You may think that fax machines are already antiquated and a relic of the past. Yet this 180-year-old technology remains to be a preferred tool in healthcare and law enforcement agencies. However, traditional faxing may be ultimately inadequate in responding to your ever-growing business needs.
Hence, transitioning to online faxing is your next best step to streamline your document management workflow while enhancing workforce productivity. But before and after making the switch, there are more than a few things you need to factor in.
Here, we’ve gathered everything you need to know as you branch out from traditional fax machines to online fax services.
Limitations of Traditional Fax Machines
While faxing with a machine is still a fairly convenient method for document management, it’s bound by limitations and disadvantages. These are as follows.
Dependence on Physical Media
Fax machines require reams of physical paper to be printed and transmitted, which is time-consuming and unsustainable. Traditional faxing also requires bulky equipment and maintenance. If you’re considering sticking with the traditional way, note that the equipment is expensive to purchase, install, and repair.
Security Risks
Traditional fax machines transmit data over the public telephone network. Thus, it can be vulnerable to interception and hacking, posing a risk to sensitive information. Unauthorized access is another risk with faxing traditionally. If it falls into the wrong hands, it can adversely affect your business and give your company a bad name.
Slow Transmission Speeds
Faxing the old-fashioned way can take several minutes to transmit a single document, which can be frustrating and time-consuming. In addition, slow transmission means more time consumed with lesser paperwork fulfilled. If you are dealing with tons of documents each day, using a fax machine can make you counterproductive.
Limited Accessibility
Traditional fax machines fundamentally require a physical connection to a phone line. This makes them inaccessible to people who don’t have a dedicated fax line or who are on the move. In essence, you can only send faxes and manage your documents in the office. Unless you’re willing to bring the bulky equipment at home to work remotely.
Why Switch From Traditional Fax Machines to Online Fax Services?
There are several reasons why you should consider switching from traditional fax machines to online fax services, including:
Cost-effectiveness
Online fax services eliminate the need for physical equipment and maintenance, which can save you money in the long run. They also offer flexible pricing plans based on your usage, allowing you to pay only for what you need.
Environmentally Sustainable
Online fax services make it completely inessential to use paper jams and ink, making them more sustainable and eco-friendly. As more and more businesses shift digitally to support a global environmental cause, joining the trend couldn’t be more timely. Plus, switching to online faxing is cost-effective.
Higher Quality and Convenience
With internet-based faxing, you can enjoy higher resolution, making your documents clearer and easier to read. Online faxing also allows for the faster transmission of documents, saving you time and increasing efficiency.
Enhanced Security
With encryption and secure transmission protocols to protect your data, online faxing fosters an edge over its traditional counterpart security-wise. Several online fax providers like iFax also feature multiple layers of document security to ensure maximum data protection.
Increased Accessibility
Using an online faxing solution allows you to access your faxes anytime, anywhere with just an internet connection. Online faxing is doubtless more convenient and accessible for remote workers. Paperless solutions like iFax allow you to send large documents and unlimited pages without being charged exorbitant rates.
Improved Integration
Integration with other digital systems, such as email and cloud-based storage, is a tremendously worthy feature of online fax services. With it, it would be a lot easier for you to manage your documents and workflows sans the fax machine.
Factors to Consider When Switching to Online Faxing
Before officially making the transition, here’s everything you need to factor in to make an intelligent decision:
- Costs. Compare the costs of traditional fax machines to online faxing services. Determine how much you can afford and which service provides the best value for your money.
- Features. Consider what features are vital to you, such as faxing from a mobile device or integrating with other digital systems. Make sure the online faxing software you choose offers all the features you need.
- Security. When considering an online faxing service, it’s important to examine the security features they provide, such as encryption and secure transmission protocols. It’s vital that the service complies with all relevant industry security standards and regulations like HIPAA, GLBA, and GDPR.
- Reliability. It’s crucial to assess an online faxing platform’s reliability, including its uptime and technical support. Seek feedback from other users through reviews and ratings to gauge the software’s dependability.
- Ease of Use. Assess the user-friendliness of the online faxing service, including the user interface and set up process. Choose a tool that doesn’t necessitate extensive training or a certain level of technological savviness.
- Scalability. Consider the scalability of the online faxing solution. Pick a provider that can grow with your business and accommodate your changing needs over time.
- Customer Support. Check what customer support options the online faxing service offers, such as phone, email, or chat support. Make sure the service provides adequate customer support when you need it.
Best Practices When Switching From Traditional Faxing to Online Faxing
When switching from traditional faxing to online faxing, there are several best practices to keep in mind:
Assess Your Current Needs
Assess your current faxing needs, including the volume of faxes you send and receive, and the features you need. This will help you determine which online faxing solution is perfect for you and your organization.
Choose a Reliable Service
Invest in a paperless faxing provider with a reputation for reliability and uptime. Browse user reviews and ratings online to get an idea of the service’s performance. The switch to online faxing will be more worth it with the right provider.
Set up a Dedicated Fax Number
Set up a dedicated fax number with your online faxing service. This will ensure that your faxes are delivered to the right place and help you keep your communication organized.
Test the Service
Testing the online faxing service is necessary before fully committing to it. Send a few test faxes to make sure everything is working properly and that you are comfortable using the service.
Train Your Staff
Provide clear instructions and documentation to ensure everyone understands how to use the service properly. But ideally, your internet faxing provider should be user-friendly enough to only require minimal staff training.
Integrate with Other Systems
Integrate your online faxing service with other digital systems, such as email and cloud storage. This will make it easier to manage your documents and workflows and spend less time doing tedious administrative tasks.
Monitor Usage and Costs
To ensure you get the most out of your online faxing investment, monitor usage to assess cost-efficiency. Adjust your usage and pricing plan to optimize your costs and only pay for the times you use it for.
iFax: A Trusted Online Faxing Solution for Your Growing Business
In making the switch, choosing the right software is virtually the most important step. iFax is a trusted online faxing solution utilized and enjoyed by many companies and professionals. iFax fully complies with all industry standards and regulations, so you can ensure that your documents are binding and enforceable.
With iFax, you can save your high-level documents from interception and security breaches with our military-grade end-to-end encryption feature. Our user interface is also extolled for being easy to use and navigate through.
Moreover, you can enjoy other equally vital features such as integration with other document-sharing apps and a downloadable audit trail. You can also receive a real-time confirmation to track document progress and digitally archive records in centralized cloud-based storage.
You won’t regret making the switch to online fax. Sign up with iFax today and streamline your document workflow management.
