Multi-channel eSignature notifications: what it means for IAM teams

TL;DR: Email-only signing workflows slow agreement completion, reduce visibility, and miss mobile-first users, while SMS reminders can improve completion rates and speed time to close according to OneSpan and cited market research. The identity lesson is that customer-facing workflows now need channel choice, consent controls, and auditability, not just message delivery.

NHIMG editorial — based on content published by OneSpan: How multi-channel notifications are redefining agreement turnaround eSignature Ralitsa Miteva, September 4, 2025

By the numbers:

• 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.
• 72% of finance brands have embedded SMS into their communication strategies.

Questions worth separating out

Q: How should organisations govern SMS notifications in eSignature workflows?

A: Organisations should govern SMS notifications as part of the identity and transaction workflow, not as a standalone messaging feature.

Q: When do email-only signing workflows become a problem?

A: Email-only signing becomes a problem when recipients are mobile-first, time-sensitive, or likely to miss inbox messages in high-volume environments.

Q: What do teams get wrong about SMS in regulated agreement flows?

A: Teams often treat SMS as a delivery upgrade instead of a governed communication channel.

Practitioner guidance

• Map notification channels to transaction risk tiers Classify eSignature flows by business criticality and regulatory exposure, then define which channels are permitted for each tier.
• Implement consent-aware channel routing Capture explicit opt-in and opt-out preferences before sending SMS reminders, and store those preferences alongside the signing record.
• Log every outbound signing message Record timestamp, recipient, channel, template purpose, and delivery outcome for each notification.

What's in the full article

OneSpan's full post covers the operational detail this post intentionally leaves for the source:

• The message-state examples used in signing flows, including document ready, reminder to sign, and agreement signed.
• The compliance framing for SMS notifications in US and Canadian markets, including opt-in and opt-out requirements.
• The white-labeling approach for keeping the sender brand front and center during the signing journey.
• The product-specific implementation context for teams that want to embed multi-channel notifications into existing eSignature workflows.

👉 Read OneSpan's analysis of multi-channel notifications for eSignature workflows →

Multi-channel eSignature notifications: what it means for IAM teams?

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