Digital signatures made easier with Adobe Sign

Building on the work of the Cloud Signature Consortium, announced last June, Adobe has unveiled the first cloud-based digital signature solutions built on an open standard, Adobe Document Cloud and Adobe Sign. A newly-released open standard specification built in collaboration with the Cloud Signature Consortium allow the new technology to enable digital signatures in any browser or on any mobile device.

Adobe Sign lets users work with over 200 providers from the European Union Trust List (EUTL) and Adobe Approved Trust List (AATL). Cloud Signature-compliant digital ID solutions will be available from the following providers over the coming months: Asseco Data Systems, Certinomis (a subsidiary of La Poste Group), D-Trust (a subsidiary of Bundesdruckerei), InfoCert, Intarsys, Intesi Group and Universign.

“Open standards propel entire industries forward, allowing interoperability between otherwise fragmented solutions, and paving the way for widespread adoption,” said Bryan Lamkin, executive VP and GM, Digital Media, Adobe. “Adobe pioneered digital signatures. And as the creator and champion of standards like PDF, we are proud to have once again rallied the industry to develop a new, open standard for digital signatures in the cloud, ensuring a great customer experience.”

Signing and returning printed documents is time-consuming. The Adobe Sign mobile app lets users scan printed pages quickly and then send the scans for signatures from a smartphone or tablet. Viewing documents on a small mobile screen is now easier too. The Adobe Sign mobile app on iOS lets users change the text size and reflow with five different zoom levels.

In addition, Adobe also unveiled new functionality in Adobe Sign that enables users to create end-to-end business workflows that go beyond signing and approvals. Complex workflows like new bank account enrollment, loan applications or managing HR benefits, can now be managed processes digitally. For example, Adobe Sign can facilitate workflow such as using the smartphone to ‘scan’, then routing documents for collaboration or certified electronic delivery, subsequently connecting into software like Microsoft SharePoint. The solution is integrated with SharePoint. By adding Adobe Sign to SharePoint Workflows, users can easily request signatures from others, track their progress and archive documents securely – without ever leaving SharePoint.

With advanced document routing, users can even ask recipients to fill out forms that do not need a signature, like a patient intake form at the doctor. A proof of receipt and delivery feature shows if the recipient both viewed and acknowledged a document such as a legal notification or change of terms (available within 30 days).

“With so many of today’s critical business processes moving to cloud based solutions, it’s imperative that people trust the information they are interacting with,” said Alan Lepofsky, VP and principal analyst at Constellation Research. “Digital signatures play a vital role in that trust, but for them to be successful they must be a frictionless part of the process. Building signatures on an open standard that works across browsers and mobile devices creates the seamless experience that people expect.”

Interested?

The Adobe Sign preview release will be available to customers in the coming weeks.  Adobe customers can contact their customer support manager to join the product preview

QIB launches Premium VISA Signature credit card with Qatar Airways co-branding

Source: QIB.

Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) has launched a Premium QIB-Qatar Airways VISA Signature credit card that enhances the QIB and Qatar Airways range of co-branded cards with a new range of benefits.

Designed with premium customers in mind, the QIB-Qatar Airways Signature credit card offers global concierge services, global airport lounge access, discounts and offers on luxury hotels, and full multi-trip travel insurance.

The VISA Signature co-branded card will enable customers to earn one Qmile for every QR6 spent on purchases made at a point of sale by either the customer or their supplementary card member. These Qmiles can be then used for redemptions including complimentary flights, upgrades and excess baggage on Qatar Airways’ flights, together with purchases made at Qatar Duty Free located at Hamad International Airport in Doha or the Oryx Galleria boutique in Doha, Qatar. Qmiles can also be redeemed for complimentary flights with oneworld airline partners.

The card will also provide multilingual concierge services with a 24-hour personal assistant who can arrange dinner reservations, chauffeur and taxi services, tickets, gifts or anything required in order to enhance the travel experience. The ‘LoungeKey’ Service, on both primary and supplementary cards, offers unlimited complimentary access to over 500 airport lounges worldwide.

The QIB-Qatar Airways Visa Signature Credit Card also enjoys automatic purchase protection covering all purchases made with the card. The protection includes loss, theft or damage of purchased items. The card also comes with peace of mind on purchased items by almost doubling the manufacturer’s or retailer’s warranty on all items bought using the VISA Signature card. In addition, customers can withdraw cash of up to 100% of their credit limit as well as having the benefit of higher transaction limits.

As with all of QIB's credit and debit cards, online security is a major concern of the Bank. To counteract the risk of fraud, QIB has, over the past year, introduced a number of measures such as the use of one time passwords (OTP) that are valid for only one log-in or transaction; a move away from using the magnetic strip on the reverse side of the cards, in favour of chip-based processing; and the use of '3D Secure Technology', which has a password-protected authentication system designed to confirm the identity of the cardholder when a Visa Card is used online.

D. Anand, General Manager of the Personal Banking Group, pointed out that the launch of the VISA Signature Card specifically targets premium frequent travellers who can enjoy all travel benefits the Card has to offer, and will get to be part of Qatar Airways Loyalty Programme – Privilege Club. 

“Aimed at our affluent customers, we are proud to introduce the Visa Signature Co-branded credit card category, providing our clients with unique products and services, aiming as always to surpass their expectations,” he said.

“Further, the introduction of a new tier of QIB–Qatar Airways co-branded cards is a great testament to our successful partnership with one of the world’s five-star airlines.”

Mashreq Etisalat Visa Signature Credit Card is the UAE’s first “Me-Life” credit card

Source: Mashreq Bank.

UAE-based Mashreq bank has launched the Mashreq Etisalat Visa Signature Credit Card – the UAE’s first “Me-Life” credit card - in partnership with telecommunication operator Etisalat. 

