Each week on OK. Got It., we tackle a question about enterprise messaging and answer it using our technical expertise and industry experience.
In our first episode, Chris Vaccaro, Director of Marketing for retarus (North America) Inc., sat down with Marcus Ionker, Retarus’ very own Messaging Evangelist, to answer a deceptively simple but crucial question: What does a messaging solution need to have in order to generate a high delivery rate?
Critical, Compliant Messaging – Especially in Regulated Industries
Fax remains essential across industries like healthcare, insurance, finance, and government, where compliance and guaranteed delivery are non-negotiable.
When you’re transmitting sensitive data such as patient records, claims, or authorizations, failed faxes aren’t just an inconvenience, they can cause costly delays and compliance risks.
As Marcus explains, “Fax is always critical messaging. You can’t afford for it not to go through.”
Understanding Faxing in an IP World
The first step to improving fax delivery is understanding how fax behaves in modern networks.
Originally designed for analog copper lines, fax transmission now has to function over IP-based networks (Voice over IP, SIP trunks, and cloud telephony). While it’s possible to send faxes over IP, it introduces new challenges, such as differences in modulation standards between the U.S. and Europe, and the need for smart routing and retry logic.
That’s why choosing a vendor experienced in both telephony and cloud infrastructure is critical. Your fax solution should handle these network nuances automatically, ensuring the best possible route for every transmission.
Key Factors That Influence Fax Delivery Rates
Marcus highlighted several key technical and operational factors that determine whether a fax successfully reaches its destination:
- Data Quality – Invalid or outdated fax numbers are still one of the biggest causes of failure.
- Recipient Capability – The receiving system’s setup (analog, IP, hybrid) affects whether a fax can connect.
- Retry Logic – Granular retry intervals and expiration settings help maximize success without wasting time.
- Routing Intelligence – Modern fax platforms should automatically switch carriers or hardware stacks to find the best route for each transmission.
- Detailed Reporting – Comprehensive delivery reports allow you to pinpoint why a fax failed, not just “busy” or “error,” but exact root causes and suggested next steps.
Why Reporting and Monitoring Are Crucial
Reliable fax reporting and analytics are essential for continuous improvement.
When you can track delivery outcomes through dashboards or APIs, such as a GraphQL reporting API, you can spot trends, identify problem destinations, and optimize your configuration over time.
Organizations that monitor delivery performance over weeks or months often uncover patterns that lead to significant improvements in overall reliability.
Real-World Impact: What a 1% Improvement Means
It’s easy to underestimate the value of a “small” percentage gain in delivery rates.
But, for enterprise organizations sending millions of faxes per month, a single percentage point can mean thousands of fewer failed transmissions.
As Marcus explained:
“We’ve seen customers with entire teams, 10 to 20 people, dedicated full-time to handling failed fax cases. Improving your delivery rate by just one percent can free up those people to do higher-value work, not chase failed transmissions.”
In healthcare, that translates to faster prior authorization submission, reduced patient delays, and more efficient workflows. In finance and insurance, it means faster claims processing and fewer compliance headaches.
The Business Value of Optimized Fax Delivery
Improving fax delivery rates isn’t just a technical achievement, it’s a business enabler.
By reducing failed transmissions and manual rework, organizations can:
- Save significant operational costs
- Improve staff efficiency
- Enhance customer and partner satisfaction
- Strengthen compliance and audit readiness
It’s not about replacing people; it’s about repurposing their time for higher-value tasks.
Key Takeaways
To achieve the best possible fax delivery rates in a cloud or hybrid environment:
- Use a vendor with expertise in IP-based faxing
- Maintain clean and validated destination data
- Implement intelligent retries and expiration rules
- Leverage multi-carrier routing and redundancy
- Monitor performance with granular reporting and APIs
Every percentage point counts – for your bottom line, your compliance posture, and your team’s productivity.
Watch or Listen: “OK. Got It.” — Improving Fax Delivery Rates
This article is based on Episode 1 of OK. Got It. — our ongoing series where experts unpack real messaging challenges and share insights from decades of experience.
For more on cloud fax, enterprise messaging, and delivery optimization, watch the full episode or check out the rest of the series here.
