Best of 2023: A year in review

As 2023 nears its end, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the milestones we’ve hit, the challenges we’ve faced, and what has been top of mind all year. 

We’re thankful for our customers who have accompanied us on our journey and look forward to abundance and growth in the coming year. 

Let’s take a look at some of the best of 2023 stories that made our headlines this year:

10. Automation within HR organizations

We started off 2023 by taking a look at the role automation was playing within HR organizations and how it would continue to evolve. In our survey, we learned that HR teams spend five to 12 hours every week on manual paperwork, taking their focus away from revenue-generating tasks that could grow their business. 

Given that data, 75% of HR teams were planning on increasing their investment in workflow automation this year, hoping to automate some of their repetitive tasks and win back time to refocus their efforts.

This investment in automation was not just reserved for enterprises. One-third of small-and-medium businesses (SMBs) were planning to increase their investment in automation and, thus, their competitive advantage. 

Our survey also found that more than 90% of HR professionals were prioritizing low-code/no-code tools – like airSlate products – that are easy to implement. 

Read the full report and learn more about the benefits of automation here. 

9. Using automation to communicate with employees in a novel way

We love speaking with our customers and aim to speak with as many as possible to hear what’s working, what could be improved, and how our low-code/no-code solutions are being used. In 2023, we were lucky to have enlightening conversations with many of our customers. 

Christy Knowles, Chief Human Resources Officer at Coosa Valley Medical Center, told us that using airSlate completely changed the way all employees communicated with one another. 

As a hospital with more than 540 employees, disseminating important information to each and every staff member proved to be a challenge. Not every staff member had access to email, which meant they were at risk of missing critical updates. 

Christy and her team realized that one particular airSlate feature was the answer to their problems: QR codes. Because airSlate generates QR codes that correspond to any created workflows, Christy’s team uses these codes to give employees easy access to forms and information all around the hospital. 

QR coded flyers are placed around the hospital, making it easy for employees to scan the code while they’re on the go and complete any documents needed. What a great idea!

Read more about how Coosa Valley Medical Center is using airSlate here. 

8. Helping clinical researchers meet compliance requirements

Our long-time customers Ivan Veloz and Josh McConaghy of Ora Clinical gave us insights into how our eSignature solution, SignNow, has helped the clinical research firm remain compliant. 

Ora Clinical conducts ophthalmologic clinical trials year-round which are subject to strict HIPAA, Part 11, and other compliance requirements. That coupled with the need for a streamlined process to handle a large volume of paperwork led Ivan and Josh and the Ora Clinical team to explore SignNow as a trusted digital signature solution. 

Not only is SignNow a Part 11 compliant technology, but it has allowed the Ora Clinical team to save an abundance of time. 

Ivan explains: “Because we deal with so many trials and have so many sponsors, we do a lot of audits. Our standard operating procedures must be up to date and we must capture all necessary signatures. It is time sensitive and SignNow allows us to input information, send it to the right party, and immediately get it back which is priceless and has saved us so much time.”

Learn more about how Ora Clinical uses SignNow here. 

7. IT & Ops teams use automation to regain control of processes

There’s no doubt that 2023 has been chock full of challenges for all of us, and IT and Operations teams are no exceptions. 

Distributed workforces have led to poorly implemented and monitored technologies, shadow IT projects, and compromised security, which has resulted in 60% of IT professionals facing increased workloads outside of their day-to-day responsibilities. This year, IT and Ops teams have felt like they’ve lost some of their autonomy and are focusing too much of their time on manual tasks and messes to clean up. 

Because of these challenges, IT and Ops pros are turning to automation tools more than ever to help them get back in the driver’s seat, increase productivity, and focus their energies on optimizing their infrastructures. 

See just how IT and Operations professionals are embracing automation by reading the report.

6. With airSlate and SignNow, Little Sunshine preschool has increased their efficiency 

We love hearing any story about how something has made life a little easier for parents, caregivers, and educators – because, really, these people are true superheroes. 

