The benefits of a fax server all revolve around efficiencies (time savings), hard dollar savings, and support for a mobile workforce. In some environments, like health care providers, the confidentiality issue should also be considered as well.
1. Efficiencies – The ability to fax to/from the computer desktop generates a lot of time savings. By having faxes delivered directly to the Outlook Inbox; it eliminates the need to handle the fax multiple times, going back and forth from your desk to the fax machine to verify that your fax was completed, and it provides immediate notification of the fax. It’s been said that having desktop faxing saves a person 10-15 minutes per day (because of the loss of time by going back and forth to a physical fax machine and all the disruptions that accompany that process…like getting a cup of coffee, talking to a co-worker, etc). That doesn’t sound like a lot of time; but when you multiply that out over a year, by the number of employees, and the loaded labor rate…the numbers are staggering. Typically the ROI calculation demonstrates an ROI between 1 – 6 months.
– If we don’t factor in # 2 – 4 below and we just run an unsophisticated time savings calculation (assuming a company of 200 employees with each person saving an average of just 5 minutes per day) take a look at the data below…
200 people X 5 minutes per day X 250 workdays per year = 4,166 hours per year saved
Assuming a loaded labor rate of $15/hour, it can be safely assumed that the company in this scenario will save $62,000/year simply by implementing a fax server solution.
2. Hard Dollar Savings – If you lease fax machines, expect the above expenses to decline even further. The paper, the toner, and the physical machine are all expenses that will decrease. In companies that support many physical fax machines, the need to support that many machines will also decrease. Additionally, that means the need to support an analog line/port will also be eliminated.
3. Support for a Mobile Workforce – Faxes are a huge issue for mobile workers. By receiving faxes to a hand-held device as an email attachment, employees will receive instant notification and be able to process those faxes faster. You cannot overlook the fact that speed to respond generates a huge advantage in competitive markets.
4. Confidentiality – In our experience, when fax server solutions are sold to medical practices, there is a perceived value in delivering faxes directly to the appropriate individual…versus sending them to a general fax machine. HIPAA regulations requires a more confidential delivery of personal information. Additionally, faxing directly to the desktop for Executives and Human Resource personnel tends to be a very high-value proposition as well…due to the confidential nature of their day-to-day business activity.
From our experience, unified messaging, for both fax and voicemail, is one of those features that employees can’t do without once they have been exposed to it.
For further information, please call or email: Michael Gabhart | 502.708.3337 | mgabhart@unified-team.com
