We are in the era of modern technology where businesses are trying to reduce their paper usage and create a virtual paper trail online. It wasn’t too long ago when the humble fax machine was considered a modern marvel, though. Currently, it seems that we are in a transition phase where some businesses still rely on the fax machine but others have moved away from it.

But is the fax machine still needed in this day and age?

The answer is not quite that simple. It depends on the nature of your business and the office solutions that you have in place.

There are many businesses that do still have fax machines. They use the telephone line to connect the fax machine, of course. These businesses do rely on their faxes because they probably have not yet transitioned fully to an online system. They probably use it to send orders to suppliers or documents for clients to sign. Faxing documents is a speedy process which is better than mailing via the post office. As with a phone call, faxing does cost you. You will be charged the equivalent of a phone call when sending faxes so you need to consider the cost in terms of how many pages and how many times to you send a fax. These businesses can run their business without a single fax machine in the building. Banks, for example, scan documents and send it to the clients. Clients sign the documents and send it back to them. These documents are saved on the bank’s computer system. Les paper is used and the need for archiving is eliminated.

If you have a modern business that does everything online and on computers, then you possibly could do without one of these ancient machines. In that case, you will require a scanner and email. If you intend to send documents to a client or supplier, you’ll need to scan the documents in order to save it on your computer. You can, then, send the scanned documents via email. This is a quick and easy way to send the documents to someone who does not have a fax machine. Of course, it doesn’t cost you anything to email the documents. If you are receiving the documents, you will require a printer to print it. It is then advisable to look at managed print solutions for your business.

In some cases, a fax machine is still needed, but in most cases businesses no longer require these machines. Print machines now include scanners and have multiple functions that make business management much easier.

It is our aim to combine world-class print technology with managed print services and enterprise solution services that suit your needs. We endeavor to understand the uniqueness of your organization and business goals. Our Service philosophy extends beyond hardware, software and technical service. At ETG we want to help you find ways to improve your business such as cost control, information security, process improvement, financial solutions, business insights and technology trends. Contact us: info@etg.solutions or call 087 230 0335.