| Time to Read | ~8 minutes |
| What You’ll Learn | How online fax services compare to traditional fax machines The key factors to evaluate when choosing an online fax service What questions to ask vendors and how to assess fee structures Which features matter most for small business use How to test a service before committing to a paid plan |
| Next Steps | Identify which factors matter most for your business needs Request free trials or demos from providers you’re considering Try FaxBurner free – get a fax number in 30 seconds |
Navigating the ever-evolving technological landscape can be a challenging task for small businesses. One innovative development in this sphere is the online fax service; a game-changer that simplifies the process of sending and receiving faxes using just the convenience of an internet connection. The perks of this advanced service are endless, and once you’ve had a taste of it, you’ll understand why it’s a significant upgrade from the cumbersome traditional fax machine. But with the number of online fax services available, how can you choose one? Read on as we delve into how to select the most suited online fax solution tailored to the unique needs of your small businesses.
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How Do Online Fax Services Compare to Traditional Fax Machines?
Before we dive into the factors that you should consider when choosing an online fax service, it’s essential to understand how online fax services compare to traditional fax machines. It’s actually pretty straightforward: traditional fax machines use telephone lines to send and receive faxes, while an online faxing service does so using the power of the internet. When sending online faxes, the software you’re using will provide you with a fax number, allowing you to get your messages through to a plain old fax machine on the receiving end.
By switching to an online fax provider, you can say goodbye to having to deal with a physical fax machine to send and receive faxes. You’ll be able to do it all from your computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Online Fax Service for Your Business
Now that you know the benefits of internet faxing, let’s discuss the factors that make a great online fax service.
Archiving Your Faxes
The option of securely storing your past fax documents is an important consideration when choosing an online fax service. With traditional fax machines, archiving can be a time-consuming and cumbersome process that involves manual scanning and filing up dozens of file cabinets. In contrast, internet faxing services offer a range of digital archiving options that can save time and streamline your record-keeping processes.
Most online fax services offer automatic archiving, which means that all received and sent faxes are automatically stored in a digital format, usually in the cloud. This means that you can access your documents from anywhere with an internet connection, and there is no need to worry about losing or misplacing physical documents.
Storage Capacity
The volume of files you can store in the cloud is another crucial factor to consider when looking for an online fax service for your small business. The storage capacity of an online fax service refers to the amount of data that can be stored on the service’s servers, including received and sent faxes and any associated documents.
Most online fax services offer a number of storage plans, allowing you to choose a plan that meets your business’s needs. It’s important to consider how many faxes go through your business each month, as well as the size of your documents, before deciding on a particular package.
A lot of online fax services offer tiered plans with different storage limits and prices, allowing you to adjust your spending to your requirements.
Temporary vs. Permanent Tax Number
When choosing an online fax service for your small business, it’s important to consider whether you need a permanent or temporary fax number. A temporary fax number is typically provided for a limited period, such as a trial period, and is not intended for long-term use.
On the other hand, you can use a permanent, dedicated fax number for your business’s fax communications on an ongoing basis. A permanent number is more convenient and professional, as it allows your business contacts to save this contact detail of yours for future reference.
The only scenario in which you would be using a temporary fax number for longer periods is when taking advantage of completely free online fax services. We advise against doing so indefinitely, as these providers often offer limited storage space, inferior security features, and typically come with a limit of inbound and outbound faxing.
Mobile Functionality
Mobile functionality is a dealbreaker in this day and age. With the increasing use of mobile devices in business, having access to your faxes on the go is essential for staying connected and productive.
Many online fax services offer mobile apps for iPhones and Android devices, which allow you to access and send faxes directly from your smartphone or tablet. This can be especially useful when you are away from the office and need to send or receive important documents.
When evaluating the mobile functionality of an online fax service, take a close look at the user interface and ease of use of the app. Some providers may have limited mobile functionality or may not offer a dedicated mobile app at all.
Overall, mobile functionality is one of the most important things to take into account when choosing an online fax service for your small business, especially since you’re going to end up paying a monthly fee for it anyway. A robust and easy-to-use mobile app can help to increase productivity and flexibility in your business operations.
Number of Faxes Per Month
Consider your business’s fax volume when choosing a plan. If you send and receive a high number of faxes, you may want to choose a package with more included faxes to avoid additional fees for exceeding your plan’s limit.
On the other hand, if your business only sends and receives faxes occasionally, a plan with fewer included faxes may be more cost-effective. Should your faxing activity exceed the provided volume on rare occasions, most companies will charge you per page for each additional fax, which is a better option than paying a higher fee each month.
Carefully review the pricing structure of each plan and any associated fees for exceeding your limit to ensure that you choose the plan that offers the best value for your business’s faxing needs.
Understanding Fee Structures
Be aware not only of the advertised costs but also of any hidden or unexpected fees that may arise. This can help you budget effectively and avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Many online fax service providers list their pricing on their website, but it’s important to read the fine print and understand all of the costs involved. This may include setup fees, long-distance fees, overage costs, or other charges that may not be immediately obvious.
It’s a good idea to ask the service provider about any potential hidden fees and to carefully review the terms and conditions of the service agreement. Even if the company does not require a long-term contract, you may still be held liable for any fees or costs incurred, including those that may not have been explicitly disclosed.
Evaluating Customer Service and Support
When evaluating online fax service providers, it’s important to not only consider the features and pricing of their offerings but also their customer service and support.
Reaching out to vendors and speaking with their customer service representatives is a good way to evaluate how they handle customer interactions and how they communicate about their products and services. During these conversations, you can ask questions about the features and pricing of their offerings and gauge how upfront and transparent the representatives are in their responses.
It’s also important to consider how the company handles customer support and any issues that may arise. Do they have a dedicated support team? Are they available by phone, email, or chat? How quickly do they respond to inquiries or issues? These are all important factors to consider when evaluating the quality of customer service.
Going Beyond the Basics
Some online fax services offer advanced features such as electronic signatures, document editing and annotation, and integration with other business software tools. These features can help to streamline your business operations and increase efficiency.
Additionally, some providers may offer advanced security features such as two-factor authentication or data encryption to provide additional protection for your sensitive business information.
It’s important to go over the features and capabilities of each online fax service and consider which features are most important for your particular needs. While these advanced features may come with an additional cost, they could be worth it in terms of increased productivity and improved security of your communications.
Free Trial
A free trial can be an effective way to determine if an online fax service is the right fit for your small business, as it allows you to test out the service’s features and ease of use before making a financial commitment.
During this trial, you should thoroughly test out the service, primarily the ability to send and receive faxes, access your documents from different devices, and try out any additional features or tools that are important to your business.
It’s also important to pay attention to any limitations or restrictions during the free trial period, such as a limited number of faxes or a restricted feature set. This can help you make an informed decision about which plan you should choose after the free trial ends.
Overall, a free trial can prove to be invaluable when choosing an online fax service for your small business, providing you with an opportunity to thoroughly test out the software and its features before committing to a paid plan.
Where available, request a product demonstration directly from the provider. This allows you to see the full feature set in action and ask questions before starting a trial.
Looking For the Best Online Fax Services? Give FaxBurner a Shot!
Business communication services have come a long way since the first fax machines took over offices in the latter half of the 20th century. Nowadays, if you need to send a fax, you can do it without leaving your desk.
FaxBurner provides a breadth of options for small businesses to reduce their costs, carbon footprint, and streamline communications across the board. Check out our Free Package with a disposable fax number to see what we’re all about, and see if you should switch to a paid subscription-based plan with a toll free number and the capacity to process thousands of outgoing and incoming faxes per month!