Our conversation with Amber Riddle from Little Sunshine preschools warmed our hearts when we learned that using airSlate and SignNow has made their enrollment process significantly easier for thousands of families. 

The enrollment process (yes, even for preschool!) can involve a ton of paperwork. And once a child is enrolled, there is a need to collect ongoing data (i.e., more paperwork) from parents. 

Amber and her team sought a way to not only make it easier for parents to complete documents, but also for the Little Sunshine team to collect, organize, and store important documents. 

Thanks to airSlate and SignNow, Little Sunshine has simplified their operations and saved plenty of time in the process. 

Learn more about how Little Sunshine has benefitted from automation here. 

5. The platform of choice for a new summer camp registration app

As the name of the company suggests, speaking with Allen King, CEO of FunJoin, was a delight. The energetic and enthusiastic entrepreneur came up with an idea to transform the way people register their kids for summer camps. 

Manual paperwork takes a long time to complete and can really get in the way of the whole point of summer camp, which is to have fun. King sought to digitize the experience and improve his customer’s and employee’s experience along the way. 

King launched FunJoin, a mobile-friendly registration platform for activity-based businesses. Thanks to its integration with signNow API, FunJoin’s digital document process is streamlined, productive, and efficient. 

Find out more about how signNow API has enabled the FunJoin platform and watch a video of King talking about his experience here.  

4. SignNow launches usage-based pricing

2023 brought with it some big news for SignNow users: the launch of a usage-based pricing plan. 

A roadblock that eSignature users face is that pricing plans often don’t make sense for their business – they cost too much or aren’t flexible with seats. 

For those who would rather pay per signature sent, SignNow offers the Site License package, perfect for organizations who send more than 1k documents per year and have various departments who use eSignature. This can be a really cost effective option, costing $1.50 or less per signature invite. 

Best of all, this request came directly from our customers and that kind of valuable feedback is exactly what motivates us as we continue to grow!

Learn more about SignNow’s usage-based pricing here. 

3. SMBs are ramping up to invest in automation

If there’s been one common theme in 2023, it’s that automation is absolutely here to stay. It’s becoming more and more integral to the way we work, impacting every corner of a business’s operations, from HR to marketing to sales and finance. 

Our report, How embracing automation helps businesses supercharge productivity, revealed insights into how SMBs perceive automation, with 94% feeling confident about seeking out automation solutions and ranking CRM solutions as a priority. 

With SMBs making up almost 100% of all businesses in the US, their behaviors and tech-adoption decisions are highly influential. The report explores what SMBs are looking for in automation technologies, how their trust in tools like eSignature solutions has evolved, and how they see the workforce transforming as a result of using automation. 

Get all the insights and access the full report here. 

2. Document Automation Hub: A unified platform for developer-friendly APIs

Q3 of 2023 brought a major product announcement: the launch of Document Automation Hub. Document Automation Hub is a centralized location where developers can access, manage, and automate a suite of document workflow APIs. 

Document Automation Hub aims to provide developers with a unified experience, as they are accustomed to working with disjointed apps that just result in bottlenecks. With best-in-class APIs in one centralized place, developers will see less time-to-market and lower development costs. 

What sets Document Automation Hub apart is its high configurability, allowing developers new opportunities for integration and automation within their apps and websites. 

Read all about Document Automation Hub and how it will empower developers here. 

1. Instapage becomes part of the airSlate family 

And finally, perhaps our most exciting announcement of the year: airSlate acquired Instapage! Welcoming the innovative landing page platform to the family expands airSlate into the marketing automation space and positions us as a leading business productivity solution provider in the industry. 

By providing tailored landing page solutions that drive conversions, Instapage has been a game changer for companies looking to improve their digital ad performance. 

With the acquisition and with the wealth of knowledge provided by the Instapage team, we hope to make it easier for customers to adopt a wide-range of automation solutions that streamline their business processes and fuel their growth. 

Learn more about why we’re so excited to have Instapage in our family here. 

We thank you for being a part of our journey in 2023 and look forward to a safe and prosperous new year for all.