Step away from the fax machine! You want your business to be the most efficient it can be, right? So why then, in 2023, are companies still using the ancient fax machine?
Whether it is online faxing or punching buttons into a groaning machine, we have 12 reasons why your company should stop using fax today and switch to a cloud-based electronic signature system instead.
Many of the world’s top companies, including Apple, have already latched onto Signeasy – will you?
1. It’s 2023 – time to get with the times The fax system was originally adopted as a way of getting signed bits of paper over to different offices at a time when we still used dial-up technology.
(Does anyone else remember that screeching, beeping sound as our landline phones connected to our computers?)
We need to stop using fax and live in the now You might be surprised to know that the humble fax machine was actually invented in 1846, when Alexander Bain found a way to reproduce graphic signs using chemical mechanical fax-type devices. This concept was developed by many others that brought faxing into the 21st century, aided by the Xerox Corporation discovering how to transmit facsimiles over the telephone.
And yet, not much has changed since then.
Online fax systems came about as an online progression from the fax machine, but the hassles remain the same. These online platforms simply tried to link up two existing systems – fax and email – and make them work.
Electronic Signature systems (also known as e-signatures) like Signeasy , on the other hand, have been designed specifically for the modern age.
As more and more countries recognize Electronic Signatures as legally binding, fax is definitely on the way out and is being replaced by Electronic Signatures.
Online fax systems are a sweet novelty, but not practical for everyday use In order for you to send an online fax to your client, they need to have a traditional fax machine or online fax system. What if they don’t? What do you do then?
Any modern system that requires you to email another email ID that then sends it to a fax system that your client needs to have in order for it to be sent is madness.
Also, if you send a fax, you may still get a busy signal! Sure, the online fax systems can auto-send them for you, but why risk the delay?
2. Online fax systems rely on email attachments Email attachments rely on you putting lots of processes in place to ensure one single document gets signed by the relevant parties.
You need to open your fax as an email attachment before storing and archiving it. Let’s break down the steps required to upload and send an email attachment to an online fax system:
You find the file in your system You sign it (usually in Word format) You upload it to your email, write a message, and send The email recipient needs to download it, sign it, and then save it in a new format (usually as PDF) The email recipient then needs to send it back to you You then store it on your online fax cloud. If there is more than one signee, this process needs to be multiplied. Doesn’t that seem a bit disjointed?
Online fax systems are slow. Why should you have to go through the hassle of attaching files and waiting for large files to upload to the email?
3. Fax makes multi-person signing complicated With an online fax system, you are unable to request for a documents to be signed by multiple signees at the same time.
You can only send an individual copy of the same document to multiple recipients. That’s not of much use to you, is it?
While we’re at it, can the online fax system remind other signees that their signature is pending? No, but Signeasy can.
With Signeasy , you won’t have to sit around waiting for everyone to sign on the dotted line. Just sayin’!
4. Online fax systems are security risks Some businesses argue that the reason they love fax is because it provides a document receipt confirmation, a bit like sending registered mail.
This argument makes sense, but again, you always receive confirmation with Signeasy too. Signeasy sends you an email notification with a verified email address, IP address, and even a timestamp.
Plus, Signeasy offers a quick-glance feature to track the progress of all your documents in your own personal web or mobile dashboard.
With constant follow-ups, your recipients can no longer use the excuse that they never received the documents!
Any documents you send and store with Signeasy are encrypted using SSL. There is no danger of critical data getting into the wrong hands. Using e-signature software is more secure than sending email attachments.
5. You're limited to certain file formats Why can’t the online fax system accept all file formats?
Online fax systems still promote Microsoft® Word®, but an increasing number of businesses are choosing to use shareable cloud-based formats like Google Docs. Some documents that need to be signed aren’t even traditional Word® or PDF formats these days. Designs might need to be signed off on too – and everyone uses different file formats.
