It’s funny how complicated people can make things sometimes. They’ll create elaborate plans that require a lot of work and effort to carry out when often there are simple answers right in front of them.
Take cost-cutting. We all know the economy is tough right now, and everyone is trying to save money wherever they can. Yet many people are missing the most obvious stuff.
Take the lights, for example. When you were young your mom or dad probably told you to turn off the lights when you left a room. Well, that’s still good advice today – especially in conference rooms and other common areas. If no one’s in there, turn off the lights. If there is natural daylight coming in from a window and you can see well enough, turn off the lights. If you’re going out to lunch and your office has a switch, turn off the lights. Every time you do it you’re saving a little money. Do it often enough and it will add up.
The next time you need office supplies, try heading to Sam’s Club, Costco or another warehouse club instead of the local office supply store. You can save some significant cash on your consumable supplies by buying there. Just be sure you need as many of a given item as the clubs will sell you. Paying for eight plastic “in-boxes” and using only one is a waste of money, no matter how much money you saved. On the other hand, if you know other small business owners maybe you can pool your purchasing needs, helping all of you reduce your costs.
Switching from a fax machine to an Internet fax service such as MyFax helps in several ways. It cuts the up-front cost of the machine. It cuts the cost of supplies such as paper and toner. It cuts the phone costs since you don’t need a second phone line. (Don’t forget you pay for maintenance on that second phone line as well as the service.) It cuts your power consumption since you don’t need to have a separate machine that’s left on just in case you receive a fax. And it also cuts some other, less obvious costs, such as file cabinets to store the faxes, space to put the file cabinets in, and the gas you use going to and from the office just to check on your faxes. Add all that up and your savings can be significant.
Finally, try renegotiating the cost of some of the goods and services you’re paying for each month. Remember that you’re not the only business that’s concerned about the economy. Even the big companies are focused on keeping business wherever and however they can. It takes some courage to ask, and you may still be told “no.” But if that’s the answer, you’re no worse off than you were before you asked. If the answer is yes, though, you’re ahead of the game.
Remember, a plan doesn’t have to be elaborate to be good. Do enough of the simple things and you’ll make it through these tough times.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
MyFax wins Gold Award for the Fourth Year in a Row!
That's right, we are very pleased to announce that for the fourth straight year TopTenREVIEWS has named MyFax as their Gold Award winner for Top Internet Fax Service!
Established in 2003, TopTenREVIEWS, an Internet publisher of expert expert product reviews for software and web services conducted performance reviews of more than a dozen competing Internet fax services, before awarding MyFax its “Gold” or No. 1 ranking.
TopTenREVIEWS says MyFax “beats out the competition by offering up to 300 faxed pages per month for $10. In addition, those that prefer Mozilla Firefox can now use this service.”
Moreover, the publisher finds MyFax out performing others by including a “high level of compatibility with many document formats and web browsers. It also accommodates those that need a high level of security with SSL encryption and additional data encryption devices.”
Winning a Gold Award for the fourth straight year “is accomplished through great interaction with and feedback from our thousands of customers,” says Joseph Nour, our CEO. “TopTenREVIEWS contacted us through our live chat service and said our customer service was helpful and quick to respond. Implementing enhancements based on user feedback combined with an excellent customer support team continues to make MyFax a winner.”
Read the full review
Visit MyFax.com
Established in 2003, TopTenREVIEWS, an Internet publisher of expert expert product reviews for software and web services conducted performance reviews of more than a dozen competing Internet fax services, before awarding MyFax its “Gold” or No. 1 ranking.
TopTenREVIEWS says MyFax “beats out the competition by offering up to 300 faxed pages per month for $10. In addition, those that prefer Mozilla Firefox can now use this service.”
Moreover, the publisher finds MyFax out performing others by including a “high level of compatibility with many document formats and web browsers. It also accommodates those that need a high level of security with SSL encryption and additional data encryption devices.”
Winning a Gold Award for the fourth straight year “is accomplished through great interaction with and feedback from our thousands of customers,” says Joseph Nour, our CEO. “TopTenREVIEWS contacted us through our live chat service and said our customer service was helpful and quick to respond. Implementing enhancements based on user feedback combined with an excellent customer support team continues to make MyFax a winner.”
