IS IT TIME TO RETIRE YOUR FAX MACHINE?
Are you still using your trusty old fax machine to conduct business without stopping to ask if it is really the best tool for the job? Yes, fax machines have been a trusty staple in the office since the late 80s, but we have all since retired our Reebok Pumps and shoulder pads, so is it also time we retired our fax machines?
The answer might not be so clear cut for some businesses whose clients still insist on sending contracts via fax. They believe the system to be more secure than email. However, email can be secure if encrypted properly, whereas fax transmissions can be intercepted and decoded. There is such a thing as fax to email, ask us if you would like more information on this.
Another thing to take note of is that with the NBN arriving, you can’t have a phone line on an NBN line. Good old ADSL would co-exist with a phone line, but the newer VDSL standard that is rolling out with fibre to the node is Internet Only. In essence, where NBN is rolling out they will supply your phone line as a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) straight out of the router. Faxing over this line is largely not compatible.
Also remember that fax machines can be large and take up a lot of valuable space in a small office setup. If your clients can’t move away from sending you faxes, consider a Fax to Email solution. They can still send faxes and you can send them from email.