How Do I Use An Online Fax Service?
Online or Internet fax has become an extremely popular
service on the web. It is being used by more and more
businesses and individuals who want a more mobile and
a more secure way of faxing. Yet, many people still don’t
know exactly how online faxing actually works.
Like anything that is relatively new, it will probably take
a while before this convenient service is widely known
in the general population. Perhaps, the greatest stumbling
block is that most people are so familiar with faxing via
the old facsimile machine in the office; getting their
heads around using the web for faxing will take some
time.
However, just like email revolutionized how we send and
receive our mail, so too has online fax revolutionized how
we send and receive our faxes. Internet faxing is simply
the more modern way to fax.
Actually, these two new communication methods are closely
intertwined since online fax is basically using your email
system and your Internet connection to do all your faxing.
You send and receive your faxes as email attachments
usually in TIFF or PDF format.
Remember, in order to use online fax you have to sign-up
to an Internet fax service provider who will act as your
intermediary to handle all your faxing. You will receive
a local or Toll-Free number which you can give out to
all your contacts. There is no need for an extra fax phone
line. You will also receive an online site (account) where
you can logon and do your faxing. Your faxes are also stored
in this online account.
However, what confuses many people is the fact that you
can send/receive your online faxes in many different ways
including through the old traditional office machine. Your
fax service will act as your intermediary to intercept
your faxes coming from an ordinary fax machine and
direct them to your online fax account.
You can also get desktop applications which will allow
you to directly fax from your desktop. Most services will
work with Windows Outlook and Windows Office. Finally, most
services will let you send a fax by just sending an email,
i.e. destination number(at)yourfaxservice.com - It doesn’t
get any easier than this.
Each fax service has slightly different procedures
and methods so you have to become familiar with your
chosen service. Also, each service will have different
faxing rates and monthly fees, but most charge around
$10 a month. There are less expensive services out there
so it pays to shop around, especially when you consider
this is a long term ongoing business expense.
The main reason why email or online faxing has become
so popular is the total freedom it gives you. Since it
is web based, you can send and receive a fax anywhere,
anytime, as long as you have Internet access. You can
use any mobile device such as a cell phone or laptop to
do all your faxing. It totally frees you from being tied
down to the old fax machine in the office.
Plus, your faxes can be encrypted so it is much more
secure than the traditional way of faxing. And no one
but you has to see your faxes since you have your
own private access to your account. This is important
if you have faxes of a sensitive nature which you want
to keep private.
Lastly, another major reason online fax has become so
popular, most faxing services are completely scalable
for businesses. You can upsize or downsize depending
on your company’s requirements or needs. In this uncertain
economy, having this flexibility is a major plus.
If you’re not using an online fax service you may just
be losing out on one of the most convenient ways of doing
business. You really do need it if your business depends
heavily on faxing for bringing in new sales and clients;
besides you may be falling behind your competition who are
probably already using this new more mobile way of faxing.
Can you afford not to use Internet fax?
It’s your call?
…
For more information on Internet Fax Services use this
handy online Comparison Guide to get your own: online fax
Or if you want more detailed information on Internet Faxing
try here: internet fax services.
Titus Hoskins Copyright © 2009. This article may be freely
distributed if this resource box stays attached.
