Why use a fax instead of email

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Sending fax seems to be a thing of the past, and many people are opting to use email to send and receive their documents. However, the email has not fully replaced the fax as businesses, and other institutions are still using it, to carry out the sharing of documents.

Some websites help send faxes, so you do not need a fax machine, to send and receive faxes. You can send a fax online easily using the websites. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages that fax has over the email;

Security

It is important to note that cybercrimes are on the rise, and emails are exposed to malware, and phishing, making the transfer of documents insecure. On the other hand, sending fax requires only a phone network, and a physical document, making it more secure.

In sending sensitive documents, it is advisable to communicate through fax, to prevent the document from access by malicious parties such as hackers.  If you use a website to send a fax, you need not worry because the sites employ many security measures to protect the documents.

Sending hard copies

With a fax, it is easy to send hard copies, and you only have to place the copy in the fax, press a few buttons, and send the fax. It is a one-step process, but you will have to go through the rigorous process of scanning the document and editing it if you are using an email to send a hard copy.

The recipient also has to print the attachment you send, so it is a more hectic process, that people try to avoid. Sending the hard copy with a fax is easier than using an email. 

If you are using a website, you will have to scan the hard copies, but the receiver will receive the printed version, so it is still advantageous.

Organization

We tend to receive lots of emails every day, and organizing these emails is hectic. If you use email, you know that finding a document that you received about a year ago, is difficult. With fax, you can get an application known as a fax burner that helps archive files in the cloud, so you know where to find a document. 

Organization of documents is important, especially if you are dealing with lots of records, and using faxes helps you organize your documents better, and effectively.

Medical information

Medical information is sensitive, and regulations are put in place to regulate how the data is sent. Medical information should be securely transferred in electronic form, and the fax provides this ability.

If you are getting confidential medical information, the medical practitioner will most likely prefer sending it using a fax. There is an act known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that applies to medical information, and medical institutions use fax to achieve HIPAA compliance. 

Confirmation

The only way you can confirm an email is delivered is when the receiver replies, but you will get confirmation that the fax is received with a fax. It enables you to be sure that the recipient receives the document.

With the fax, if the document is not sent, you are aware, and able to react immediately, especially if it is an urgent document.

Bottom Line

Email has its advantages, that’s why many people use it, but it cannot fully replace the fax due to the above reasons. Sending and receiving documents is possible through email, and fax, and depending on the document you want to send, it is up to you to choose which method you prefer.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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KnowTechie Staff