Millennials continue to fuel increased demand for what was once considered legacy technology — seeking the thrill of building up a record collection and putting needle to vinyl or using a Polaroid instant camera and waving the photo as the image comes to life. 

Following suit is the satisfaction of putting pen to paper. Personalized, handwritten messages are quickly emerging as the newest wave of millennial nostalgia, and brands are catching on. 

Up to 3% of consumers would prefer to contact brands by fax if available, and that number could rise, according to research analysts at Garbler: “Millennials despise making phone calls and prefer the convenient, low-stress experience of sending a fax.”

We’re excited to announce that Ada is the first and only Automated Brand Interaction (ABI) platform to officially support fax technology. Fax is the ultimate telecommunications channel, empowering customers to send the brands they love quick and painless handwritten notes and payments. 

The return to graphology, and how an ABI platform can help

Customers are constantly searching for new ways to connect with brands on a deeper level — and in ways that let their unique personality shine through. Ada’s advanced graphology technology finally allows brands to connect to their customers on this level.

Ada Fax enables consumers to handwrite their message to brands. Through industry-leading Natural Handwriting Processing (NHP), brands can decode even the most indecipherable scrawl with 48% accuracy. And at the same time, they can infer a customer’s character and reveal traits of their personality to provide an automated, personalized response in under 45 minutes — and more personalized fax experiences in the future.

Handwritten payment is poised for a huge comeback

Ada Fax will unlock a wide array of new options for brands to better serve their customers, particularly when it comes to purchases. 

Payments can now be completed without needing to redirect to a traditional ecommerce channel. Instead, customers can simply fax over the front and back of their credit card or a handwritten cheque, and merchants can process these payments semi-securely. 

Ada Fax’s reporting suite will include binders of printed records of all conversations organized by fax interaction surname. For enterprise brands with high fax volumes, optional upgrades to filing cabinets or microfiche are available.

Empowering fax experience (FX) teams to avoid paper cuts and hand cramps

Our research has found that the majority of FX teams face an overwhelming challenge as the demand for a handwritten response grows: paper cuts and hand cramps. As fax volumes continue to skyrocket, it becomes harder for brands to respond in a timely, safe, and mutually gratifying way. Providing exceptional fax experiences becomes more and more difficult to scale. 

When customers send in handwritten messages, many expect a response in the same format. Ada for Fax allows employees to submit their handwriting on file in the platform, and powers an automated response that makes customers feel more connected to the person on the other end of their fax. 

Knowing that the employee experience (EX) is integral to brands delivering the experiences customers expect, Ada for Fax gives employees respite from the daily obstacles of fax support. 

“We’re thrilled to be one of the first clients piloting Ada Fax,” says Dusty N. Teek, Director of FX Client Care at Imperial Typewriters. “Our support team was getting buried in fax inquiries. With Ada Fax, he’s finally been able to take a holiday.”

Ada Fax is just the beginning

Product teams at Ada have already begun R&D on other quick-growing channels to meet growing military and nautical consumer demand. Watch for updates later in 2022 to learn more about Ada Morse Code and Ada for Semaphore. 

To get started with Ada Fax, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Ada to receive a full color brochure with more information.