.

Let us explain. Say you own a small law firm and communicate with customers through a custom mobile application. If you want someone to sign a document, they'll have to leave the app and do it on your eSignature tool's website, which disrupts their user experience. 

They might abandon the document signing process or, at the very least, put it off until later, seriously delaying your workflows.

We're not saying traditional tools are bad – far from it. If you want collecting signatures to be easy and quick, integrating an eSignature tool into your product could be the best way forward.

Why use an eSign API instead?

We think you should at the very least consider an eSign API in the following circumstances:

• you want more control over what customers actually see when they sign your documents, such as your business logo and other branding elements
• you'd like to integrate document signing with your existing systems, such as your CRM or ERP, and enhance collaboration between teams
• you need more advanced features than a standard eSignature tool can offer, such as real-time document signing validation or a higher level of security

eSign APIs let you do all that and then some, improving efficiency and customer experiences.

You might think your small business lacks the skills or personpower to use an eSign API. That couldn't be further from the truth, and let us explain why.

The best APIs, like Lumin Sign, are already developed, tested and documented. So, you only need to complete a few tasks, such as authentication and authorization. They take care of everything else so you can spend time on what you do best: running your small business.

Everything you need comes out of the box, so there's no need for custom development.

Aren't eSign APIs just for big businesses?

Some big API products make things hard for small or medium businesses like yours by creating what's known in tech circles as "barriers to entry".

Many eSign API providers:

• have unnecessarily complicated pricing structures, making it difficult to know what you're actually paying for
• come with a difficult learning curve, meaning you can't code your API the way you want without a massive development team
• provide overly complex API documentation that leaves you scratching your head

Luckily, not all eSign API providers are like this. Some actually make it easy to implement and use an API in real-world small business situations where you need signatures, like sharing NDAs and service agreements and onboarding employees.

Lumin Sign is an API provider that builds products to help you scale, not just meet you at maximum growth. Our Lumin Sign API provides the best of eSignature APIs – world-class tech innovation and detailed documentation – while our friendly and skilled support team makes integration easy for every business; no matter their size.