Since the time of the invention of the facsimile machine in 1846 by Alexander Bain, the equipment has certainly come a long way. Called a telefax machine, it was a gadget regarded as useful as the telephone which was invented 11 years before. Long a standard in the modern office, the fax equipment has gone through a number of upgrades including thermal paper to plain paper you could buy at any office supply company, speed upgrades in the technology and decrease in overall machine size.
Just like with everything else, the fax machine was soon replaced by smaller and more efficient models, and later still was replaced by internet fax services that don’t require any machinery or paper to sent faxes.
While a lot of people still make use of the fax machines at the office, there are already many individuals who turn to online fax services that no longer require both paper and equipment, but faxes are sent or received as PDF files, and could effortlessly be stored and printed. Online services vary in quality and reliability so if you are thinking about changing over, you’ll want to do some research in order to get the best service for your money. Most services are inexpensive, but that isn’t the only thing you need to worry about.
Some things to look for when transitioning to an online service include the following:
Would you be able to send and receive faxes via email - This is crucial because you would surely like to be notified when a fax has arrived, and further than that you want to have the easiest method of accessing the fax. If a fax comes in via email, you should have a PDF attachment which is readable in different platforms.
Exclusive facsimile number offered - Just like your fax line in your office, you should be able to obtain a unique telephone number that customers and clients can use to fax to you. Where you had a dedicated fax line in your workplace, you ought to have a number that is local to your location and distinctive to your company.
Multiple email address delivery - having a fax service that offers delivery to multiple email addresses enables you to be more effective and cuts back on forwarding or mistakes being made in vital information delivery.
Free trial to try out the service - Services that offer a free trial are usually your best choice. Being able to try out the service would allow you to determine the type of extras and services that you would like. It will also allow you to ascertain if the service is right for you.
Message archival services - while fax to email services are great, only the really good ones tend to offer message archival services as part of the package. This service is necessary in case something goes wrong on the email delivery or you need to retrieve the fax again at a later date.
The mentioned options are all worth trying out but don’t forget to compare the services, and also lookup various reviews from people. One of the best signs of customer satisfaction is the length of time that the customer subscribed to the service. If most of the service’s customers have been with them for a long time, then it might just be the right online fax service for you.
Just like with everything else, the fax machine was soon replaced by smaller and more efficient models, and later still was replaced by internet fax services that don’t require any machinery or paper to sent faxes.
While a lot of people still make use of the fax machines at the office, there are already many individuals who turn to online fax services that no longer require both paper and equipment, but faxes are sent or received as PDF files, and could effortlessly be stored and printed. Online services vary in quality and reliability so if you are thinking about changing over, you’ll want to do some research in order to get the best service for your money. Most services are inexpensive, but that isn’t the only thing you need to worry about.
Some things to look for when transitioning to an online service include the following:
Would you be able to send and receive faxes via email - This is crucial because you would surely like to be notified when a fax has arrived, and further than that you want to have the easiest method of accessing the fax. If a fax comes in via email, you should have a PDF attachment which is readable in different platforms.
Exclusive facsimile number offered - Just like your fax line in your office, you should be able to obtain a unique telephone number that customers and clients can use to fax to you. Where you had a dedicated fax line in your workplace, you ought to have a number that is local to your location and distinctive to your company.
Multiple email address delivery - having a fax service that offers delivery to multiple email addresses enables you to be more effective and cuts back on forwarding or mistakes being made in vital information delivery.
Free trial to try out the service - Services that offer a free trial are usually your best choice. Being able to try out the service would allow you to determine the type of extras and services that you would like. It will also allow you to ascertain if the service is right for you.
Message archival services - while fax to email services are great, only the really good ones tend to offer message archival services as part of the package. This service is necessary in case something goes wrong on the email delivery or you need to retrieve the fax again at a later date.
The mentioned options are all worth trying out but don’t forget to compare the services, and also lookup various reviews from people. One of the best signs of customer satisfaction is the length of time that the customer subscribed to the service. If most of the service’s customers have been with them for a long time, then it might just be the right online fax service for you.
