Five reasons why now is the perfect time to implement CLM – even if you’re busy with other projects

Are you involved in several simultaneous procurement projects, and does adding contract management to the mix seem impossible? It might be easier than you think. Read on to learn how.

1. Limited internal resources shouldn’t hold you back

Implementing contract management can feel overwhelming if your company is already managing CRM and ERP projects. But what if it didn’t require a major effort?

Zefort makes onboarding as straightforward as possible. Our quick deployment process means you can get started without an extensive resource commitment, and our intuitive interface ensures that your team can begin using the system without a steep learning curve.

With Zefort, you don’t have to delay contract management because other initiatives are underway. The lightweight implementation allows you to add value from the start without waiting for other projects to finish.

2. Skip the extensive contract inventory: start small, think agile

One of the significant barriers to implementing contract management is the idea that you need to do a complete contract inventory first. It sounds logical – knowing what you have seems like a prerequisite. But this often leads to long delays and complex planning. Instead, Zefort advocates for an agile approach.

You can start using Zefort for one type of contract or a specific business area and gradually expand. Our phased approach lets you avoid the overwhelming task of gathering every contract at once. As you integrate Zefort into more parts of your business, you build efficiency and clarity over time rather than getting bogged down in inventory projects.

3. CRM and ERP aren’t a substitute for contract management

It’s a common belief that companies should prioritize implementing CRM or ERP systems first and then integrate other solutions like contract management afterward. The truth is that CRM and ERP systems serve different purposes. CRMs are for customer relationship management, and ERPs focus on order and resource planning. Therefore, you can’t use these systems to manage a business’s full spectrum of contracts.

Zefort offers a comprehensive contract lifecycle management (CLM) solution that integrates seamlessly with CRM and ERP systems later on. By starting with contract management now, you ensure that all contracts – not just customer agreements – are appropriately tracked and managed. Using Zefort’s open API, integration into your existing tools is straightforward, making it easy to expand capabilities over time.

4. Start with post-sign to avoid silos and expand into pre-sign tools later

Many companies face the dilemma of deciding whether to implement a pre-sign or post-sign solution first. At Zefort, we believe that starting with post-sign unlocks the most significant contract value.

Zefort is a complete contract lifecycle management (CLM) solution that offers powerful post-sign tools, seamless eSigning capabilities, pre-sign features, and AI-driven contract intelligence. However, we prioritize contract management from the post-sign phase because we understand its critical value in ensuring compliance, renewal tracking, and effective contract use.

With Zefort, you avoid creating silos between different types of contracts. Fragmentation occurs when contracts, such as HR agreements, procurement framework contracts, or administrative documents, are not included in a centralized contract management system. Only a few contracts go through the pre-sign or sign phase, and excluding the others can lead to disjointed management.

Our solution ensures that all signed contracts are stored, managed, and utilized effectively, preventing them from being lost or mismanaged. Once post-sign management is in place, it becomes easier to expand into pre-sign tools without fragmenting your approach.

5. Contract management can be simple and effective

Many people think implementing contract management is an enormous and complicated project – especially when migrating existing contracts. Zefort challenges this notion with an agile, phased approach. Our gradual migration process allows you to bring in contracts as needed, starting with those that require the most attention.

Zefort also leverages AI to automatically extract critical data from contracts, making it easy to build your contract library without requiring extensive manual data entry. Our customizable metadata model can evolve with your needs, allowing you to define and refine processes as you progress. Instead of approaching contract management as a daunting, one-time effort, Zefort enables you to treat it as a flexible and scalable process – helping you get started effortlessly.

Take the first step in contract efficiency today

We understand the hesitation of adding yet another system to the mix. But effective contract management isn’t just another system – it’s a way to reduce risk, enhance compliance, and improve efficiency across the board. Zefort’s AI capabilities, quick deployment, and integration-friendly approach make it the perfect choice for those looking to overcome typical obstacles in the purchase decision process.

Are you ready to take control of your contracts and unlock their full potential? Great, contact us today! With Zefort, contract management is simpler, smarter, and ready whenever you are.