DocuSign AU channel in ‘hang onto your hat’ phase

DocuSign has promised local partners more support to help them secure additional services work.

The company has recently created an “agreement cloud” that goes beyond its core electronic document-signing functionality to reach into contract lifecycle management and other functions. The new functions lend themselves to embedding in the wider business processes that involve preparation to sign a document, signing it, acting on the document and managing the resulting agreement.

According to Lisa Munnings, the company’s area vice president for business development and channels, that means services opportunities – especially for system integrators.

“As we expand out, there's more services is offerings. Customers need consulting, they need services around change management, around user adoption, and around implementation,” Munnings told CRN

Partners are therefore coming aboard at speed, and looking for enablement on the new products.

“It’s hang onto your hat time,” Munnings said.

DocuSign is therefore adding new account managers to help its channel find and satisfy demand, and has also bulked out its local channel team with a dedicated person to recruit and on-board partners and other channel-focussed roles.

Munnings expects those partners will understand that DocuSign satisfies customers best when sold as more than an add-on to Office 365. Co-selling with Microsoft and building the company's wares into solutions will, she feels, prove more effective and satisfying for partner and end-customer alike.

Working with independent software vendors of all sizes is another priority. Organisations like SAP and Salesforce have integrated with DocuSign and are already a significant channel. Munnings also hopes smaller ISVs integrate with DocuSign, as she feels that end-users want digital signing and that ISVs will therefore be more attractive if they offer it.

“You know the old adage: where's the value coming from with partnerships? When you present something that's either industry-specific or a solution that's going to fix the customer problem that we just can't quite get there? It's a no brainer.”

Partners with the many enterprise software vendors for which DocuSign has built integrations are also in the company’s sights.

As there are 350 such integrations already, and its agreement cloud is already the source of so much partner interest, Munnings is bullish about the company’s prospects.

“People ask me all the time, why should work with DocuSign versus our competitors. And, this is my personal view, it's your choice. But you have to do your research because if you truly want to add value in this space, and you're interested in delivering digital solutions to your customers, then you can't ignore us at the moment.”