How multi-channel notifications are redefining agreement turnaround
In the enterprise world, speed is a mandate, not a metric. Whether you're onboarding a client, issuing a loan, or finalizing a policy agreement, every delay in document completion is a leak in your revenue pipeline and a drag on operational velocity.
Yet many organizations still rely on slower email-only workflows to drive critical agreements. Multi-channel notifications are more efficient. They meet employees and third-party signers where they are across HR, lending, banking, insurance, and more use cases.
Mobile-first isn’t a trend. It’s the default.
Today’s users aren’t tethered to desktops or inboxes. Digital transformation has driven them to transact, sign, and engage from their phones, often exclusively.
According to Liz Froment of The Financial Brand, SMS notifications can build customer trust when the stakes are high. Research shows that they’re becoming a key business driver that customers actually want:
- 84% of consumers have opted-in to receive texts from businesses in 2025
- SMS boasts a 98% open rate, with 90% read within 3 minutes — over twice as high as the average email open rate (42%) in the US and Canada
- 72% of finance brands have embedded SMS into their communication strategies recognizing direct messaging as a key driver to customer interactions
- 79% of insurance firms plan to expand SMS and WhatsApp to reduce call center volumes and streamline claims
If an organization is not taking a multi-channel approach in today’s environment, it risks falling behind competitors, delaying deals, and ignoring customers who have made their preferences clear.
Email alone is failing the enterprise
SMS has become an expectation from customers, employees, and other stakeholders. Email-only workflows make important documents too easy to miss, hurting the bottom line through:
- Low completion rates: Inbox fatigue, spam filters, and lack of urgency mean agreements can go unseen or ignored.
- Slow turnaround: Email delays are especially painful in time-sensitive industries like insurance, real estate, and healthcare.
- Disconnected UX: Mobile-first users expect frictionless, app-like experiences. Email feels clunky.
Real-time SMS alerts solve these bottlenecks. However, if you are planning an in-house implementation, be aware that SMS used for document signing introduces regulatory complexity. SMS notifications for the US and Canadian market come with regulatory requirements such as complying with TCPA, CASL, and CTIA. Without proper opt-in/opt-out flows, your organization is at legal and reputational risk. That’s why a solution that facilitates compliance out-of-the-box helps save time navigating regulatory details and accelerates deployment.
Mobile-friendly eSignature workflows accelerate results
Transforming digital agreement workflows with multi-channel notifications — delivered via real-time SMS as well as email — has measurable results across lines of business and industries.
According to recent research, 65% of finance Chief Digital Officers (CDOs) cite improving customer experience (CX) as a top digital investment priority—and 84% of businesses that invest in CX report revenue growth. Gains like these compound over time, and expediting digital agreements by adopting multi-channel notifications benefits the entire organization.
If you find that you’re asking the following, it might be a good time to modernize your digital agreements strategy:
- 1. Are contracts and agreements slow to close, or highly variable in time to revenue?
- 2. Are customers opening reminder emails or overlooking important communications?
- 3. When was the last time we modernized our eSignature experience for users?
Introducing OneSpan Sign’s multi-channel notifications
The OneSpan Multi-channel Notification feature is purpose-built for enterprises that demand speed, trust, and control in their agreement workflows. Delivered via SMS as well as email notifications, it integrates seamlessly into your eSignature processes — without compromising compliance or customer experience.
Unlike eSignature vendors that use your signing workflows as an opportunity to market their product to your customers, OneSpan Sign keeps your brand front and center through white-labeling. Without cross-promotion and third-party distractions, your users experience secure, compliant, and frictionless communication.
Key benefits of multi-channel notification in digital agreement workflows include:
- 1. Higher completion rates: Timely SMS reminders like “Document ready,” “Reminder to sign,” and “Agreement signed” keep the process top of mind and reduce drop-off.
- 2. Faster time to completion: SMS reaches users instantly — even in low-bandwidth environments — making it ideal for time-sensitive industries like insurance, real estate, and healthcare.
- 3. Better user experience: Letting users choose their preferred channel (SMS or email) creates a seamless, intuitive signing experience that boosts satisfaction.
- 4. Streamlined compliance: With opt-in/opt-out flows built-in, this saves organizations time and effort, and facilitates compliance with regulatory standards like TCPA and CASL.
If your agreements still rely on email alone, it’s time to evolve. Because in today’s enterprise, speed wins.
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