Signeasy accepts a multitude of formats, converting each one into a secure PDF by default:
PDF MS-Office (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt) OpenOffice (.odt, .ods,. odp) Text (.txt) HTML Rich Text Format (.rtf) CSV Images (.jpg, .bmp, .png, .tiff) 6. Templates are the future Most online fax systems don’t allow you to use existing templates that can be amended accordingly and shared with your recipients.
That isn’t very user-friendly, is it? Don’t you want to save time by using a document that you can quickly amend and send, amend and send? We know you do, which is why Signeasy lets you do just that.
7. Fax usually still relies on paper In the US alone, Gartner estimates that $22 billion to $32 billion is spent every year on simply filing, storing, and accessing paper.
Online fax systems pretend they are a paperless solution, yet you find that they still promote printers. The most efficient companies are making every effort to go paperless, so why are we still looking at printers?
8. Fax cannot highlight places for signing Electronic Signatures let you highlight the fields and sections that need to be annotated, whether the signer needs to add dates, notes, initials, or signatures. You can't do that with traditional faxed paper.
What’s more, with Signeasy , you have the power to fully customize the location of these annotations within each document.
9. Fax needs you to be online or in the office Online fax systems are only now starting to figure out that modern business is constantly on the move – and needs a solution that can be taken on the move as well.
While some online fax systems are now developing mobile apps, they aren’t particularly useful if you need to simply self-sign a document in person.
Electronic Signatures don’t need you to be online, or even at your desk. You can keep your office documents in your pocket with our mobile and tablet-friendly apps (iOS and Android ).
Even if you are offline, you can still collect e-signatures with Signeasy ! 10. Fax complicates your company's user access With online fax systems, you usually have to set up the system so that your employees all have their own individual fax number.
That’s just another number to add to the endless list of things that clients and colleagues alike need to know.
11. Fax leads to bad customer experience Transitioning away from fax and embracing modern communication methods significantly enhances the customer experience. By utilizing channels such as email, live chat, social media, and messaging apps, businesses can engage with customers instantly and address their inquiries or concerns in real-time. These prompt interactions foster customer satisfaction and loyalty, granting immediate access to support and information. In contrast, fax communication's manual processes and delays result in slower response times that can negatively impact customer satisfaction. Digital communication methods offer faster response times, enabling businesses to receive and reply to messages instantly. The digital accessibility of customer information allows for more personalized and tailored service, effectively meeting customer needs. Furthermore, automation features within digital communication tools streamline customer support workflows, optimizing service quality and introducing self-service options. Ultimately, these improvements in communication efficiency and service quality enhance the overall customer experience.
12. Does not enable future-proofing communication infrastructure Transitioning away from fax and embracing digital communication technologies is crucial for future-proofing your company's communication infrastructure. By adopting modern communication methods, such as cloud-based platforms, collaboration tools, and unified communication systems, you ensure that your company stays relevant and up-to-date in the digital era. These technologies enable seamless communication and collaboration across teams and stakeholders, offering advanced features like video conferencing and real-time collaboration. Embracing these technologies enhances productivity and facilitates effective communication within and outside your organization.
Moreover, by abandoning fax and embracing digital communication, you position your company for future advancements and emerging technologies. Traditional fax machines and infrastructure are becoming outdated and may limit your ability to adopt new communication tools and strategies. By transitioning to digital communication methods, your company remains flexible and adaptable to future advancements, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. This proactive approach allows your company to integrate and leverage these emerging technologies, gaining a competitive edge and staying ahead in the evolving business landscape. Future-proofing your communication infrastructure ensures that your company remains current, fosters innovation, and embraces the possibilities of the digital age.
With e-signatures, nobody needs their own unique number to be reached. Simply create an account and give different levels of access to your Signeasy dashboard so that everyone in your company has the access that they need.
According to Fax Authority , "fax is still being used because other people are still using it. ”
Not a particularly good reason, according to us! You only need to think about cassette tapes to realize why. There's a better way to go about this.
Like the print-scan-print cycle before it, online fax is just not as quick as e-signature technology.
If you are looking to increase your efficiency in the most cost-effective way while benefiting from cloud storage, then Signeasy is the obvious choice.
Â
