Faxing has been done since the late 1800s as a way to send and receive messages, though the modern fax machine was created around the 1920s. With all of the new technology today, some may be surprised that it’s still being used as a way for businesses to send and receive documents, but it is still incredibly common. Some of the reasons it’s still used today include the following.
Upgraded to Use New Technology
The latest technology can make faxing even easier. Though it is often needed for a number of reasons, there are more cost-effective solutions today, such as faxing online. This eliminates the need for a bulky and expensive fax machine, yet still allows businesses to send and receive faxes with ease. On top of this, they can send and receive faxes from anywhere to make it easier to stay on top of everything. Businesses can take advantage of the cost effective cloud fax solution if they do still need to use faxes.
Compliance With Legal Requirements
In some cases, there are legal requirements that must be met when documents are sent or received. For instance, HIPAA has regulations covering how healthcare-related data can be sent or received, and faxing meets those requirements when it’s done with a traditional fax machine or through a HIPAA-compliant provider. Any business that has to follow HIPAA will want to look into these methods to still send and receive faxes.
Avoid Messages Getting Lost
Email is a fantastic way to keep in touch for most people, but there have been issues with emails disappearing or being inadvertently marked as spam. This means the recipient may not get those messages, which can be problematic for businesses. There’s also the possibility of typing in the wrong email, so the recipient never gets it. Instead, digital faxing makes it easy to send and receive faxes from anywhere and ensure the fax reaches the recipient without issue.
Include a Receipt
Sometimes, a receipt is needed to help prove that a fax was sent and received. This is often needed for legal purposes, though there are other reasons why a person may want to have a receipt. With emails, there’s no real way to prove that the recipient received the email. With faxing, though, there are receipts available to help show that the fax was received and that there were no issues sending it.
Keep Transfers Secure
Security is a common concern for businesses, as they want to make sure all data sent and received is secure. With email and other ways to send files, hacking or other issues may be a concern. They may not have the right email, and the fax ends up going to the wrong person. Instead, with digital faxing, they can be sure that the document is securely transferred to the other person and that it is received.
Sending and receiving faxes is still a necessity for many businesses, as it still does offer the most secure way to transfer documents and to be in compliance with legal requirements. If your business needs to send or receive faxes, but you’re looking to get rid of the bulky fax machine, look into digital fax options today. This could be exactly what you need to stay compliant and take advantage of new technology.