Read the full review
Visit MyFax.com
Friday, February 06, 2009
MyFax – the backup plan for lawyers moving too fast
In the infamous “perfect world,” lettuce would taste like chocolate, children (and some adults) would come with volume controls, and we’d never rush out of the office leaving important papers behind.
Of course, we all live in the real world where none of that is true. I mean, does anyone really like the taste of lettuce versus tolerate it?
Dinesh Kandanchatha, just returned from speaking at LegalTech New York 2009. He’s heard the stories about lawyers rushing out of the office without important documents, too. It can certainly be embarrassing to show up at a customer’s or partner’s location without the handout you prepared. But it can be a lot more than embarrassing for lawyers. It can be unrecoverable.
Think about it. They spend days preparing their cases – doing research, writing notes in the margins of printouts, maybe even preparing diagrams. Then they grab the wrong folder on their way out the door and suddenly all that work is lost. And unlike the rest of us, who simply have to admit our mistake and beg to reschedule, a lawyer either has to stand in front of a judge and ask for a continuance – never easy under these circumstances, and understanding it could be denied – or wing it. If he/she is lucky, someone from the office can run the papers over during the trial.
Of course, that’s not an issue if the law firm is using MyFax. As long as the courtroom or a nearby area has Internet access or the attorney has a PDA, he/she can call back to the office and have the missing notes faxed over instantly. They’ll show up in all their glory as an attachment, complete with all the handwritten additions. Which means the lawyer will be in a better position to win his/her case.
It’s easy to get overtaken by events sometimes. Fortunately, MyFax makes a great backup plan.
Of course, we all live in the real world where none of that is true. I mean, does anyone really like the taste of lettuce versus tolerate it?
Dinesh Kandanchatha, just returned from speaking at LegalTech New York 2009. He’s heard the stories about lawyers rushing out of the office without important documents, too. It can certainly be embarrassing to show up at a customer’s or partner’s location without the handout you prepared. But it can be a lot more than embarrassing for lawyers. It can be unrecoverable.
Think about it. They spend days preparing their cases – doing research, writing notes in the margins of printouts, maybe even preparing diagrams. Then they grab the wrong folder on their way out the door and suddenly all that work is lost. And unlike the rest of us, who simply have to admit our mistake and beg to reschedule, a lawyer either has to stand in front of a judge and ask for a continuance – never easy under these circumstances, and understanding it could be denied – or wing it. If he/she is lucky, someone from the office can run the papers over during the trial.
Of course, that’s not an issue if the law firm is using MyFax. As long as the courtroom or a nearby area has Internet access or the attorney has a PDA, he/she can call back to the office and have the missing notes faxed over instantly. They’ll show up in all their glory as an attachment, complete with all the handwritten additions. Which means the lawyer will be in a better position to win his/her case.
It’s easy to get overtaken by events sometimes. Fortunately, MyFax makes a great backup plan.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
MyFax’s Dinesh Kandanchatha to Speak at LegalTech New York 2009
There is exciting news for us to report that MyFax’s own Dinesh Kandanchatha, will be speaking at LegalTech New York 2009 next week.
Dinesh’s presentation covers how Internet faxing allows confidential documents that require official signatures and rapid transmission to be sent quickly and securely without the need for additional hardware.
What: Dinesh Kandanchatha’s presentation, Addition by Subtraction: Learn How Top Legal Firms are Leveraging Virtual/Digital Fax Technology for Business Rationalization in an Economic Downturn
When: Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Where: LegalTech New York 2009 at the New York Hilton Hotel
Time: 1:30 – 3:30 pm. EST
Dinesh is responsible for leading our global sales initiatives while ensuring customer satisfaction is exceeded and remains unparalleled. His breadth of knowledge extends across all Protus product lines including MyFax, virtual phone service my1voice and email marketing tool Campaigner. Dinesh’s extensive experience includes more than ten years in technical, sales and marketing management. He has an MBA from University of Ottawa and is currently pursuing his Masters in Law from the University of London in Corporate finance and Intellectual property.
Stop by and say hello if you’re at the show.
