Tourism has been one of the most demanding sectors hit by the restrictions on movement imposed in many countries due to the Covid-19 crisis. This has triggered the sector’s digital transformation, with all its inherent processes being made more agile to increase its profitability. To this end, using the electronic signature in the tourism sector has driven the optimisation of processes and made remote operations more user-friendly. This post covers examples of the uses of the electronic signature in this industry and the advantages of doing so.
What is the electronic signature used for in the tourism sector?
Many procedures that have had to be signed by hand, involving much more time and resources, where the electronic signature is accepted. These are just some occasions when you can use the electronic signature in the tourism sector:
- Check-in. During hotel and flat check-ins, the tourist has to provide their identity documents (identity card or passport) before being given the keys. Digitising this procedure means that the tourist can submit their documents online and access their room or flat with a code, avoiding the need for direct contact.
- Car rental. You can use your electronic signature to sign the contract without contacting another person remotely and swiftly. Picking up and dropping off vehicles is quicker with your digital signature and cuts down on staff time to focus on helping their customers.
- Job contracts. There is a vast range of uses for electronic signatures in the tourism sector from an employment perspective In high season, hotels and restaurants take on more staff, and so must sign job contracts, pay cheques, hires and terminations, holidays, etc. All this paperwork can be done using an electronic signature in seconds.
- Contract with suppliers. Companies in the tourism industry work with many suppliers with whom they can sign contracts or delivery slips remotely using their electronic signature, for example.
- Registering a holiday home. Many regions around Spain require an electronic signature to validate the registration of a home as a holiday rental property.
Advantages of the electronic signature in the tourism sector
As we have seen above, the digital signature in the tourism sector is helpful on all sorts of occasions and has advantages such as:
- Cutting down on waiting times to check in to hotels and flats. Guests won’t have to wait, and staff won’t spend time on these formalities.
- Making companies’ corporate social responsibility in the tourism sector more robust. Using the digital signature means that paper and the space to store documents aren’t needed, boosting organisations’ CSR.
- Improving the client experience. Clients can get through the formal procedures more speedily, and from anywhere, so they are more satisfied and more likely to recommend the establishment.
- Reducing mistakes and fraud. Using the advanced electronic signature means that signatories are identified unequivocally, thus cutting down on errors and preventing fraud, given that all the transaction details are stored in an electronic evidence document and this document, once signed, cannot be subsequently altered.
- Ease of use. The electronic signature can be used on any device and anywhere, so transactions are more straightforward.
- Employee satisfaction. Staff in the tourism sector will not have to spend time on manual formalities. Instead, it will focus on added value tasks, thus encouraging an excellent working atmosphere, retaining and attracting talent.
- Document protection. The signed documents are stored and protected on the electronic signature provider’s platform, such that they can be accessed at any time and downloaded.
- Shortening the time lag when hiring personnel. Hiring temporary staff unexpectedly is expected in the tourism industry, so the staff hiring procedure must be fast. With the electronic signature, you can send the job contract to the future employee to sign so that they can start to work straight away.
Like other economic sectors, the tourism industry has been forced to evolve in digital transformation to survive the pandemic and grow. The electronic signature is an exceptional ally in this process, providing solutions that will enable the companies that use it to stand out from their competitors. Now you can try the electronic signature completely free and put some ideas described above into practice.