Thinking of adding desktop faxing to your home office? Check out this comparison chart to see what your best bet is.
| Free Trial | Monthly Charge | Set-Up Fee | ||
| CallWave Fax2Emailsm | Yes | $9.95 | $10.00 | |
| eFax1 | No | $16.95 | $10.00 | |
| Innoport2 | No | $7.95, first month free | None | |
| MyFax | No | $10.00 | None | |
| RingCentral3 | Yes | $9.99 | None |
1 Based on eFax Plus | 2 Based on Innoport Omni | 3 Based on RingCentral Professional | 4Based on SmartFax Pro
Most people will admit that when it comes to office equipment, the fax machine is probably their least favorite, with the scanner and color printer coming in a close second and third. Sascha Segan, at PCMac.com agrees. In an article entitled Why You Can’t Kill the Fax Machine Segan indicates that this piece of “technology” is on par with Western Union telegrams and that it really is a 20th century piece of equipment/service that we just can’t let go of.
Welcome to the world of Internet faxing
Fortunately, the world of faxing is becoming more technologically advanced. Also called e-fax, Web fax, virtual fax, fax2emailsm or FoIP (fax over internet protocol), Internet faxing allows you to send or receive faxes in your e-mail inbox. It’s simple and much faster than standing in front of the fax machine. Most Internet fax services have an online interface, work with Outlook and Windows Office and even have desktop applications. Additionally, Internet faxing is: Mobile – You don’t need a fax machine to receive that important fax – you just need an Internet connection.
International – You can receive faxes even when you’re out of the country. Your clients will simply fax to your local number.
Inexpensive – You don’t need a fax machine and all that comes with it – phone line (and bill), paper and ink. Many Internet fax services run between $10 and $20 per month.
Private – You’ll know exactly when your fax arrives and don’t have to worry about confidential faxes sitting in the fax tray.
Organized – You can file your faxes in folders on your computer or in your inbox.
Simple reminders. Get rid of Post-Its stuck all over your desk and computer. Try Google’s Web Stickies module. This tool allows you to add up to 50 notes to your Google homepage when you sign in.
Manage your calendar. Google Calendar allows you to receive reminders of upcoming events, add items to your schedule and view daily and future appointments – all through text.
Faxing your way. Never wait at a fax machine again. Use a virtual fax to get your faxes in your email instead.
Control travel-related stress. Orbitz’s Travel Updates give you real-time travel info (posted by fellow travelers) regarding air-traffic delays, airport updates (length of security lines, Wi-Fi hotspots, etc.) and cheap parking tips – all accessible by most mobile devices.
For more info check out this Web Worker Daily article or for more tips click here.
If you’re job hunting, it’s essential to make yourself readily available to any potential employers who might be interested in talking with you. By adding a fax number to the contact section of your resume, you not only give employers and recruiters an additional way to contact you but you also give the impression that you are a professional person with a complete home office, not just someone typing up their resume at Kinko’s.
But don’t worry, you don’t need to run out and buy a bulky fax machine that will take up your entire desk area. Just use fax-to-email instead and all of your faxes will promptly arrive right in your email inbox.
Everyone is talking about “going green” and helping the environment. So we thought we’d spend some time thinking of ways we could do our part, too.
Try these “going green” tips:
Do you really need all that paper? Consider using e-mail, e-faxes and phones, as opposed to ‘snail mail’ and traditional faxing, whenever you can for all communications, from approvals to proposals to invoicing. When you do print or use paper, use the back of already-printed papers, mailers and other recycled items.
Sign on the dotted line. Use electronic signatures as opposed to your handwritten John Hancock so you can e-mail, e-fax and e-store your signed documents without printing or mailing.
See the light. In your office (and at home, for that matter) look into replacing lights bulbs and other light sources with more energy-efficient choices, many of which are now widely available.
Don’t forget to turn it all off! At the end of your work day, whether you work in a large building, a home office or something in-between, be sure to turn off your printer, computer, lights and all other non-necessary gadgets and appliances. Why expend (and pay for) energy you’re not using?
Get credit for all your hard work. If your business has done a good job going green you may be able to get certified by the new national business organization called the Green Chamber. Check out this post on Entrepreneur Daily to see if you qualify.
Want more green tips? Start here:
EPA
GreenBiz.com
IdealBite
Health.com’s Going Green Tips
Check our this interesting website, MoneyMakingMommy, that gives tips to moms who are looking for ways to make money working from their home. They give examples of everything from freelance writing jobs to data entry, with links and directions for applying. MoneyMakingMommy recommends using a Fax2Emailsm system when setting up your home office – so you can receive faxes from employers right in your email inbox.
We know that Internet faxing is convenient, but have you considered the affordability factor?
In addition to saving money on the extra phone line, monthly bill and physical fax machine, consider this:
It’s paperless. Of course, you have the option to print out any faxes you receive, but with a Virtual Fax, you don’t need to worry about wasting paper.
On a regular fax machine, if you receive a fax that is hard to read, it has to be re-faxed, thus wasting more paper. One or two sheets here and there won’t break your bank, but what about large documents? Also, you never need to worry about a fax getting jammed, torn or badly crinkled in your email inbox.
No ink needed. Sometimes buying ink and toner is more expensive than buying the actual machine.
Don’t pay per page. Don’t run to your neighborhood printing or office supply shop to receive a fax. With some Internet fax providers, you can receive unlimited faxes in your email in-box for one flat rate.
Time is money. Have you ever sat in front of the fax machine and stared at it only to realize there was nothing coming out? Which meant you then had to run back to your desk, call the sender to say the fax hasn’t come, and then run back to the fax machine to stare at it some more? With Virtual Fax you can go about your day knowing that the fax is where it is supposed to be – waiting in your email inbox.