Dinesh’s presentation covers how Internet faxing allows confidential documents that require official signatures and rapid transmission to be sent quickly and securely without the need for additional hardware.
What: Dinesh Kandanchatha’s presentation, Addition by Subtraction: Learn How Top Legal Firms are Leveraging Virtual/Digital Fax Technology for Business Rationalization in an Economic Downturn
When: Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Where: LegalTech New York 2009 at the New York Hilton Hotel
Time: 1:30 – 3:30 pm. EST
Dinesh is responsible for leading our global sales initiatives while ensuring customer satisfaction is exceeded and remains unparalleled. His breadth of knowledge extends across all Protus product lines including MyFax, virtual phone service my1voice and email marketing tool Campaigner. Dinesh’s extensive experience includes more than ten years in technical, sales and marketing management. He has an MBA from University of Ottawa and is currently pursuing his Masters in Law from the University of London in Corporate finance and Intellectual property.
Stop by and say hello if you’re at the show.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Faxes to Go
This article, written by Steve Adams, recently appeared in Arizona Homebuilder Magazine.
One of the fun things about watching movies made more than 10 years ago is seeing how the world has changed since the movie premiered. When Beetlejuice runs his TV ad in the movie of the same name, he flashes an "800" number but there's no mention of a website as there would be today. In 1975's "Three Days of the Condor," there isn't a desktop computer in sight despite the fact that Robert Redford works for the tech-savvy CIA. In black and white movies from the 1940s, office workers still contact the operator to make a simple phone call.
Perhaps the most notable thing about many "movie" offices, however, is the way everyone who works for the company works from the building all day, every day. They arrive in the morning at their lush offices, work their 9 to 5 days there and then head home to their families or out for cocktails with their colleagues.
The world has certainly changed since then. We have always been a mobile society outside of work but now that inclination permeates the workplace as well. The central office has given way to mobile workers who work from home, and the mantra of "hiring talent where it lives" rather than relying on proximity to the office is quickly becoming core practice.
Technology has enabled this far more distributed workforce. Cheap and abundant mobile phones have made workers reachable just about anywhere in North America, and the Internet and email have extended that reach to just about anywhere in the world. Yet, in the midst of it all, like a bug in a salt shaker, is the immobile fax machine.
The Fax Dilemma
Before you start thinking it doesn't matter because faxing has gone the way of the company phone operator, you should know that, according to analyst group, IDC, there were more faxed pages in 2007 than in any previous year. Despite email, texting, IMs and all other technological marvels of our age, faxing still remains the communications medium of choice for contracts, work orders and any other paperwork that requires signatures or handwritten notes. In fact, in industries such as building and construction, it is still the primary means of sending official documents.
Hence, the dilemma: The building industry workforce is mobile, but the means of communication is not. This means that non office-based workers who need to read, send or respond to faxes either have to make a special trip to the office to pick them up, have documents re-faxed to them from the central office to another location or have someone else read the faxes to them and then dictate responses. None of which is very conducive to efficiency.
Internet fax service is the option that is bringing this older but still necessary practice into the present and in line with mobile business practices. An internet fax service gives users the capability of sending and receiving faxes wherever they happen to be as long as they an Internet connection.
If a homebuilder is off-site for the day and using a traditional fax machine, the paperwork is sent to the central office where it must wait until he returns at the end of a busy day. If there is a problem, the amended fax is sent back and the process starts again. Depending on the complexity, an entire day or even two could be lost.
With an internet fax service, however, the homebuilder or other mobile staff member receives an email notification and preview on his or her Blackberry. He can then quickly look over the fax, write up any changes or amendments as a cover note, forward them to an assistant, and have the entire process completed in minutes. It's a big advantage that saves time and helps drive efficiency-which drives revenue.
Internet fax services are simple to use. The user signs up online and is assigned either a local or toll-free telephone number. Once you're up and running, you can send and receive faxes through your email account, a secure online server or both. As long as you have an Internet connection, your fax capabilities are operational whether you're at home, on a job site or stopping for coffee.
Benefits and Options
Some companies try to work around the static nature of the fax machine by sending faxes from or having them sent to a local quick print shop or other service supplier. At a typical rate of $3 per page, that can add up. If you send or receive more than a few pages per month, an internet fax service will usually cost less. And there's no waiting in line while three people ahead of you try to decide what color paper to use for their lost dog flyers.
