How to Compare Email and fax

Determining whether you would prefer to correspond with customers and employees via email or fax is an important business decision. Changing your methods of communication and document transmission can streamline your operations. Compare the costs and benefits of using email and fax.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Determine what types of documents you will send and receive via email and fax. Think about whether these are simple customer and client contracts or personal and confidential materials. You may be more willing to send and receive confidential materials via fax than you would be over unsecured email systems.
2. Look at the price of the two options. Email is more or less free. Email comes with your Internet package and is linked to your company's domain name. If you don't have a website, you may use a free email service like Yahoo! to conduct business. Fax machines and lines add an expense to your operation. You not only have to purchase the fax machine and phone line service, you also have to pay for maintenance, paper and ink for your fax machine.
3. Think about your business from your customers' perspectives. Think about whether they would feel more comfortable sending documents by fax or email.
4. Give your customers a choice by maintaining a fax line and an email account for sending and receiving documents. Giving your customers the choice may be the best option, but make sure it's an effective way for you communicate as well.
5. Consider convenience. If your lifestyle is one in which you are constantly on the go, consider communicating primarily via email. Also consider purchasing an online fax service that allows you to send and receive faxes over the Internet. Shop around to compare vendors.

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