The new card promises that monthly expenditure on Etisalat services such as talk time, data, broadband and direct-to-home subscriptions can be offset through a 5% rewards rebate on all card purchases. Every time customers spend on their card, they effectively knock 5% off their next Etisalat services bill.

The accumulated rewards can be instantly and seamlessly redeemed across the full suite of Etisalat products and services including fixed line and mobile post-paid bill payment, e-life subscriptions, data packages and Wasel prepaid mobile recharges.

Nimish Dwivedi, Head of Payments at Mashreq said, “We live in an age of convergence. To align with the evolving expectations of our customers, the new Mashreq Etisalat Visa Credit Card offers not just the highest talk time per dirham of spend, but a one-stop solution that gives the customer more surf-time, stream-time, game-time, movie-time, leisure time… more 'me-time'. So, whether you are a Etisalat prepaid customer, postpaid subscriber or just someone who loves live-streaming on his smart device, the card has universal appeal, because you can spend as little as AED3,000 per month on everyday purchases and get value in terms of free talk-time and data worth AED150. By offering the fastest route to earning rewards with the most flexible and convenient redemption options, Mashreq and Etisalat have thus defined loyalty propositions forever.”

Khaled Elkhouly, Chief Marketing Officer at Etisalat, said, “The Etisalat Rewards programme is an innovative, generous and an effective way for us to reward our customers and say thank you for their patronage. As the country’s first telecom loyalty program, Etisalat Rewards has come a long way in becoming one of the largest and most rewarding propositions in the region. It is our partnerships with leading brands such as Mashreq Bank that have helped us up the level of our offerings for the Etisalat Rewards member.”

Marcello Baricordi, Visa's General Manager for the UAE & Global Accounts Lead MENA, said: “Visa’s premium cards are designed to offer affluent cardholders great rewards and travel benefits, including complimentary access to around 500 airport lounges worldwide, and the peace of mind of our dedicated Visa Signature Concierge service. We are delighted that Mashreq Bank’s affluent clients will now be able to enjoy a safe, secure and seamless purchasing experience that all Visa products, including Visa Signature, offer.”

Maybank launches Visa Signature credit card in Malaysia

Maybank has introduced the Maybank Visa Signature credit card to Malaysia, and hopes to issue 20,000 of the premium card in the first year. The Maybank Visa Signature card is Malaysia’s first credit card to offer both cash back on a daily basis as well as flexibility to convert bonus points, called Treats, into cash, Maybank said. 

Source: Maybank. From left: Ng Kong Boon; B Ravintharan, Head, Cards Group, Community Financial Services Maybank; Tolan Steele,  Group Country Manager, Visa; Hamirullah Boorhan and Victor Kaw, Head, Cards Malaysia, Maybank.

Maybank Head of Consumer Financial Services Malaysia, Hamirullah Boorhan said that the Bank has identified demand from the high-end mass-affluent customer segment for a card that falls between the platinum and super-premium card range.

“Customers in this segment would typically have an annual income of between RM100,000 – RM180,000,” he said. “They are highly discerning, and value most a cash back feature as well as the option to convert their loyalty points into cash, on top of the usual redemption alternatives of gifts, products and services, vouchers, or airline loyalty miles.

“We believe there is no other product in the market targeted towards such as premium mass affluent segment and offers such high value proposition as well as the flexibility to utilise loyalty points.”

Ng Kong Boon, Visa Country Manager, Malaysia said: “Malaysia’s affluent class continues to grow, creating a need and business opportunity for both Visa and its banking partners to introduce a product that caters to the special requirements and lifestyle of this new segment of affluent consumers.

"Visa is proud to be working with Maybank to drive innovations in payment technology in the country, in line with the Malaysian government’s e-payment vision as laid out in its Economic Transformation Programme."

Added Hamirullah, “The premium card market is one which is still showing strong growth of some 20% in billings annually,” he said. “Premium card holders typically spend an average of eight times more than that of classic cardholders.”

The Maybank Visa Signature comes with rewards such as :

• 5% cash back for their petrol and grocery transactions every day,  capped at RM88 per month 
• 5x Treats points for overseas transactions
• Customers can obtain cash back of RM1 for every 250 points
• Annual fee waiver in the first year. Automatic annual fee waiver is also applicable from the second year onward subject to a pre-set minimum annual spend
• Complimentary The Valet Club parking privileges for the first 12 months
• Unlimited Plaza Premium Lounge access for all lounges in Malaysia

As a launch offer, there wll be a 5% cashback on Visa paywave transactions for six months.

Yes, your handwriting does say something about you

Your signature, to be precise. A research study published in PLOS One studied how the size of the signature varied depending on how research subjects felt about themselves, even if they were not aware of it.

Dr Adhip Rawal, a lecturer in developmental psychology at the University of Sussex, School of Psychology in the UK, was the principal researcher who looked at whether the way people think about themselves would be reflected in signature size.

AIA campaign involving a face consisting of signatures

In one experiment, university students who were shown a positive word for 16 ms in a word recognition task signed their names 13% larger than they had on a psychological test taken before the task. There was a 0.8% increase in signature size if they had not seen the positive word. This effect was independent of what they reported as their mood at the time, and none of them reported seeing the positive word which had been flashed in front of them for just 16 ms, a time that had been previously shown to be beneath conscious awareness. 

While the research does not address this, the implications could be that customers, partners and colleagues whose handwriting is larger than normal might be more receptive to negotiations in your favour. And, that positive words flashed subliminally in presentations do have an effect on mood, even if viewers are unaware of them and if asked, would report no mood changes.

The challenge would be to get samples of signatures as a baseline. With everything electronic these days, handwriting has become as rare as hen's teeth.