Do the younger people even know what a fax machine is? A lot of them don’t because they’re not nearly as popular as they used to be.
But despite being a relic of sorts from the past generation, a lot of businesses still find it very useful in conducting their business operations. That’s why you’ll still see some of them in offices.
They aren’t as widely used as they were, say 10 years ago, because sending documents over email or storing them on the cloud is much cheaper and more accessible.
For a long time, people believed that nothing could beat a good-old physical copy of stuff, especially on occasions that the security of the document is concerned.
This is especially important in some industries like healthcare and government, where the privacy of people is closely guarded.
That’s the reason Fax number provider like Telnum are providing a more modern version of this service to businesses: the internet fax.
What is an internet fax?
An internet fax is a more modern version of the fax machines you’ve been used to. Like its old counterpart, it lets you securely send documents to a specific number or person.
And the only way to view whatever was sent is by logging into a password-protected account.
And this method isn’t limited to sending over the phone as well. Learn how to fax without a fax machine with the steps listed below.
How does it work?
Instead of using telephone lines, you can send faxes using any gadget you’re already using, like smartphones or laptops. There are two ways that you can do this:
Method 1
- Install an app recommended by your fax provider on your phone.
- Scan the document using your phone’s camera.
- Send the scanned document.
Method 2
- Attach the document you want to send to an email.
- Type in the receiver’s fax number, followed by the domain name of the fax provider. (example: 123456789@faxprovider.com)
- Send the email.
Using an internet fax is very simple. It’s not so different from sending other non-fax documents over the internet!
5 Advantages of Internet Fax vs. Traditional Fax
We’re just coming right out and say it: internet fax is astronomically better for your business. And here are reasons you should switch right now:
1. It’s so much cheaper.
A primary concern for many businesses is always the cost. So if you’re worried about spending huge sums to set up stuff to get started, you won’t have that problem with this switch.
The sunk costs ( or the initial costs) of getting internet fax are so much smaller than with traditional fax. You’re not required to get any new equipment, something that easily drives costs up.
But that’s not the only way that this is cheaper:
- You don’t have to pay for equipment maintenance, which easily costs thousands of dollars per year.
- You don’t spend money on paper and ink because the transfer is done online.
- There are no additional charges for sending to far places.
2. It’s more secure
Some businesses don’t like sending documents over the internet because of security concerns when the truth is it’s far more secure.
By having internet fax for your business, you’ll get access to a secure and private network and have all your documents encrypted to keep them safe. Internet fax also protects sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.
That’s not all. You can be sure that only the people who are supposed to see what you faxed can gain access to them because nothing’s printed. If someone sends you something and you’re not around, no one will accidentally see what was sent to you.
3. Access faxed documents wherever you are
You don’t have to be right beside the fax machine to get the documents. So even when you’re on a business trip, you can access important documents right away.
And faxing is just as easy because you can just upload the document then send it. That way, you don’t miss out on anything or delay sending important stuff wherever you are in the world.
4. It’s more flexible
Because there are no sunk costs, you can easily opt-out of the service whenever you like. You can get a package tailored to your needs, so you don’t pay for faxing 1,000 pages per month when you only fax 50 on average.
So no matter the business size, internet fax will be feasible and beneficial.
5. It’s environment-friendly
There are two ways that you’re helping the environment through internet fax: by reducing electricity consumption and by using less paper.
Consumers are also more conscious now of where they get products and services. So going green does not only help the environment. It also helps you get more customers.
If your business still uses fax machines, it’s time to try an internet fax. We highly encourage this, especially for smaller businesses that don’t receive a lot of fax messages.
The modern alternative doesn’t come with exorbitant initial costs and is easily scalable, so you get all the benefits without going over budget.