Help! Need Fax Options - New Business Start-up

[Nick]

I'm seeking opinions/suggestions/ideas on document faxing and retention options
for a new business venture that involves sending and receiving faxes for a vehicle
transport dispatch operation. I will also consider arguments for either dedicated
(fax-only) or multi-function (fax/print/copy/scan) machines.

Any advice or suggestions in the following areas would be appreciated.

1 - dedicated fax vs multi-function machines
2 - available PC-based faxing options - internet/landline?
3 - paperless doc retention, archival & retrieval options?

Anticipated requirements, in order of importance are:

a- high-reliability/dependability
b - ease of use/self-feeding/sheet capacity
c - document clarity/readability (send & receive)
d - wireless network capable + standalone operation
e - handshake speed (14/28/33)?
f - plain paper (inkjet or laser)?
g - costs: moderate ($100-$400) purchase
h - low per-page operating costs
i - broadcast fax capability (optional)
j - SD digital card reader
k - other features (hi-res photo reproduction not important)

Lastly, if you have any experience (good or bad), with particular machines, please
share it, identifying the brand and specific model.

tia for your help.

[harsh]

Dedicated fax machines offer the best of almost all of your categories.

a) less to go wrong
b) stackable document feeders versus a flatbed scanner
c) fax is fax
d) no networking or connections to computers required
e) fax is fax
f) laser is the way to go unless you feel the need for color; busy fax machines can't afford to be running out of ink every couple of weeks.
g) cost is relative: cost of operation versus cost of acquisition; if you're doing serious faxing, cost of operation is the primary concern
h) laser cheaper than ink spray and typically less babysitting required; you don't need to keep your computers, scanners and other equipment running 24/7.
i) broadcast (and polling) available either way
j) what does this have to do with faxing?
k) facsimile machines are typically much easier to configure as they have dedicated buttons for choosing resolution and half-toning.

Fax is not good for Internet traffic and I can't recommend trying to use some sort of hybrid facsimile/e-mail/web-page system as it will likely be incomprehensible to the users.

The major benefit of fax is that you know whether the receiving party got the message or not.

[Nick]

Thanks, Harsh -- your point-by-point response is very helpful.j) what does this have to do with faxing?A card reader might have been useful if I had gone with a multi-
function machine. I'm going to take your advice and buy a stand-
alone, plain-paper laser fax -- probably today.

Thanks again for your helpful comments..

[DonLandis]

For inbound- I favor the computer with winfax. But for outbound I use a combination of a Samsung color laser copier with doc feeder scanner fax etc and the winfax if the doc is already in digital form. If I kept the samsung on for receiving, it would be loaded with junk faxes, which is still a thriving business.