6 reasons why progressive banks and fintechs are turning to digital onboarding

Onboarding is one of the most sensitive moments of the customer journey in regulated industries. The Know Your Customer (KYC) process in the financial sector, in particular, is often a reason for potential customers to drop out. Swisscom Sign shows what digital identification and electronic signatures can achieve operationally and strategically during onboarding.

During onboarding in regulated industries, such as the banking sector, identification obligations, contract law and internal compliance requirements meet conversion targets and customer expectations. At the same time, this is where it is decided whether a prospective customer actually becomes a customer. Established institutions and innovative fintechs face the same challenge: they must fulfill all legal obligations and compliance requirements while delivering a seamless customer experience. Of course, everything should also be done quickly - after all, the competition never sleeps.

Consistent digitalization, with the e-signature as a secure backbone and anchor of trust, is the only way to reconcile these apparent contradictions.

Operational advantages: Efficiency, costs, security

1. faster processing times

Electronic identification consistently eliminates media disruptions. Printing, sending and manual follow-up are completely eliminated. Contracts can be concluded regardless of location, in real time and without changing systems. This significantly shortens processing times - especially for time-critical contracts or complex contract chains.

2. lower process costs

Paper, printing, postage and physical archiving not only cause direct costs but also administrative effort. A fully digital process noticeably reduces these expenses. In addition, internal coordination between departments is reduced, freeing up resources.

3. optimized compliance

Digital onboarding processes guide customers through all regulatory steps in a structured manner. Mandatory fields, identification requirements and signature sequences are technically stored. This reduces error rates, prevents incomplete applications, and improves documentation quality. Verification and audit processes become more comprehensible and transparent.

4. greater security

Qualified electronic signatures, such as Swisscom Sign, are based on certified trust services and offer a high level of cryptographic security. Manipulations are recognizable, documents are archived in an audit-proof manner and can be clearly assigned to a person. This significantly increases transparency and provability compared to paper-based procedures.

Strategic advantages: Conversion and competition

5. fewer drop-offs in onboarding

Media disruptions are a key driver of drop-offs. If digital processes suddenly require analog steps such as printing or mailing, the probability of abandonment increases significantly. An end-to-end digital process reduces this friction and stabilizes the completion rate - especially in digital sales channels.

6 Better customer experience

Customers today expect seamless digital processes in the B2B context too. An intuitive, fully digital contract process signals efficiency, professionalism and the ability to innovate. This strengthens trust in the organization and pays off in the long term, boosting customer loyalty and the organization's competitive position.

Conclusion

Digital onboarding is more than just the technical modernization of individual process steps. Operationally, it improves efficiency, cost structure, compliance and security. Strategically, it influences conversion, customer experience, and market position.

Those who understand onboarding not just as a regulatory obligation but as a business-critical lever create measurable benefits throughout the customer journey. The latest white paper from Swisscom Sign provides an in-depth analysis of the links between KYC, drop-off rates, and digital signatures.

Customer success stories

Customer success stories

6 reasons why progressive banks and fintechs are turning to digital onboarding

Operational advantages: Efficiency, costs, security

1. faster processing times

2. lower process costs

3. optimized compliance

4. greater security

Strategic advantages: Conversion and competition

5. fewer drop-offs in onboarding

6 Better customer experience

Conclusion

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