|
||
But what exactly is online faxing and why has it become so popular so quickly?
Simply put, Internet fax is using your email system and the web to send and receive all your faxes. First, you have to sign-up to an online fax service provider which acts as an intermediary to handle all your faxing. You are given your own local or Toll-Free fax number and your faxes are sent as email attachments, usually in TIFF or PDF format.
You can send your faxes in several different ways, you can logon to your fax service account (interface) where your faxes are stored and send your faxes from there. Some fax services have a desktop application for faxing or you can use your own email program. Plus you can still use a traditional fax machine to send and/or receive your faxes.
More and more individuals are dishing the old fax machine in favor of their computer and the Internet. Many faxes are now simply sent and received by computers via the web - bringing this common business task into the modern age.
Here are five super reasons why online faxing has become so popular:
1. Convenience
Online fax is very convenient to use because it is paperless and inkless. Because there are no more paper jams or messy inks to fool around with - it is quick and fast. Creating your faxes can also be more expedient because you can prepare them on your computer and then quickly send them without bothering with the old traditional fax machine.
2. Accessibility
Your faxes are accessible anywhere, anytime. Since it is web based, your faxes are available wherever you have Internet access and these days that's just about everywhere. Plus, your old faxes can be stored online or on your computer, so you can access them at any time, whether it is yesterday's fax or one from last month.
3. Security
Internet faxing is more secure than the traditional way of faxing. Your faxes can be sent encrypted over the web and only you can access them. Unlike the old fax machine, where anyone can read your faxes, online faxing does offer a great deal more privacy.
4. Easy to Use
Sending a fax is as easy as sending an email. You simply attach your fax as a TIFF or PDF file. Viewing your faxes is as easy as reading any PDF file on your computer. Plus, all your old faxes can be stored and ready for your use at any time.
5. Cost-Effective
Perhaps, one of the major reasons online faxing has become so popular, is because of the low price. Internet faxing is much cheaper than the old way of faxing - you don't need all that paper, inks and toners which you have to constantly keep in stock with a regular office machine. Plus, you don't need an extra phone line since all your transactions take place over the Internet. Online fax services are relatively inexpensive, monthly plans run for around $4 to $15 a month, depending on your faxing requirements. If your faxing is very minimum, you can get a simple plan for around $20 a year.
Some of the major online fax providers are: eFax®, MyFax, RingCentral, TrustFax, Faxage, MetroFax, RapidFax, Send2Fax... among others. Since this is an on-going business expense, it pays to do your homework now before you sign-up so that you get the right service to perfectly match your needs. It can result in major savings, especially over the long haul.
Regardless of which service or plan you choose, perhaps another underlying reason why Internet fax has become so popular has to do with competitiveness. If your business or company depends on faxing to bring in sales, to deliver orders, to attract new clients, or just for quick business communication; then using a faxing system that's available 24/7, no matter where you're located does make any business more competitive than some one not using this service. In this present business climate and in our "dog-eat-dog" commercial environment; you do need every advantage you can muster. Can you or your company afford NOT to use online fax, that is the real question you have to ask?
It's your call!
Since it is web based, you can access your faxes wherever you have Internet access and these days that's just about everywhere on the planet. It completely liberates you from the old fax machine since you're no longer tied down to just receiving and sending your faxes from the office. With Internet fax all your faxing is totally mobile; you can send and receive your faxes on cell phones, PDAs, laptops... or any portable device with an Internet connection.
If your business heavily depends upon faxing for sales orders, customer and employee communications... then it is very easy to understand why having a completely mobile faxing system will make your company more competitive. It will increase your sales and make your business much more productive, especially if faxing is one of your most widely used marketing tools.
Just imagine, no more lost sales or customers because of busy signals, paper jams or because no one was in the office to catch that timely fax that needed your immediate attention. Not to mention, how important online faxing will benefit your business if you have traveling sales staff or workers operating in the field where fast communication is essential to the smooth running of your business.
Plus, you have to add in the fact that online faxing is much more secure than regular faxing since your faxes can be encrypted and no one has to see them but you. You can also securely store your faxes for later retrieval - even months after you received them.
Online fax will make your company more competitive and keep it competitive in this dog-eat-dog business world. This has even greater significance when you consider today's harsh economic climate; every company or business needs every little advantage it can muster. Internet faxing will give your business that competitive edge and it can even take your company to the next level.
Most of the online fax service providers have corporate faxing plans and are completely scalable for any business. You can scale up your faxing numbers/lines as your business requires it. You can easily tool up or tool down depending on how your business is going. You can also do fax broadcasting, where hundreds or even thousands of faxes are sent out to your clients simultaneously.
In order to use web or email fax, you have to first sign-up to an online fax service which will give you a local or Toll-Free fax number which you can send out to all your contacts. You are also given an online site (interface) where you can access your faxes. You can simply login to send or receive your faxes. You can also store your faxes in this online account. Your faxes are sent thru your email as an attachment, usually in TIFF or PDF format.
Fax services usually charge around 10 dollars a month, but each company has slightly different faxing plans and prices so it pays to do your homework since you can save significant money over the long haul. Remember, this is an ongoing business expense so shop around and find the best program to perfectly match your own faxing requirements.
One factor you have to always keep in mind, even if you're not using Internet fax, your competitors are probably already using it. Can you really afford to give them this competitive advantage over your business? Can you really afford not to use online fax is the question you have to be asking?
It's your call.