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What is F.A.S.T.?
F.A.S.T. is an acronym for the Fully Accredited Support Team. It is the technical support division of emFAST Inc. F.A.S.T. members have been supporting FACSys since 1995 and have developed the experience, knowledge and know-how to support your installation of FACSys.
Why do I need F.A.S.T.?
Customers should be able to purchase FACSys and install the program, configure the fax device, connect to a mail system and send and receive faxes by using the documentation provided. emFAST Inc. is committed to meeting that objective by including a revised, context sensitive HELP system and new manual for the FACSys Administrator program.
However, FACSys is a Fax Messaging Gateway, not just a faxserver. It integrates and fax-enables a multitude of applications and devices. There are advanced functions in FACSys that require additional expertise to enable. Most people only use 10% of the capability of any software program and many training books have been published to help users to extend their know-how (the 'Dummies' series is an example). However, a word processor program does not teach you how to write; a drawing program does make you an artist or a drafting engineer and a spreadsheet program does not make you an accountant. Software tools empower you to accomplish a task but the skills to do advanced functions are only obtained through experience, study or practice. In addition, integration amongst and between software programs usually requires an advanced skill set. Similarly, the purchase of FACSys will not make you a telephony expert, a fax-programming integration specialist, or a message routing/least cost routing or document management 'compliancy' expert. For that you will need advanced training and expertise, or F.A.S.T.
So what happens when something goes wrong? Surely your in-house technicians should be able to figure it out and fix it when it breaks. Well, in most cases it just doesn't happen that way. Let's consider some:
- Operating System changes: Need we say more? Migrating from NT 4.0 and Exchange 5.5 to Windows 2000/2003 and Exchange 2000/2003 with Active Directory can be an awesome task and throw your faxserver into cardiac arrest. FACSys supports Windows/Exchange 2003.
- Staff Changes: FACSys may have been installed years ago, and the people responsible are no longer with the company. This happens OFTEN, and some poor technician inherits a system they have never seen before. We have monthly training programs for your technicians.
- Hardware Changes: Many companies lease their hardware and after three years migrate to new servers. Unfortunately, technology changes and the old reliable ISA cards you have won't fit in the new servers' PCI slots. Worse, some PCI slots in some hardware platforms have different voltages (3.3 and 5.0 volts). Our technicians know the challenges associated with telephony, fax boards, and motherboards!
- Phone System Changes: A company decides to buy a new PBX. Fax lines will then terminate through the PBX. The service may be changing from Analog to Digital, with DID (direct inward dial) or DNIS (dialed number identification service). Inbound fax routing to each user's desktop may be desired. Not an easy task. Our techs know telephony AND fax boards!
- Hardware Failure: The faxserver hard disk crashed and no one can find all the software and licenses to get it operational again. For a modest administrative fee, we can regenerate your licenses from your serial numbers. If you are on a F.A.S.T. agreement, we waive the admin fee.
- Mail system Changes: The company merges with another one and has to adopt the other mail system (or change to/from Exchange, Lotus Notes, GroupWise or an SMTP mail system) and need to integrate FACSys. Our F.A.S.T. agreement includes support for one e-mail gateway of your choice.
- New Third-Party Applications: A new CRM or accounting package like SAP, People Soft, Pivotal, Siebel or AMS is installed. Need to fax-enable that application? emFAST can help.
- In-House Development: The developers wrote an elaborate in-house application that may be WEB enabled, creates attached PDF files and does all kinds of things that need to be to faxed. AFM/SDK support and/or some upgrades are required.
- Document Storage: A corporate decision is made to invoke an electronic document storage and retrieval system. FACSys can work with Xerox Document Centre, Adobe Capture, HP Digital Senders/MFP devices and Ricoh e-cabinet. FACSys works with FileNet, IXOS, Imageright, Documentum, Synergize and many other document management systems!
- The System is DOWN: Most companies ignore their faxserver until users can't send or receive, or fax routing stops working. Then chaos breaks out. Our response team is ready!
For any issues with FACSys, F.A.S.T. is here to help!
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