ID verification made even easier

With almost 7 in 10 (69%) of organisations in Australia transforming digitally to adapt to and survive the COVID-19 pandemic,³ and digital adoption increasing among Australians⁴ – more business and personal transactions are moving online.

In fact, the latest Salesforce State of the Connected Customer report, found more than half (52 per cent) of all interactions between local customers and businesses this year were digital, compared to just 36 per cent last year. And customers expect next year that 50 per cent of interactions will continue to be online.⁵ A recent survey of 1,000 Australians conducted by DocuSign®, found that over half of the participants had signed an agreement in 2020, with 60% saying they actually prefer to sign an agreement electronically today – and 53% now couldn’t imagine signing an agreement any other way!²

In Victoria, even the law has changed to permit the electronic signing and witnessing of documents.⁶

However, the surge in digital business has highlighted a key friction point: the need for many organisations to verify a customer’s identity – via the traditional ‘100 point ID check’ – when seeking a signature on a document.

Margo Stephen, Australia Post’s Head of Digital iD™, has seen “a big shift in the past 12-months, with all sorts of transactions going online – including an increase in high-value transactions where organisations want assurance that the identity of the person signing a document has been verified.” And this has led to a new solution from DocuSign® and Australia Post, which takes the friction out of the ‘100 point’ ID check.

“Australia Post’s Digital iD™ has the flexibility to handle diverse identity requirements between different states and use cases,” says Margo. “Just as DocuSign® simplifies the end-to-end process by taking out the paperwork and automating agreement workflow, we are simplifying the traditional 100 point ID check process,” explains Margo.

With Digital iD™ now available within DocuSign®, organisations can securely capture digital signatures from their customers on important documents – with a greater level of confidence that the person signing is who they say they are. And all without the need to physically sight, capture and store a copy of their identity documents.

According to Paul Cross, VP Customer Success at DocuSign®, “When transactions contain highly sensitive, personally identifiable information, security is critical. Protecting customers is our number one priority, and this new comprehensive approach to ‘100 point’ identity verification with Australia Post, addresses the security, privacy, compliance and validity requirements for identity verification across Australia.”

Recognising that every state has its own rules about the ‘points value’ of different documents – which can be frustrating for businesses with a nationwide footprint – Margo says, “Our solution can be used in all Australian states, by both existing and guest users of Digital iD™.”

Here’s how DocuSign® and Australia Post’s Digital iD™ work together¹

If an organisation wants a customer to sign a document via DocuSign®, and also want their identity verified, an email is sent to the customer with the document needing to be signed. The customer has the option to select whether they have an existing Digital iD™ or are new to the platform.

If they have an existing Digital iD™, they simply enter their mobile number and consent to share their pre-verified details with DocuSign® via the Digital iD™ app. If they don’t already have a Digital iD™, they’re asked to enter their name and the required document details – for example, their Medicare and Drivers’ Licence numbers. Digital iD™ then checks this information against official sources. The customer can choose to save their Digital iD™ for future use – making their next transaction even easier. And once the identity verification is complete, the next step in the DocuSign® process is triggered.

No other personal details are retained in the process, protecting highly sensitive and personally identifiable information. This also removes the need for organisations to physically store copies of identity documents after verifying them in person – reducing paperwork and privacy and security concerns.

Australian organisations are embracing a culture of innovation and looking to accelerate opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.³ And indeed, after announcing the partnership with Australia Post in March 2021, DocuSign® quickly saw strong interest from a range of organisations seeking to enhance the document signing experience for their customers.

Margo emphasises, “This partnership gives Australians even more places to use their Digital iD™, making significant transactions easier and more convenient. With two well-known and trusted brands coming together to offer this solution, businesses and government agencies can have confidence in the security and customer experience at every step of the document signing and identity verification process.”