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Aisling Brennan: Blog

The fact that faxes these days can be paperless is important, as property selling times drop fast.

But what is the difference between a fax and an email? Let me start with the scenario..

Conveyancing solicitors are under increased pressure to help clients keep deals intact and exchange in a timely manner. But it is also important for estate agents to understand the requirements of conveyancing to work with them to deliver the best possible service to clients.

A paper trail is essential for all communications in the legal sector. Due to concerns about its security, email is not always considered a valid written record. Real estate transactions are very important and represent high financial value; the fax therefore is an integral part of every law firm, and as such, an essential tool for estate agents.

Even with a digital signature or encryption, emails can still be changed, compromised or corrupted in the transmission process. Fax, on the other hand, is instantaneous and date stamped. It is a much more secure method of transmission; there is a proof of delivery on both ends, making it the preferred method of communication for transactional business.

Paper fax has its drawbacks, however.

Fax machines generate vast quantities of paper records, along with the cabinets and storage units needed to file them. The purchase of the hardware, plus the ongoing line rental and consumables (toner, ribbons, paper, electricity etc) add considerable costs. Then there is the service contract, replacement value and the risk of breakdown and downtime.

With the inevitable spike in conveyancing work over the summer, how can agencies streamline processes and reduce their reliance on traditional fax machines? Internet faxing is a system that is an amalgamation of traditional fax, email and cloud services. Designed to keep pace with advancements in file sharing methods, it still satisfies the legal and qualitative standards needed by legal departments and estate agents alike.

Cloud based fax systems transmit ‘signed for’ documentation without needing the expensive hardware or consumables normally needed in the office. Aside from saving on the cost of paper, ink and the machine itself, businesses no longer need a dedicated phone line for a fax machine. 

Switching to a new fax line is also relatively simple – porting your number to a new electronic fax service allows you to keep your existing landline numbers, for instance.

Supported by confirmation cover sheets that validate a document has been sent via a trusted source, the electronic fax is a paperless process that maintains the integrity of more traditional communication methods. 

For the on-the-go estate agent who spends much of his or her time on the road, it also provides the ability to send, receive and manage faxes from anywhere. While working remotely, it is essential to have access to critical documents and the ability to receive and respond to communications from multiple devices, including laptops, tablets and smartphones.

And with features such as digitised signature, OCR (optimal character recognition), searchable faxes, lifetime storage and large file sharing, it avoids hugely time wasting trips back to the office to check on paperwork.

By exchanging your fax machine for a cloud fax service and taking a step towards a streamlined paperless working environment, you are in a strong position to keep the completion of a client’s purchase on track and on time, thereby enhancing your reputation, while at the same time cutting costs to improve margins.

* Aisling Brennan is marketing manager of eFax

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