Digital Contract Management for Tradespeople and Contractors
Digital Contract Management for Tradespeople and Contractors
"I don't have time for paperwork – I need to be out building." It's a sentence many tradespeople can relate to. But precisely this lack of focus on contracts and documentation causes countless disputes, lost money, and frustrated customers every year.
What if contract management could be handled on the building site from your phone – in under five minutes?
Why Contracts Are Crucial in the Construction Industry
The construction industry is known for verbal agreements and handshakes. "We agreed on the price and got started." The problem arises when the customer remembers something different from you, when extra work isn't documented, or when payment fails to arrive.
Without written documentation, you're in a weak position. With a digital contract, you have proof of what was agreed, when it was agreed, and who accepted the terms.
The Typical Challenges for Tradespeople
1. Time Pressure
You don't have time to sit at a computer creating contracts. Work is waiting, and customers expect a quick start.
2. Lack of Overview
Quotes sent by email, agreements made over the phone, changes discussed on site. Who can remember what applies?
3. Extra Work Without Documentation
"Could you just..." becomes hours of unpaid work because the change was never documented or approved in writing.
4. Payment Problems
Without a clear contract, it's difficult to collect payment. The customer disputes the scope, price, or quality.
How Digital Contract Management Solves the Problems
1. Contracts on Your Mobile
With ePact, you can create and send a contract directly from your smartphone. Stand on the building site, make the agreement, send for the customer's signature – done before you unpack your tools.
2. Templates for the Construction Industry
Use ready-made templates for construction contracts, quotes, variation orders for extra work, and handover documents. Customise with a few clicks and send for digital signature.
3. Documentation of Changes
Customer wants extra work done? Create a variation order on the spot, describe the work and price, send for signature via MitID. Now you have documentation before the work begins.
4. Everything in One Place
No more searching through emails, texts, and scraps of paper. All contracts, changes, and signatures are gathered in ePact – accessible from any device.
A Typical Workday with Digital Contract Management
Morning: You meet a new customer about an extension. You go through the project and create a quote directly in ePact. The customer signs with MitID on their phone.
Mid-morning: On an ongoing job, you discover the foundation requires extra work. You create a variation order with the additional cost, the customer approves digitally. Work can continue without delay.
Afternoon: The project at another customer's is complete. You send a handover document for signature. The customer accepts the work, and you have documentation of delivery.
Evening: You check the status of all ongoing agreements from your sofa. No papers to sort, no emails to search through.
Benefits of Digital Signatures for Tradespeople
Save time with templates and mobile access. Avoid disputes with clear documentation on all agreements. Get faster payment when scope and price are documented. Make a professional impression on customers with digital, structured processes. And legal security with MitID signing that holds up in court.
Getting Started
1. Start with Your Most Used Documents
Identify the 3-4 document types you use most often: quote, construction contract, variation order for extra work, and handover document.
2. Create Templates
Use ePact's template library or upload your own documents. Add variable fields for customer name, address, description, and price.
3. Train Yourself in 30 Minutes
Test the system with a colleague or family member. Send a few documents and sign them yourself. It takes no longer than a coffee break.
4. Use It from Day 1
Next time you make an agreement with a customer, use ePact. The sooner you start, the sooner it becomes a natural part of your workday.
The Bottom Line
As a tradesperson or contractor, your job is to build – not to drown in paperwork. But without proper documentation, you risk disputes, lost money, and unnecessary stress.
Digital contract management with ePact gives you legal security without stealing time from your actual work. Create contracts on the building site, get signatures immediately, and always have documentation in place.
Because a good deal starts with a clear contract – whether you're building a shed or a family home.
