In today's stringent legal and compliance landscape, staying on top of your contract lifecycle management (CLM) has become more important than ever before. Whether you're fine-tuning your processes or just getting started with contract lifecycle management, having practical, actionable insights can make a world of difference.
In this blog post, we're bringing you key strategies from our conversation with Isha Jha, the Legal and Compliance Head for India and the Subcontinent at LIXIL. You'll discover how to enhance cross-functional collaboration, streamline the approval processes, manage change effectively, and prioritize the right features in your tool for effective CLM. By the end of this article, you'll have a solid set of insights to help elevate your CLM approach, no matter what size or type of team you're working with.
Enhancing cross-functional collaboration
One of Isha’s key insights was the importance of breaking down silos between teams. In many organizations, departments such as legal, procurement, and finance often operate in isolation, slowing down the overall CLM process. Having open communication channels helps these teams build a more connected and efficient workflow.
Isha emphasized that a shared platform for contract management plays a crucial role in fostering this collaboration. It brings all stakeholders onto a single interface, ensuring transparency, accountability, and real-time visibility into CLM operations. When teams work together in this way, they not only accelerate contract cycles but also strengthen alignment across business functions.
Streamlining the approval processes
In many organizations, a common challenge is that risk mitigation and governance, while essential, can sometimes slow down business efficiency. For instance, thresholds set at a global, regional, or country level often determine who needs to sign a contract. Likewise, certain clauses, such as indemnity or payment terms, can trigger stricter approval hierarchies to ensure proper oversight.
Isha emphasized that the solution is about balancing governance with efficiency. By applying the maker-checker principle and defining clear workflows for authoring, reviewing, and approving contracts, organizations can reduce errors and avoid bottlenecks. This approach ensures that governance standards are upheld without sacrificing the efficiency needed to achieve business goals.
Effective change management in contract workflows
Change management isn't about introducing a new system; it’s about guiding people through the transition. Isha emphasized that a successful transition requires proper planning, support, and training. Clear timelines, dedicated resources, and proactive communication ensure a smoother process. She pointed to scenarios like mergers and acquisitions, where structured change management is critical to aligning diverse teams under a unified contract process. The takeaway was to anticipate resistance, plan thoroughly, and support people at every step.
Technology adoption based on CLM maturity
Technology is a key enabler, but Isha reminds us that CLM maturity evolves in stages. Organizations typically progress from basic contract storage to automation, and eventually to advanced analytics and AI-driven insights. Importantly, not every organization follows the same path; requirements vary based on size, industry, and regulatory environment. As she put it, " “You don’t need every feature on day one. Focus on where you are in the maturity journey, and build from there.”
Her advice to contract management teams is to prioritize tools that fulfill their most pressing needs, be it approval automation, collaboration-dashboards, or clause level insights. The goal isn’t just adopting technology, but adopting it thoughtfully.
Key considerations for first-time CLM implementers
For organizations implementing CLM for the first time, Isha offered practical guidance:
Align it with needs: Select a tool that matches your business needs, budget, and workflows rather than forcing teams to adapt.
Plan for scalability: Ensure the platform can grow as your business expands.
Prioritize training: Equip teams with the knowledge to use the system effectively.
Her advice:
“When implementing CLM for the first time, remember: the tool should adapt to your workflows, not the other way around.”
By keeping these in mind, first-time adopters can set themselves up for long-term success.
Practical takeaways
Isha’s insights boil down to actionable principles: Foster collaboration across functions, keep approval hierarchies lean but effective, treat change management as a structured process, adopt technology progressively and with purpose, and plan carefully when implementing CLM for the first time.
Contract management isn’t just about documents and signatures; it’s about aligning people, processes, and technology. By embracing these principles, organizations can navigate complexity with confidence and set themselves up for long-term success.
The message is clear: contract management is a journey. Start small, stay collaborative, and evolve your approach as your organization grows.
At Zoho, we believe contract management should be simple, collaborative, and future-ready. Zoho Contacts helps businesses streamline the contract lifecycle, mitigate business risks, and promote cross-functional collaboration. With it's comprehensive; yet easy to use features, it empowers organizations to scale their contract processes with confidence.
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