These are indeed strange times. MBC are available for business as usual and are ensuring we can continue to support you, anywhere, anytime. Currently we are utilising a combination of office and remote workplace, however at some point this choice may be taken away from us. We want to ensure that we, and you, are set up with the technology necessary to continue to correspond with us.
Two of the biggest challenges will be how you get information to MBC if we are no longer able to receive physical paper copies and how can you speak to us if it can’t be face to face.
We suggest this basic setup in order to be able to communicate with us electronically.
- An internet connection
- A reliable PC or Mac (it doesn’t have to be the latest, but something with a fairly recent version of Windows or MacOS)
- A smartphone, an iPhone or something similar
- The ability to send information via emails. You may not be able to send large documents via email however there are other options available (see below)
- A microphone and a webcam
You then need a means to capture your paper information and to turn it into an electronic format to send to us. A document sent as a PDF is ideal but we will work with other options if necessary.
Sending documents
If you normally drop off or mail your paper information into us, there are a couple of options available to be able to send us information electronically.
For one page or a small number of documents, to take a scan or with your phone and email it into us. While a photo can work, the quality is not very good and be hard to read.
Some apps which scan and send your information include:
o TurboScan
o Scanner Pro
o Genius Scan
o CamScanner
For those of you with an iPhone you actually have a scanner. Open the Notes app and click on the camera. You now have the option to select scan and then you can email documents.
Your printer may also be a scanner. In order to check, search for your printer on the internet to check the capability and how to set it up.
Another option is to buy a dedicated scanner that you can connect to either a PC or Mac. If you look up Officeworks, Harvey Norman, etc there are a vast variety of scanners available. Something that can handle double sided (duplex) and different size documents would be ideal. Also look for something that has a paper feeder that you can then feed multiple pages. For example, Epson WorkForce Document Scanner may be a good mid-range choice. It can scan multiple pages, both sides, is fast and can convert the documents to PDF.
In some situations, you may not be able to email a document because it is simply too large. Generally files larger than 10mb may cause a problem. In this situation uploading your document to a cloud service such as Dropbox or Google Drive is an option. You can then share a link to the folder containing the information we need.
Communicating Electronically
Obviously, we all still have the phone. However, video meetings are more productive and we would prefer to speak to you face to face. This can easily be achieved if you have a phone, tablet or computer with an integrated microphone and web cam. If you don’t have one already built in then you can buy accessories to achieve this. We can then connect to you via a product called Zoom. You can set up a free account here.
Possibly the most difficult part is getting everything setup and working. Try to keep it as simple as possible – an internet connection, a computer that can connect to the printer/scanner and an email account to send documents. Then you are right to go.
Whilst we are not technology experts, if you get really stuck we may be able to help. Just give us a ring – 6362 0988.
Other useful resources
The government have released two information resources to keep you up to date with all things related to COVID-19
The Coronavirus Australia App, which is available on both iOS and Android devices, is a trusted place of advice and information for citizens about COVID-19.
In addition to the Coronavirus App, the government has also created a WhatsApp group to disseminate information.
Here’s a step by step guide to using the Coronavirus Australia Whatsapp service:
1. Download WhatsApp onto your phone.
2. Add the government’s WhatsApp number into your WhatsApp contacts. The number is +61 400 253 787
3. Send the WhatsApp account a message.
4. You will receive a message back.
5. Follow the instructions to get the information you need.
These long periods at home can have other impacts on your mental health and personal relationships. Please remember that this is support at the end of the phone.
Lifeline 13 11 14 or 1800 RESPECT are two great resources.
