Category: Fax
If you run a fully digital office, you will probably be amazed to learn that fax machines are still being used all around the world. While some businesses see it as an outdated technology, others continue to find it a useful tool to have in the office.
You might be surprised to learn that a country like Japan, which has been at the forefront of tech advances in the last 50 years, still uses fax a lot. One business tried to make the switch away from fax to more modern methods of online purchasing and found their order numbers suddenly plummeted. In Japan, written communication via fax doesn’t look like disappearing anytime soon.
According to the Telegraph, our own NHS is one of the biggest purchasers of new fax machines in the world today. There’s thought to be some 9,000 machines being used in the organisation. In fact, some 20% of businesses in the UK still use a fax machine.
Why Businesses Still Use Fax Machines
There are a number of reasons why many businesses find it safer and more convenient to stick with the fax than more modern methods. The first is reliability. You don’t have to worry that the recipient has the right software to open a particular file. The document can be sent and essentially printed out at the other end of the telephone line.
Businesses also assume that faxing is more secure than email or other online communication and that they are not at risk of being ‘hacked’. Data can still be pulled off fax machines and you may be putting customer data at risk if the fax is appearing in an office where people can view by walking by. Despite that, many businesses trust it more if sending sensitive information.
Businesses often like faxing because they get proof that the transmission has been received and that makes it important for many official types of communication. However, it’s also quite convenient – the humble fax machine is simple to use and is relatively cost-effective.
Why Fax to Email Makes Sense
With at least some businesses still using faxes, should your company invest in a fax machine? The good news is that you don’t have to. It can cost to maintain a fax machine and, if you have an old one, it is sometimes unreliable. There’s also the probability that you have to run an analogue line which can cost extra for your business.
Ideally, you don’t want to narrow your options if you have a customer who wants to use faxing as a method of communication. The solution is to use fax to email which basically converts this type of communication for the digital age. You can send and receive faxes via a web page and have this routed to your email.
This gives you the best of both worlds. You are able to provide your services to businesses that want to use faxes without having to get a machine installed on the premises.
If you want to find out more about a fax to email facility for your business, contact our expert team at Futuretel today.