Just the ‘Fax’

If you believe it to be a totally digital world, think again. Make sure you have all the ‘fax’.

Since we opened our business over five (5) years ago now, we have never had a Fax Machine. With the use of email, we never imagined we would need one. However, think again! We have needed one each and every time we are dealing with our state government.

Recently, we needed to amend an address with the state. First, we needed to locate the directions on the state website on how to effect this change and what form to use. Second, we had to identify how best to communicate the completed form. It seemed our only options were paper mail or fax. We opted for the paper mail as we do not own a fax machine or fax number.

After several weeks, we received an email stating we checked the wrong option on the paper form we sent. After multiple attempts to correspond with the email address, we were advised that while they could email with us they only accepted paper through the mail or faxes from us. Needless to say, this was quite frustrating. It truly was a one-way experience.

If you find your business requiring the use of a fax machine as we did, the best alternative seems to be stores like UPS, FedEx, or Staples. We actually contacted the state via telephone, waited on hold for nearly thirty (30) minutes to understand why email was not acceptable. The agent on the phone advised most of her clients used these stores for their fax service since most organizations do not maintain their own fax machine. She was unable to provide a reason for their policy not to accept email forms.

Be advised if you do need a fax service, stores charge by the page. It cost us around $7 to send our multiple page form. They will give you a printout confirmation that the fax went through for your records. That was helpful for us when we followed up a few weeks later to find out if our address modification had been completed. And, again, once completed, the state emailed the confirmation of change letter to our business email. They did not send a hard copy in the mail or try to fax it to us.

Our lesson learned here is to identify a shipping store or office supply store close by that offers fax services. It seemed odd to us that the state was comfortable emailing to us but not receiving emails from us. It was an excruciating lesson to learn and one not worth arguing over, their policy is their policy. As the saying goes, Just the ‘Fax’!

Be well.