Online fax seems to be growing by leaps and bounds, but many individuals still don’t realize how revolutionary this new faxing technology has been for the home office and for companies in general. Just as we have taken for granted the enormous revolutionary impact email has played in our daily routines, both in the workplace and in our personal lives, the same applies to this new technology. Unfortunately, online or email fax has often been placed in the same boat. This short article will look at some of the ways in which online fax has truly changed the modern workplace and deserves much more respect.
Online fax is simply a matter of using your current email system and your web connection to send and receive all your faxes. In order for it to work, you must first sign up to a third party provider or server, which acts on your behalf to handle all your faxing. These online fax service providers usually charge on average around $8 to $10 per month, and for that amount you get around 300 to 500 faxes (incoming and outgoing) each month. Rates and service plans do differ somewhat, so it does pay to shop around to get the best fax plan and service to perfectly match your needs.
Keep in mind, with these services, you get an online account where you can log in to send or receive your faxes. Your messages or faxes are sent as email attachments, usually in a Tif or Pdf file. Once you receive a fax, you will get a notification via email with the fax attached or you can log on to read the fax from your online account.
However, what most people don’t realize is the importance or significance of such a service and how it does truly revolutionize the workplace. Unlike a traditional fax machine which is confined to the office and business hours, an online fax service is completely portable and available around the clock, regardless of where you’re located. This offers any worker or business great freedom and can be truly liberating for all concerned.
Setting up or working from home, is much more easier with an online service because you don’t need to install a dedicated fax phone line and you don’t have to purchase a fax machine. Nor do you have the ongoing expense of buying all those inks, papers and toners. This makes running a home office or business much more cost-effective, especially when you consider the fact that these will be long-term expenses.
But perhaps the greatest benefit will come from the portability features, you can fax from anywhere at any time, as long as you’re connected to the web. Any portable device connected to the net, can be your virtual fax machine. This also means that your business is open and accessible 24/7, 365 days of the year. This can make any home office or business much more competitive and effective, even in these harsh economic times. This easy access and availability has truly revolutionized the modern workplace, making it much more flexible and feasible for everyone. What more could you ask for?
So are you or your company using an online fax service?