Have you ever read all the terms and conditions before checking the “I have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions” box? Yeah, me neither (but Richard Dreyfuss has). Let’s be honest – most contracts and agreements are about as readable as ancient Sumerian tablets, and far less interesting.
But here’s a wild thought: What if all contracts could be as straightforward as ordering a pizza?
When you text “Large pepperoni, extra cheese,” and the pizza place responds, “That’ll be $18.99, 30 mins,” guess what? You just made a legally binding contract! No 50-page document required, no Latin phrases, no “party of the first part” nonsense.
The Evolution of Simple Contracts
Speaking of making contracts more accessible, here’s a fun fact that would make Perry Mason’s head spin: Some companies are now using comic-book-style illustrated contracts that are completely valid under U.S. law. While we’re not going that route (our artistic skills are better spent on network diagrams), it shows how the legal world is finally embracing clarity over complexity.
Breaking Free from Contract Cryptography
In the legal world, there’s an old saying that contracts come in two flavors: those you understand but wouldn’t sign and those you sign but couldn’t understand if your life depended on it. It’s like choosing between a paper cut and a stubbed toe – neither option is particularly appealing.
At Summit Technology, we’re part of a revolution in business contracts that’s about as radical as switching from BlackBerry to iPhone in 2007 (RIP physical keyboards). We believe contracts should be as clear as a cloudless day in the Sahara. Every agreement we create follows the “Explain it to Your Grandmother” test – if she can’t understand it, we rewrite it.
How We Keep It Real
Our agreements are written by the same folks who deliver our services – imagine that! Sure, our lawyers still review them (they need something to do), but we follow the American Bar Association’s “A Manual of Style for Contract Drafting” guidelines to keep everything crystal clear and legally sound.
Here’s what makes our agreements different:
- No mysterious legal word salad
- Written by normal people, for ordinary people
- Clear responsibilities and expectations
- No cryptic SLAs that are always written in our favor
Real-World Examples That Won’t Make Your Eyes Glaze Over
Instead of: “The party of the first part (hereinafter referred to as ‘The Provider’) hereby covenants, warrants, and unconditionally guarantees to undertake all reasonable and/or necessary actions, procedures, protocols, and/or methodologies, without limitation, to maintain, support, service, repair, upgrade, modify, and/or otherwise ensure the continued operation of all technological infrastructure, including but not limited to hardware, software, networking equipment, cables, connectors, peripherals, and ancillary components as specifically delineated, enumerated, and explicitly outlined in Appendix A (see subsections 1. a through 1.z.iv), pursuant to industry-standard best practices and in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines that may now or hereafter be promulgated, enacted, or otherwise brought into force…”
We simply say: “We’ll keep your systems up and running, respond promptly, and resolve problems with Great Service!”
Clarity Equals Great Customer Experiences
Here’s something you don’t hear every day – we actually want you to read our contracts!
When clients point out unclear language, we treat it like finding a bug in software code. We fix it, update it, and make it better for everyone. Think of it as crowd-sourced contract optimization (minus the blockchain buzzwords).
After years of refining our approach, our contracts have been battle-tested in the most important court of all—the real world. They’ve helped us build stronger relationships with our clients because everyone knows exactly what to expect. There are no surprises, no confusion, just clear communication and great service.
Technology is already full of incomprehensible terms and acronyms. Being clear and straightforward isn’t just good ethics—it’s good business and a much-improved customer experience. And that’s a contract we can all agree on.
What do you think about our approach to contracts? Please don’t hesitate to drop me a line—I promise my response will be in plain English!
Dave Carlson
Technologist
Economist
Champion of Remarkable Customer Experiences
CEO – Summit Technology
