There are many ways to do things these days thanks to the digital revolution. When we call, we can use our landline, our cell phone, Skype, or even FaceTime if we’re on an Apple (News - Alert) product. If we want to send a document, we can print it and drop it in the mail, send it FedEx, fax it, email it, or share it on a service such as Google Drive. There are many ways now to do just about anything.
Even if there are many ways to complete the same task, not all possibilities are created equal. In the case of making a call, for instance, we know that not all phones deliver the same quality and reliability.
One area that is certainly not equal is when it comes to securely sending documents. Email is the easiest, but it isn’t secure at all—and making it secure is a challenging process that certainly removes its “easiness” advantage.
Sending documents in the mail is relatively secure, but neither wholly secure nor as easy as email.
More modern options, such as sharing a file on Google (News - Alert) Drive, can be both easy and secure—but it is still not easy to share paper documents, and many employees will fumble with getting it right (I know this from firsthand experience working with colleagues, unfortunately).
Fax, even though it might not be the first technology that comes to mind, still is the easiest way to securely send documents. It is easy because everybody knows how to type in a phone number and send a fax—it is a simple process we all mastered long ago.
Fax also is secure, too. It is relatively secure by design, since it is a lot harder to hijack a fax than email. And if fax-over-IP (FoIP) is used, it gets even more secure because it can be transmitted via HTTPS, the same digital security that allows bank Web sites to share financial information with its customers.
The combination of ease of use and security makes FoIP the best of many options when it comes to sending documents. It is neither too complex nor insecure. And while it is not a new technology, it has gotten an upgrade through FoIP. This allows it to deliver more advantages without the downsides of newer technologies that require either adoption from both parties, and some measure of training.
Making the upgrade to FoIP is easy, too. There is no need to replace existing fax machines or multi-function printers because adapters such as those offered by AudioCodes (News - Alert), such as its fax ATA solution, let existing fax machines go digital.
While there are many ways to get things done these days, some ways rise to the top.