In today’s real estate industry, there is no place for outdated technology, and that includes the fax machine.
But isn’t this an article highlighting the need for realtors to use fax? Well yes, but online fax, not traditional analog fax.
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Real Estate Fax
The real estate industry is incredibly vulnerable to hackers and breaches of security. Without high security protocols or protection in place, a client’s private and confidential information could be accessed intentionally by unauthorized personnel with nefarious intentions, or unintentionally by leaving sensitive data lying in the fax tray.
As such, realtors are required to ensure their means and methods of communications are compliant with real estate industry standards, as well as ensure they follow best practice when it comes to security and privacy in their realtor business.
Failing to adhere to realtor best practice and the industry standards could leave you and your real estate business in hot water.
It could leave you open to:
• Disciplinary action
• Fines
• Criminal penalties
• Litigation lawsuits
The difference between traditional faxing and digital faxing
While the real estate industry has long relied on faxing to send and receive documents and data in a timely manner, the fax machine itself wasn’t designed with the modern workplace in mind.
It established itself as a workplace staple during a time when hackers weren’t prevalent – the traditional fax machine wasn’t built to withstand the rigors of a cybersecurity attack. As such they’re incredibly easy to access for anyone who knows how – they literally have an open door via your phone line anyone can gain entry to your IT network through.
Not to mention the frequent occurrences of simple data breaches when faxes aren’t immediately picked up and instead are left in the tray for anyone to have eyes on. Or faxes that are thrown in the garbage can rather than the shredding machine, for anyone to take out again.
It’s simply not possible to safeguard against all the instances of insecure faxes in a busy office.
Online cloud based faxing
To mitigate against a lawsuit waiting to happen, the real estate industry has been actively encouraging realtors to make the switch to online cloud based faxing.
Realtors and real estate businesses that don’t comply with the requisite security measures that will ensure all private communications with clients aren’t adhered to will be penalized, fined or worse, face a PR nightmare should any data breaches occur.
Besides safeguarding customers’ data, why else is online faxing necessary for realtors?
1. Embracing modern technology
Realtors handle clients’ sensitive data day in and day out – from inspection reports to credit checks, to issuing and processing invoices, handling references, requesting and submitting confidential financial and tax information.
In order to do these necessary activities, realtors are required to follow industry regulations that reduce the chance of a security breach when dealing with such confidential information.
Regulations require realtors to adopt a safe and secure method of sending and receiving, organizing and storing sensitive data, and non-compliance isn’t an option.
The solution for realtors?
Make the transition from analog faxing to online cloud faxing. You don’t need to buy any new hardware, you don’t need to get someone to come round to install it for you, you simply download an app such as iFax app, register and go.
2. Increases response time
In an industry that moves as quickly as real estate, you need to be able to send and receive pertinent information at the touch of a button.
From sending and receiving contracts to sharing photographs of your latest properties, online faxing enables realtors to quickly transfer documents without any hassle.
No more waiting in line for your turn at the fax machine, no more wondering if the whole message got sent, no more expensive faxing.
When you send faxes online, you send your faxes through secure email as an attachment making transferring of information convenient for busy realtors who are looking to close deals quickly and more efficiently.
3. Saves you money
Traditional faxing is a costly business. From having to purchase a fax machine to renting a phone line for it, to having the machine serviced annually. Then there’s the running costs – paper, toner and ink aren’t cheap.
When you’re trying to save money running your real estate business, letting go of old technology is one way to free up some cash.
Plus, when you fax online, you don’t need to print anything out so you’re doing the environment a favor too.
Why online faxing is necessary for realtors
So let your analog fax machine retire and embrace a new means of faxing – it’s more secure, cheaper and much more efficient, and that’s what realtors need.
