| Standard fax machines are great tools to have in the | | | | Online faxing, which is sometimes referred to as |
| office, but an increasing number of business | | | | "Internet faxing", uses the power of the Internet to |
| enterprises now prefer to fax and receive documents | | | | send and receive faxes, often as email attachments. |
| using their computers instead. This trims down | | | | Such faxing services normally require a monthly |
| investment costs because the need to invest in fax | | | | membership fee, and members are allowed to receive |
| machines is averted. Expenses on fax paper is also | | | | and send a predetermined number of faxes per |
| kept low as all documents can be read on screen. | | | | month. If your company has an international client?, |
| Broadly speaking, there are two ways to make | | | | then online faxing is an excellent choice because it is |
| computers operate as fax machines as well. | | | | inexpensive when compared to the other methods of |
| (a) Using Faxing Software. | | | | faxing. |
| (b) Online Faxing Services. | | | | More often than not, it is not necessary to install any |
| Using Faxing Software | | | | proprietary software, as literally all of these services |
| If your existing computer has a dial-up modem, then all | | | | are web-based. This means faxes are sent or |
| that is needed to turn it into a fax machine is to install a | | | | received by accessing the service provider's website. |
| fax software. Such programs can easily integrate | | | | Some of the key advantages of Internet faxing are: |
| seamlessly with many common applications such as | | | | (a) faxes can be sent or received anywhere in |
| Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Adobe | | | | theworld an internet service is available; |
| Photoshop, and they are very easy to use. | | | | (b) fax tracking features; and |
| If you leave the computer and modem on, it can also | | | | (c) bulk faxing (sending faxes to multiple recipientsvia a |
| receive faxes. Faxes received are all stored in the | | | | single transmission). |
| computer hard disk and can be retrieved at any time. | | | | However, like everything else, online faxing service |
| This can reduce paper wastage significantly because | | | | quality differs between different providers. Hence, |
| you can view the fax on the screen and delete those | | | | there is a need to pick the best service provider which |
| you don't want. In contrast, ordinary fax machine prints | | | | can meet the needs of your company. Here are some |
| out everything it receives. | | | | important factors to take into consideration when |
| Virtually all fax softwares are now sold online, and | | | | screening a service provider: |
| buyers can download it immediately. Installation is | | | | * Quality of customer support service. |
| usually very straight forward and rarely requires any | | | | * Reliability of faxing service. |
| technical knowledge. | | | | * User friendly interface. |
| Many of them are sold as sharewares, meaning you | | | | * Pricing. |
| can use it legally for a specified period of time without | | | | * Number of allowed faxes to be sent or received |
| having to pay anything. If you want to continue using it | | | | permonth. |
| after the specified period expires, then you need to | | | | Many of these online fax service providers do offer |
| purchase a license. Otherwise, you need to uninstall the | | | | free trials. It is advisable to sign up for these trials to |
| program from your computer. | | | | evaluate their customer service support quality and |
| Online Faxing Services | | | | also the ease by which to send or receive faxes. |
