Just the Fax Ma’am

Just the Fax Ma’am

I like to think that I am technologically competent. My kids might say otherwise, but in the office, I am pretty 21^st century. I have adapted to and adopted the rapidly evolving office and CRE tech. In fact, because I started practicing law in the late 80’s, I actually “grew up” with the technology. I went to college with a typewriter, law school with an Apple IIC and started practice without a computer on my desk. I learned how to use all things tech for the office as it was introduced to the working world – word processing, fax, e-mail and the internet, to name a few. In real estate, I learned how to do closing statements by hand long before there was closing software. We reviewed abstracts before search engines were available.

I could go on, but even I feel like I am old. But I want to make the point that technology has evolved so quickly, that what was new and a time saver one minute, became old and a burden the next minute. Specifically, I reference fax. When fax machines first came to our offices in the early 90’s we thought it was the greatest invention ever. It was so time saving that we instantly hated it. Why? Because where we once had several days to receive and review documents sent to us and received by mail, suddenly, opposing attorneys were calling us within an hour after sending a document by fax to confirm receipt and ask for comments. Somehow, we were supposed to review those shiny, slick pieces of paper instantly, no matter what else we were working on.

As fast as fax machines came about, they also have disappeared, thanks to e-mail, scanning and pdf. Fax has become so uncommon that I don’t even know my fax number anymore. Our fax machine rarely “rings”. While the quality of fax documents is as good as any pdf or e-mail, there is no need for it because of the ability to e-mail right from your desk and have the document arrive on someone else’s desk or phone instantly.

So why is it that some large financial institutions require that we send completed loan packages back to loan administration BY FAX for funding authorization? Or, that we send applications for mortgage modifications or short sale for approval BY FAX? In the last 10 days, we have sent 3 such packages, all more than 100 pages (some close to 200 pages) to large banks by fax. Could there be any more inefficient use of time or inefficient way to transmit documents? Fax just doesn’t work in today’s fast paced business environment. First of all, you still get busy signals from fax machines. When else today can you get a busy signal? We scan the fax in, walk away and come back to check 30-60 minutes later only to find out that large financial institution didn’t receive the fax because the line was busy. The process begins again. Hopefully, by the end of the day, the package will get through.

Remember how often the fax line would either cut off or there would be some kind of blip so that the entire fax wouldn’t go through and then you had to figure out what pages the recipient didn’t get?   Even with digital lines and high quality scanners, this still happens. And, because these faxes go to some general mailbox, there is no one to talk with to determine which pages are missing. Therefore, most of the time, the entire fax has to be resent in which case you run the risk of busy signal or partial fax again. This is a double or triple waste of time and effort.

On that same theme, fax machines used to be monitored full time, at least in big companies and firms. As technology improved, e-fax came about and, in theory, faxes were delivered, like e-mail, directly to the intended recipient. One would think this to be the case with these banks. However, the closers, administrators, underwriters and others, all monitor all files, in theory. They are supposed to pull the files out of the fax box as they come in. Anyone should be able to look at a file and answer a question or authorize funding. In practice, this does not occur. Your closer is your closer. You loan administrator or short sale processor is who you are supposed to deal with. When you send a loan package in for funding, if you can’t e-mail directly and are required to fax to the general number, you have to wait for him/her to find it. Another delay occurs.

Technology is ever advancing. Big companies, like banks and financial institutions, should be at the forefront of the revolution. Fax was a great advancement 25 years ago. But its time has come and gone. So, you know who you are big banks. Get with the times and dump your fax machines!