Benefits of Moving Your Faxing to the Cloud
It used to be the case that the best way for companies to send and receive faxes via computer was to set up a fax server. While it’s still true that servers work better than collections of multi-function printers or individual fax machines, they’re no longer the only option available to larger companies. Read on to find out about the benefits of moving the company’s faxing processes to the cloud.
What Is a Fax Server?
Before discussing the benefits of getting rid of your fax server, it’s worth taking a moment to review the basics so everyone is on the same page. A fax server can be either a physical or virtual server connected to the local area network (LAN). The fax server allows any computer connected to the LAN to send and receive fax messages.
Fax servers work a lot like old-fashioned fax machines except that they allow users to send and receive faxes from their computers. The information still needs to be either printed out or stored in a folder on the LAN, both of which take up valuable resources.
What Is Cloud-Based Faxing?
Cloud-based faxing services work a little differently. While fax servers require a significant investment of time, money, and IT manpower, cloud-based faxing allows companies of all sizes to outsource this work to a third-party provider without needing to set up and maintain servers or purchase additional equipment. The faxes are sent and received via email or a web portal, then stored in the cloud in a secure account that can only be accessed by authorized users.
The Benefits of Moving to the Cloud
Most business owners are excited to hear that there’s a more affordable and simpler alternative to maintaining expensive fax servers. However, as with any new technology, some people are still hesitant to make the switch. The following benefits of moving faxing needs to the cloud should change their minds.
1. Lower Cost
Outsourcing faxing to a cloud-based provider costs far less than setting up and maintaining internal fax servers. There’s no need to purchase specialized equipment or hire new IT team members just to deal with all of the frustrations associated with in-house fax servers. Instead, business owners can pay a low monthly fee to a third-party, cloud-based fax service provider and get all the same benefits for less.
2. Better Security
Working with a reputable cloud faxing service means business owners will have access to industry-leading security personnel and protocols. Industry-leading electronic faxing service providers take the many rules and regulations governing the sharing of sensitive information very seriously and do everything they can to help clients prevent data breaches. Of course, team members will still need to follow basic data security principles to keep data safe on the clients’ end.
3. Increased Convenience
Outsourcing to a third-party online faxing service provider is far more convenient than maintaining fax servers in-house. Training workers to use these systems is simple, and the cloud-based service provider handles everything from cybersecurity to data backups for its clients.
It’s Time to Make the Switch
Cloud-based faxing solutions are the future of secure information transmission. Businesses that are still relying on internal fax servers or, even worse, a loose collection of fax machines and multi-function printers, can benefit significantly from making the switch to cloud-based solutions as soon as possible.