Different services offer different types of internet faxing options. For example, some allow you to have the same fax sent to multiple email accounts. This is great for people who are working as part of a team or with an administrative assistant (virtual or otherwise) because everyone involved can receive the fax without additional forwarding. Receiving email notifications allows you to know instantly when a fax has arrived, and having a preview option means you can look at the fax quickly to determine its contents and decide whether it needs to be opened immediately or can wait until later.
Another great option is online storage of sent and received faxes. This feature is ideal for users who suddenly need to access an older fax or who lose their original electronic copy without making a backup. Of course, receiving faxes electronically also means you can easily carry every fax with you on your laptop, so the information you need is always at your fingertips.
In our increasingly mobile and geographically distributed society, it just doesn't make sense to have all you important faxes tied to a single location. When you're looking at your next fax solution, simply say, "I'll take mine to go."
One of the fun things about watching movies made more than 10 years ago is seeing how the world has changed since the movie premiered. When Beetlejuice runs his TV ad in the movie of the same name, he flashes an "800" number but there's no mention of a website as there would be today. In 1975's "Three Days of the Condor," there isn't a desktop computer in sight despite the fact that Robert Redford works for the tech-savvy CIA. In black and white movies from the 1940s, office workers still contact the operator to make a simple phone call.
Perhaps the most notable thing about many "movie" offices, however, is the way everyone who works for the company works from the building all day, every day. They arrive in the morning at their lush offices, work their 9 to 5 days there and then head home to their families or out for cocktails with their colleagues.
The world has certainly changed since then. We have always been a mobile society outside of work but now that inclination permeates the workplace as well. The central office has given way to mobile workers who work from home, and the mantra of "hiring talent where it lives" rather than relying on proximity to the office is quickly becoming core practice.
Technology has enabled this far more distributed workforce. Cheap and abundant mobile phones have made workers reachable just about anywhere in North America, and the Internet and email have extended that reach to just about anywhere in the world. Yet, in the midst of it all, like a bug in a salt shaker, is the immobile fax machine.
The Fax Dilemma
Before you start thinking it doesn't matter because faxing has gone the way of the company phone operator, you should know that, according to analyst group, IDC, there were more faxed pages in 2007 than in any previous year. Despite email, texting, IMs and all other technological marvels of our age, faxing still remains the communications medium of choice for contracts, work orders and any other paperwork that requires signatures or handwritten notes. In fact, in industries such as building and construction, it is still the primary means of sending official documents.
Hence, the dilemma: The building industry workforce is mobile, but the means of communication is not. This means that non office-based workers who need to read, send or respond to faxes either have to make a special trip to the office to pick them up, have documents re-faxed to them from the central office to another location or have someone else read the faxes to them and then dictate responses. None of which is very conducive to efficiency.
Internet fax service is the option that is bringing this older but still necessary practice into the present and in line with mobile business practices. An internet fax service gives users the capability of sending and receiving faxes wherever they happen to be as long as they an Internet connection.
If a homebuilder is off-site for the day and using a traditional fax machine, the paperwork is sent to the central office where it must wait until he returns at the end of a busy day. If there is a problem, the amended fax is sent back and the process starts again. Depending on the complexity, an entire day or even two could be lost.
With an internet fax service, however, the homebuilder or other mobile staff member receives an email notification and preview on his or her Blackberry. He can then quickly look over the fax, write up any changes or amendments as a cover note, forward them to an assistant, and have the entire process completed in minutes. It's a big advantage that saves time and helps drive efficiency-which drives revenue.
Internet fax services are simple to use. The user signs up online and is assigned either a local or toll-free telephone number. Once you're up and running, you can send and receive faxes through your email account, a secure online server or both. As long as you have an Internet connection, your fax capabilities are operational whether you're at home, on a job site or stopping for coffee.
Benefits and Options
Some companies try to work around the static nature of the fax machine by sending faxes from or having them sent to a local quick print shop or other service supplier. At a typical rate of $3 per page, that can add up. If you send or receive more than a few pages per month, an internet fax service will usually cost less. And there's no waiting in line while three people ahead of you try to decide what color paper to use for their lost dog flyers.
