Despite the popular notion that fax technology is an antiquated form of communication, fax machines are still being used every day by companies across nearly every industry. Health care organizations and sports teams still utilize fax for important functions like medical record transmission and contract delivery. On a more personal level, fax machines are also being used by consumers for numerous reasons. For instance, Fast Company contributor Steven Melendez noted that around 30 to 40 percent of the restaurants that utilize the takeout ordering mobile app OrderSnapp prefer to have their customers’ Web and app orders faxed to them. This means that fax services aren’t going anywhere anytime soon – but they are evolving.
Now, fax machines that utilize the cloud to send and receive messages have many potential benefits for companies looking to downsize their printing fleets and do a bit of good for the environment, as well. How can fax-over-Internet-protocol systems help your business save money and promote sustainability? Let’s take a look at a couple reasons you should invest in FoIP and go green in the office:
“Each year in the U.S., we use 69 million tons of paper and paperboard.”
Protect the environment
According to Ecology Global Network contributor Sam Martin, world consumption of paper has grown by 400 percent in the last 40 years, and each person in the U.S. uses approximately 749 pounds of paper every year. The Environmental Protection Agency reported that each year in the U.S., Americans use about 69 million tons of paper and paperboard, and while around 63 percent of it is being recycled, this still creates strain on the environment. The Paperless Project reported that the average office worker goes through somewhere around 10,000 sheets of paper per year – a startling number considering technology continues to advance in ways that can reduce the amount of physical documents necessary in the office.
Cloud-based fax systems are more environmentally friendly than traditional fax machines. When companies can send faxes through a FoIP solution, there is no longer the need for more than half the paper involved in a traditional fax. According to TMCnet contributor Mae Kowalke, with traditional fax, papers are thermal-printed, which means that the machine receiving a fax makes a machine copy – turning a six-page document into a total 18 pages when every step is added up. Because email to fax takes place over the Internet and doesn’t require an original physical document, FoIP solutions can help offices cut down on the amount of paper utilized per fax.
Reduce costs
Paper waste isn’t just taxing on the environment. On a global and national level, printing and paper are two of the most costly parts of running a business. Sectors that utilize a lot of paper also benefit from fax solutions in that they are more budget-friendly than traditional faxing. Along with a reduction of paper use comes cost savings due to less paper being used and, in turn, less toner and ink. When businesses manage their paper usage by investing in fax-over-email solutions, they can also cut down on the money they spend in fax machine and printer maintenance.
Huffington Post contributor Jessa Barron noted that FoIP solutions help offices cut back on their use of paper because they can save faxes to a hard drive and download them whenever necessary. This creates cost savings in two ways. Since employees no longer have hard copies of the documents they receive, paper use can be curbed. In addition, offices won’t need to invest in storage cabinets or binders for their physical documents, because they’re all saved electronically.
Using less paper contributes to sustainability goals and also helps offices save money.Enhance enterprise communication, collaboration and compliance efforts with a proven FoIP solution from FaxCore. Contact FaxCore today to learn more about their ‘Partly-Cloudy’ fax solutions.
