How To Pick An Internet Fax Provider
If you’re a small business owner, there are tools you’ll need to expand your business and help you succeed. One of the most important resources for your business is an internet fax service. Sure you could go the old fashion route, but there are plenty advantages of going digital—most importantly, it’s inexpensive. But what should you look for in choosing your internet fax provider?
Online Fax Service Pricing
Note that some providers quote rates in minutes and other in pages. Those that quote rates in pages are assuming that it takes 1 minute or less to transmit one page. However, they all state that the actual time to transmit a page may vary.
You want to look for a provider that offers services for around $10 a month. Make sure to find a plan that fits your current needs—and your future needs. Carefully look over your contract to see if you can upgrade or downgrade at any time.
Faxing Pages Plans
The plan you choose depends on how many pages fit your professional needs. Pick a plan right for you, but typically you’ll want around 300 total pages (incoming and outgoing combined). Also, check the fine print for costs on extra pages. These fees should be no more than 10 cents per extra page. This site lets you filter fax plans based on your company’s needs, like fax pages: www.FindAFax.com.
Number of Users
If your company is growing, you’ll need to have more users in a plan than just yourself. Figure out how many people you want to have access to your online fax plan. The user count in popular fax plans run anywhere from one to 25. Learn how much extra it is to add another person down the road if you need to.
Hidden Fees for Email Faxing Plans
It can be difficult to assess how much your plan will really cost you when some plans hide certain fees.
Try to aim for a plan that has no start up fee and won’t charge you extra for other things, like a toll free number, an upgrade you might want to look into.
Free Fax Trial
In addition to finding a plan without any hidden fees, you should look at digital fax providers who offer a free fax trial.
Customer Service
You want an internet fax provider that is easy to reach in case you have a problem. Make sure your company has a reliable customer support system, including a support line that is available 24/7—you never know when you’ll have a problem with your fax.
Business Accreditation
It’s not a bad idea to see if your potential fax service is accredited with the Better Business Bureau. You can learn if they’re in trouble with the FTC or the Ripoff Report.
Faxing Extras
Check out to see if you’re able to fax directly from your open applications. This may not be a big deal, but it will save you an extra step of not having to log into your email program before faxing. This site also allows you to filter out fax plans by their ability to integrate with your other office programs, like: Microsoft Office or a virtual phone system
Learn what types of attachments you can send to physical fax numbers. The majority of Internet fax services will allow you to send Word documents, PDFs and pictures but not all.