Different services offer different types of internet faxing options. For example, some allow you to have the same fax sent to multiple email accounts. This is great for people who are working as part of a team or with an administrative assistant (virtual or otherwise) because everyone involved can receive the fax without additional forwarding. Receiving email notifications allows you to know instantly when a fax has arrived, and having a preview option means you can look at the fax quickly to determine its contents and decide whether it needs to be opened immediately or can wait until later.
Another great option is online storage of sent and received faxes. This feature is ideal for users who suddenly need to access an older fax or who lose their original electronic copy without making a backup. Of course, receiving faxes electronically also means you can easily carry every fax with you on your laptop, so the information you need is always at your fingertips.
In our increasingly mobile and geographically distributed society, it just doesn't make sense to have all you important faxes tied to a single location. When you're looking at your next fax solution, simply say, "I'll take mine to go."
Monday, November 17, 2008
TechSoup Webinar on Reducing Your Paper Usage
As part of their November drive to encourage nonprofits and other social benefit organizations to reduce their paper consumption, TechSoup Talks is offering a free webinar on Reducing Your Paper Usage on Tuesday, November 18, 2008.
Joining the webinar panel is Steve Adams, Vice President of Protus Marketing, providers of MyFax. Steve will address the hurdles to making those paper consumption changes and offer tips on how better to “green” your organization. Steve will be joined by Anna Jaeger from TechSoup Global’s GreenTech Program.
The Details:
What: Free webinar Reducing Your Paper Usage
When: Tuesday, November 18th, 2008
Time: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. (PST)
Cost: FREE
Where: Click here to register
Hope to see you there!
P.S.
Find out more GreenTech Reduce Paper Use Challenge
Joining the webinar panel is Steve Adams, Vice President of Protus Marketing, providers of MyFax. Steve will address the hurdles to making those paper consumption changes and offer tips on how better to “green” your organization. Steve will be joined by Anna Jaeger from TechSoup Global’s GreenTech Program.
The Details:
What: Free webinar Reducing Your Paper Usage
When: Tuesday, November 18th, 2008
Time: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. (PST)
Cost: FREE
Where: Click here to register
Hope to see you there!
P.S.
Find out more GreenTech Reduce Paper Use Challenge
Friday, October 31, 2008
79 Ways for your Small Business to Save Money
I just read a great article on InsideCRM called 78 Ways for your Small Business to Save Money in this Economy. It’s filled with great advice and is even broken down into categories like Technology, Office Items and Office Space, Advertising, Travel, etc. I highly recommend you check it out.
I was surprised that an Internet fax service like MyFax did not make the list. It’s inexpensive and it doesn’t tie up any phone lines since you send and receive faxes through your Internet connection. It also helps you save energy, paper, and toner since all documents are electronic.
Fax machines are huge energy wasters, in fact the The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have named the fax machine as the biggest energy hog in the office.
Here’s a few other numbers you might find interesting if you are looking for ways to save money. Over five years, a standard fax machine in the $150 range will cost you about $5,400 if you add in the cost of toner, paper, and a 2nd phone line. (And this doesn’t cover your long distance charges or any maintenance if it breaks down).
MyFax on the other hand is $10 a month with no long distance charges and free 24/7 support and you can cancel at any time. Even if you’re like me and not great at math, you can still see that is a considerable savings.
I was surprised that an Internet fax service like MyFax did not make the list. It’s inexpensive and it doesn’t tie up any phone lines since you send and receive faxes through your Internet connection. It also helps you save energy, paper, and toner since all documents are electronic.
Fax machines are huge energy wasters, in fact the The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have named the fax machine as the biggest energy hog in the office.
Here’s a few other numbers you might find interesting if you are looking for ways to save money. Over five years, a standard fax machine in the $150 range will cost you about $5,400 if you add in the cost of toner, paper, and a 2nd phone line. (And this doesn’t cover your long distance charges or any maintenance if it breaks down).
MyFax on the other hand is $10 a month with no long distance charges and free 24/7 support and you can cancel at any time. Even if you’re like me and not great at math, you can still see that is a considerable savings.
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