Computershare > Corporate Trust > Blog
Whether your transactions are simple or complex, your escrow agent's focus should be on supporting your needs and safekeeping your most valuable assets. You need to be confident that your escrow agent understands your priorities and will get your deal done efficiently and on time. In my previous blog, "Choose the Right Escrow Agent to Mitigate Your Risks", I shared the importance of using an escrow agent to protect your transaction, and questions to ask when selecting one. In this blog, I'll cover how innovation and integration are essential attributes in a trusted escrow partner.
Assess whether your agent is innovating
When I'm selecting a new product, a laptop or smartphone for example, I want to know the vendor I've chosen knows their market and offers the latest and greatest in technology and innovation. How disappointing is it to buy what you think is a best-in-class product only to see a competing brand with better design and features? It says something about both vendors and where they stand in their industry and the market.
In the world of escrow, I've seen transaction structures and stakeholder requests change over the years — with cross-border capabilities, currency conversion, and electronic and global payments all now standard services. Your escrow agent should have these capabilities and the global presence to keep pace. Continuous improvements to technology and innovative solutions are key to keeping up with client needs, and you want to know that your escrow agent is in step with industry advancements. The future of escrow is technology that enables you to quickly access and manage information such as transaction details, account statements, and payment status when you need it.
At Computershare, our global escrow team is very familiar with managing escrows for all types of transactions. We serve a diverse client base, including major corporations in the private and public sectors, as well as governments and institutions. In my role, I take great pride in working with clients to bring new ideas and creative solutions to life — be it unique payment options or specific tracking features — and ensuring their transactions run smoothly.
Look for a proven one-stop shop partner
Along with offering global capabilities and electronic payment options, the escrow agent is frequently called upon to make large distributions to multiple recipients, often hundreds at a time. In these instances, our teams at Computershare can also serve as paying agent with deep experience in the distribution of payments related to a transaction, project, or service agreement. Our ability to wear both the escrow and paying agent "hats” provides our clients with the flexibility needed for closing their transaction and streamlines the process of issuing post-closing distributions.
Could you benefit from using an escrow AND paying agent to achieve your project needs? Or for implementing a new funding payment structure for your transaction? Working with one agent can take the burden of managing multiple large volume payments off your hands, as well as having to coordinate with multiple vendors, allowing you to focus on other transaction specifics. More importantly, working with a provider that has integrated capabilities will save you time and give you the confidence that your deals will be executed with precision — freeing you up to focus on even more strategic objectives.
Is your current escrow provider up to the task or do you have future needs that may require more robust escrow and paying agent solutions? For more information about how Computershare can help, reach out to me directly at Alessandra.Pansera@computershare.com or to your local Computershare contact.
The material contained herein is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice or opinion. Computershare does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the material contained herein and such material should not be relied upon. "Computershare" refers to Computershare Canada Inc. and its affiliates.
© 2021 Computershare Trust Company of Canada.