Fax help

[MASTERMOWER]

It's probably about time for me to get a fax machine. What do yall use....

A dedicated fax machine and line into your house/place of business?
Run faxes through your normal number when needed?
Or use a fax through email service?

For those with fax experience, what are the perks and downfalls of the above choices??

[Scaper-S2k]

I hate fax machines. If someone wants to fax something, I tell them to either mail it, or e-mail it. If I send a "fax", it's a scanned image sent as JPEG for them to print through e-mail. I haven't lost a sale for it yet.

I just can't see getting a dedicated fax number these days. I do have a couple fax machines, but they never get used by me. Sometimes an employee might send something. But I hate them.

I had 3, but one would start feeding the 2nd page halfway through the first page. That is VERY aggrivating!!!!

I literally took it out back of the shop and smashed it with a 5lb sledge hammer. One ran out of toner (or whatever). The other one must be getting low by now? It will meet it's maker shortly I'm sure.



Did I mention that I hate faxes?

[MASTERMOWER]

Well I'm not too fond of adding another 'machine' to my desk, nor am I thrilled at the thought of allowing all those junk faxes through.

At this time I'm leaning towards the fax through email service. This way I can print the fax through my lazer printer (no finiky cartridge ribbons) and I can send faxes by scanning whatever and sending them through my computer. I doubt i'll really send much. I just need a fax more to receive. I havent checked around, but I know I can get a service for as little as $7/ month with my own local fax number.....

[mksavage]

MM,

I use efax.com, very simple, 12.00 p/m, send and receive thru email,
they provide you with a local number. Free software for composing, editing or
simply create email to send as fax. Faxed myself in the afternoon to see response
time, took about 3 minutes. Only been using the service for about 4 months, no issues so far. Good Luck
Mark

[LLee]

Ive actually been pricing some fax machines myself lately. I already have a second line for the internet so I could just plug in the fax machine when I need to send or receive a fax. I've probably had about two occasions a year where it would be handy, so I'm probably going to get a cheap one. I like the computer/fax concept but have no scanner and very little computer literacy, so I think I'll stick with a regular fax machine.

[Mike J]

Printer, copier, scanner, and fax...all in one. Nice and easy to use.

[Seascape]

you will appear unseasoned when your out in the truck taking a call and somebody needs to fax you something,,, but you have to instruct them to wait until you return to the office so you can turn on your fax machine.

[MASTERMOWER]

you will appear unseasoned when your out in the truck taking a call and somebody needs to fax you something,,, but you have to instruct them to wait until you return to the office so you can turn on your fax machine.

Thats what I thought...nor do I like the idea of having to make sure the fax is on for an incoming fax to come through. I'm just thinking of trying one of those online fax deals...

[GrassMaster]

Another World Class Post... Repeat, Repeat AND?

What we do is, we have fax set to answer on 6th ring at the shop.

If I was in the business I would have home office line & it would be set on 6th ring. My wife likes using all in one fax machine... I don't.

I prefer Win Fax Pro software, it is nice software & it's even set where you can place your signature on a document with out printing out, you make a image of your signature & just place it on there, saves a lot of paper.

Win Fax Pro is great using with laptop, if you use laptop & could use modem off of phone that would be the ticket.

You are using a laptop in the field aren't you, they're great for printing out bids, proposals & if you're educated enough you could make a nice presentation to show potential customers... If your even smarter you could also have Cd's with presentation of your business.

Use something like a slide show that's basically similar to your web site, you could even show case your before & after jobs, also show properties your doing and bla Bla BLA!

This would be perceived as value to the customer be it residential or commercial customer. Everybody & their brother will be showing the Cd's to friends & other potential clients.

Welcome to Star Date 2006, you could be shucking out those cheap Cd's & Hell while your at it, throw in a Magnetic Business Card.

When is the last time somebody threw away a magnetic business card & or a CD that has pics of their beautiful Home & Lawn showcased on a Presentation CD?

When giving commercial bids, trust me they will look at those Cd's. Trust me when the other guys like Yard Butchers, Joe & Sons & Boobies Yard Crew throw down their pitiful business cards made on a computer, or those cards that are 50,000 for 50 bucks and you throw down you professionally made Wizard of Lawnscapes presentation CD... Those crappy business cards will be thrown in the trash & over half the time they say... Hey Mister why don't we sit down & look at your CD & talk business. Get the Picture Bubba!

Or hell just pretend you a century behind the times & say hey, let me go back home tonight & write you up a bid or proposal and if I don't forget I'll be by in the next few days with the paper work... would you like it in printed or in cursive? BTW here's an old copy of my business license & Workers comp... Yeah that crap will be used to make a fire for Mr. Got Rocks & Poo Bear to cozy up to while they salavicate why they can't find intelligent life in the green industry? Go Figure ----->

Being able to print out bids & proposals on the spot will definitely close more sales, it will save you time & less trips, this helps eliminate giving you competition time to come in & take work away from you.

Use MS Excel to help you with you bids on the spot. Or What Ever?

While you're at it just as well get you a Digital Imaging design program, take a pic of their property, sit at the kitchen table & design plans in front of them.

You could easily make that laptop & software pay for itself in less than a year.

All the jerks today live, crave & thrive on instant gratification... Serve it to them on a silver platter & they will eat it up... They will pay extra for it too!

It's your life & your choice, you can make a lot more money in less time or you can make less money in more time like your competition is doing now!

What was this thread about?????

[Scaper-S2k]

Burn all fax machines, those little things are what started all the "instant gradification" needs from everyone.


Burn them, beat them, break them!

This thread will likely cause me to go to the shop tomorrow and drive my truck over the #2 fax machine.


Smash them to bits! Do it now.