When I saw this as a headline in my LinkedIn group for Building Products Professionals, I just had to laugh and share….sometimes a wee bit of humor is just as important as educating about buildings.

Geoff Keifer posted:

“Just for Fun…

Fax machines...a thing of the past?

Why do we still use Fax Machines?  Fax Machines have been around a while… (to be very kind). I can understand not embracing every “latest evolution of technology” that comes along, but what business doesn’t have and use every day a computer or even a smart-phone?  What business doesn’t have a printer with scanning capability?

We were able to let-go of beepers and pagers when mobile phone technology developed and did it better.  Why can’t we let-go of the fax?

I suppose there are still some uses for the fax machine (if you still have one hooked up) that are more convenient than scan and E-mail.

• Ordering Chinese Take-out.
• When a quick signature is needed. (can still be done without faxes)

OK, so maybe there are as many as two uses that (may be) more convenient than scan and E-mail.

• Fax Machines waste paper.
• Fax Machines run out of paper.
• Fax Machines take up counter-space and collect dust.
• Fax Machines produce the ugliest documents.

Virtually every business card includes an office number, an extension, a mobile number, an e-mail address, a website (or two), a Street Address, a Post Office Box, and a Fax Number.  Many now include Twitter accounts.

We Can’t Just Keep Adding Stuff…

…a standard business card is only 3.5″ x 2″

If you need a quick and dirty copy of a black and white sheet of paper, let’s admit it… It beats the US Mail (an impressive feat …in 1975).

Isn’t it time we said goodbye?  I do remember the first time I said it…years ago… but I look forward to the day when I hear those same words from someone else: “Fax?  What’s a Fax?”

Up until the past few years I did all of the lumber ordering for our clients. One day we had our first client in the Carolinas…a place we had no relationships with lumber suppliers. I was making calls to possible vendors, explaining who Hansen Buildings is, what we do and letting them know we would like to be able to Email or Fax lumber lists to them for quotes.

In all sincerity, one of them said (in a most polite, southern drawl), “Fax? What’s a Fax?”

My response to Geoff Keifer is, “we ain’t there yet, buddy….but I’m on your side.”

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