Contracts are indeed the universal business language. They are the basis of every business relationship with stakeholders such as suppliers, partners and customers. Given this huge role in the company’s performance, it pays to have an effective contract management system.
Contract management solutions like Oneflow make the contract request, approval and maintenance processes more efficient. A good system can also help increase efficiency, build alliances and protect an organization’s interests.
What Is Contract Management
Contract management encompasses everything from establishing the business case and confirming the need to relationship management and reviewing performance. It is, at its core, a collection of data. By digitising your contracts, you gain access to a wealth of information you stood no chance with contracts sitting on a corner desk.
What Are the Advantages of Contract Management?
Though not the most glamorous task in the business, contact management is indispensable for any successful company. Below are some benefits of having improved control over your contracts:
Improves Efficiency and Productivity
Contract management solutions automate highly complex approval routings, reducing the time required to complete a contract. This can be accomplished through a combination of parallel and conditional approvals, resulting in increased collaboration between departments. Your workers can focus on what matters most by handling many contracts concurrently: business growth.
Reduces Risk and Improves Compliance
Excellent contract management can detect and minimise risks continuously and timely. Operational, financial and reputational risks are all factors to consider. When supplemented with granular data and auditing technologies, this analysis allows you to be proactive in your risk management strategy.
Furthermore, having a contract management system that dictates terms and conditions improves compliance among the essential players. According to recent studies, a contract management system improves compliance management by 55%.
Increases Contract Visibility
The storage of all files in a centralised virtual repository increases contract visibility. A single contract, for example, may go through several modifications, each involving your legal team and other departments inside your firm. An effective contract management system allows you to follow the contract’s lifecycle, ensuring that nothing falls between the cracks or is neglected.
Minimises Costs
A contract management system can help you save money on legal fees and avoid unforeseen service renewals. Contract management also improves the transparency of where your money is going by keeping your expenditure more visible. Increased spend visibility will help you reduce the unforeseen expenses that plague businesses. Moreover, contract management can also assist you in identifying more cost-cutting opportunities for your company.
Improves Business Relationships and Perception
As strange as it may sound, efficiently managing your contracts increases your reputation with your partners. Nothing infuriates clients and vendors more than being unable to locate a document they require or receiving erroneous information. You appear more responsive and professional by centralising documents and ensuring that only the appropriate individuals have access to them.
Streamline Your Contract Management
When you consider the benefits of contract management, it is clear that having an efficient system in place is paramount to your organisation’s seamless functioning. Artificial intelligence (AI), software and digitisation can all be used in the contract management system to give organisations more control and transparency over their processes.