| There was once a time when a telex machine | | | | internet fax makes such annoyances a thing of |
| was cutting edge office technology for | | | | the past. |
| communications. Now the choices are endless - | | | | 3. The efficiency of sending and receiving faxes is |
| faxes, e-mails, instant messaging, text messaging, | | | | enhanced with the internet fax. Senders won't |
| among other methods. And even the way people | | | | receive busy signals. They won't have to hit the |
| use fax communication is changing. Businesses are | | | | automatic redial button and then wonder when an |
| now moving away from traditional paper and | | | | urgent document would reach its recipient. The |
| toner faxing for something better. The internet | | | | elimination of the proverbial "log jam" experienced |
| fax has a lot of benefits that make it a better | | | | by offices during periods of busy traffic can result |
| choice for business - environmental stewardship, | | | | in increased efficiency, as well as the benefit of |
| cost savings, efficiency, organization, and security. | | | | not losing business due to busy signals. That last |
| | | | element in itself can be so profound as to eclipse |
| 1. Internet fax is environmentally friendly in that it | | | | many of the other advantages of the faxing over |
| essentially does away with fax paper and toner | | | | the internet. |
| cartridges. The receiver can review faxes as they | | | | 4. From an organizational standpoint, the internet |
| come in and decide which messages should be | | | | fax also imparts an element of order into the |
| printed and which ones should be saved on the | | | | busy stream of faxes received by the typical |
| computer or deleted. The environmental benefit is | | | | small business every day. All those faxes can |
| actually two-fold. First it eliminates the need for | | | | easily be categorized into folders that make file |
| toner and paper, reducing the amount of | | | | management under Windows or other operating |
| resources consumed for the production of those | | | | systems much easier. This is definitely a |
| items. Secondly it reduces the number of actual | | | | preferable alternative to maintaining paper copies |
| fax machines that have to be manufactured and | | | | that can be lost or misfiled more easily. In addition |
| then disposed of in landfills. | | | | to an office's own electronic filing system, the |
| 2. From the cost savings standpoint, internet fax | | | | server of the service provider can be a trusty |
| is a godsend. Just as eliminating toner cartridges | | | | back-up. |
| from landfills is good for the planet, it's also good | | | | 5. From the standpoint of security, the internet |
| for the bottom line of a business. When | | | | fax is vastly superior to its traditional paper fax |
| considering the hundreds of dollars a year in toner | | | | counterpart. When a document is received, it |
| and paper consumed by even the smallest | | | | goes straight to the computer of a specific end |
| businesses, the savings can add up. It also means | | | | user (unless of course copies are deliberately |
| less employee time wasted in changing toner | | | | intended for others). This means that confidential |
| frequently, or in dislodging paper jams. In addition | | | | information is not lying on the floor after falling off |
| to introducing this element of economy into the | | | | the fax table. Aside from the ethical obligation to |
| picture, faxing over the internet provides a nice | | | | protect the confidentiality of sensitive information, |
| element of control. Businesses can now mercifully | | | | faxing over the Internet can reduce the chances |
| be spared the guerilla tactics of blitz marketers | | | | that a business will be sued because someone's |
| who jam up people's faxes with offers of cheap | | | | personal information was found in a dumpster |
| health insurance or vacations in Orlando. The | | | | outside the building. |