With technology constantly changing and updating, it can be easy to simply pick something that works and stick with it for as long as possible. The problem with this "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" model is that it's often hard to see if a system is still performing efficiently after you've become used to it over the years. Real innovation occurs when you take a step back and truly evaluate what you're doing, and how it can be improved.
Fax over IP software is one such advancement. Many company leaders may feel content sticking with legacy fax machines, and while they might still be able to get the job done, they'll be missing out on some amazing office efficiency-boosting features.
How can FoIP eFax for businesses work toward improving office efficiency? Let's take a look:
"FoIP is an effective alternative over older fax machines."
Return customer correspondence quicker
Although legacy fax machines were once the pinnacle of document transfer, advancements in communication have proven it to be sluggish. This isn't exactly a treatise on the technology itself, as it's quite old. Rather, legacy fax systems simply cannot compete with more advanced ones. In fact, a study conducted by Hitachi Consulting found that nearly 90 percent of respondents stated that their legacy systems were holding them back from innovation.This is why FoIP has been seen as such an effective alternative over older fax machines, a sentiment that is especially true for responding to customers.
The main problem here with these machines is the fact that they must be put in a centralized location. Each employee simply cannot be given an individual fax machine, and as such, these devices need to be in an area where everyone can access them. While this is the best solution to the issue at hand, it still creates the problem of not knowing when a document has reached the machine. A customer might wait hours, if not until the next day, if the intended recipient doesn't ever check the machine.
In this digital age, people are used to getting a response extremely quickly. Legacy fax systems don't really allow for this speed, which is why many industry leaders have switched to FoIP. FoIP allows you to respond to faxes like they were emails, thereby decreasing the chances of missing an important fax from a valued customer.
Increase security
Another amazing feature FoIP can bring to the modern office is an increase in document security. One of the reasons legacy fax systems are so highly valued is their ability to keep documents out of the hands of hackers by relying on phone lines to transport messages. FoIP can do this too, albeit through encrypted means rather than copper wire, with the added bonus of increased physical security.
As discussed above, when a document is sent to an institution, it often sits in the machine for a while until someone comes along and sees it. This presents a major security problem. First, if the machine is anywhere near a common area, there is a possibility that anyone will be able to read a confidential message.
People often forget that physical security is a big part of cybersecurity. In fact, the hacking consulting experts at Social-Engineer use "physical breaches" as a means of obtaining an information, and have yet to be unsuccessful in such an attempt. Using a legacy fax machine could allow an outside individual the ability to learn about private company information without ever having to type a single line of code.
Fax over IP software also works to ensure document security by mitigating the risk of an inside job. Company leaders like to think their employees are trustworthy, and for the most part, they would be right. However, there's always a chance of hiring a less-than-reputable individual, and when times get tough these people can look to private business messages to make some money on the side. In fact, a study by Clearswift found more than a third of employees were willing to give away private company information if they were compensated with the right amount.
This is a huge problem for companies that send private information through legacy fax machines. Employees willing to sell such data can wait for a sensitive fax to come through, copy it and return the document before anyone found out. FoIP takes away this problem by providing administrators with the ability to see who has accessed documents recently, thereby taking the guessing game out of an internal breach.
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.
