The Best Audio Transcription Services

You’ve held a business meeting, webinar, or Zoom conference and you want to make sure everyone retains all of the information. You hope they pay attention and listen, but is this enough?

Unfortunately, no. The average person only remembers 25% of the content two months later. So how do you make sure that attendees can remember and reference the valuable content from the meeting months later?

The answer? Find the best transcription service and create a digital paper trail of what was discussed in the meeting.

But how do you find a transcription service worth the money? Fear not, follow our guide to finding the best audio transcription service available in 2025.

Accuracy Rate

Many transcription companies make lofty claims about their high level of accuracy. The best way to verify these claims is by asking a colleague or reading reviews about others’ experiences.

Sometimes you can ask the company for a sample. Which other companies have used their services? Seeing an example of an actual transcript can tell you if they spell things correctly or accurately decipher difficult terms.

Look for qualities such as “100% native English speakers” and “100% done by hand.” This means that the transcriber will be a real person who understands the language, not an automated service or a company that uses AI (artificial intelligence) or voice-to-text software.

Turnaround Time

While super-fast turnaround times are desirable, you don’t want a company that sacrifices quality for speed. Look for a company that can scale its services to accommodate the size of your project.

Ask the company if they have a RUSH specialty service. You won’t use this all the time, but it is great for that one time when something pops up last minute

What Is the Content?

Some companies will specialize in certain types of audio recordings. The best transcription companies will offer services for all kinds of audio. Here are just a few:

• podcasts
• academic research
• business meetings
• church sermons
• webinars
• interviews
• conference calls

Old Audio Formats

Find out what type of media the transcription service can work with. There are two elements to this: old tape formats, and new digital formats. If you used an old tape recorder, be sure to use a company that can convert the audio to digital first. It’s like two services in one! Here are a few older tape formats:

• reel-to-reel tape
• cassette tape
• VHS tape
• microcassette tape

Once your old tape has been converted, your file will be in one of the formats below.

New Audio Formats

Most new devices record in the MP3 or M4U format. However, there are many other formats of digital audio. Any transcription service worth its salt will be able to handle all kinds of audio formats. Here are a few:

• MP3
• M4a
• WMA
• WAV
• VOX
• WMA
• DSS

And, they should be able to extract audio from different types of media and devices.

• DVD
• Audio-CD / CD-ROM
• flash media
• DVR
• WMV
• MP4

What Will You Get Back?

Don’t forget about the format in which you will get your transcription back. All that work is useless if you can’t use the transcription once it’s returned to you.

Look for a service that offers the transcription in a variety of formats. This ensures that at least one of them will work for your needs.

• MS Word or WordPerfect
• RTF
• HTML
• TXT
• PDF

And how do they deliver the transcript?

• FTP
• password protected download
• email
• on a thumb drive or disk

Pricing

Pricing is best when you are charged per audio minute. This will tell you the total cost before you start the job. Alternatively, some transcription companies charge by the page. This means you won’t know the final cost until after the job is done. I suggest you choose a company that charges by the audio minute.

Here’s the thing though, cheaper isn’t always better. The cheaper services will use AI, automation, or non-native English speakers to save money. This means that their quality is certainly on the low end. Avoid these companies.

The trick to finding the best audio transcription company is to balance price and accuracy.

Hidden Fees

There can be a difference between the advertised price and the actual price. Ask about additional fees that get tacked on after you agree to the service.

Most transcription companies have two standard pricing levels: verbatim and non-verbatim. In addition, there are normally up-charges for multiple speakers, technical content, faster delivery, or heavy accents. If you aren’t careful, these added fees can take that super-low advertised price and multiply it by 100 or 200%. This makes what started out as an affordable service, into one that is now very expensive.

Insist on detailed pricing in advance. Everything should be included before work is started. There should be no surprises.

Confidentiality

If you have a business meeting, confidential Zoom recording, or other audio with sensitive information transcribed, you will want a company that has the best security. Ask the company what precautions they take to prevent hacks.

Remember, you’ll have to upload your audio to their website, so how are they going to protect your audio during this process? Also, ask about how they ensure their transcribers maintain confidentiality.

Customer Service

Look for a company that offers you personalized service and support. You want your transcription service to be more of a partner and less of a vendor.

Ask if the company offers any kind of guarantee. The best companies will have no problem standing behind the quality of their work. This means that they should offer free fixes if you are unhappy with the transcription—for any reason.

Best Audio Transcription Company with the Best Service for Your Needs

When looking for the best audio transcription company with the best service in 2025, you’ll want to find one that can work with your audio format and pricing needs. Try to find one that offers the best service for a price that you can afford.

Don’t sacrifice quality for price or fast turnaround time. You’ll also want to choose a service that can ensure your audio stays confidential between you and the service.

No matter what company you choose, they should provide you with personalized customer service. They should work with you as a partner, and not like a hired vendor churning out work.

Interested in having your files transcribed, contact us today and we can help you get started.

The post How to Choose the Best Audio Transcription Service in 2025 appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

Do you want these hands representing your brand?

AI automated transcription services are popular with podcasters in the entertainment field, but can you afford to use them for your business podcast? Here is why you should never use ai automated transcription services for a business podcast.

Why AI Automated Transcripts are Popular

Podcasts dedicated to entertainment or just chewing the fat may benefit from using automated transcription services.  They are downright affordable and the transcript can be generated very quickly.  Many of these podcasts use a quick and dirty automated podcast transcript to create show notes. But as a business person, with the pressure to save money in today’s economy, should you take advantage of these services–for your podcast production, interview, new product roll-out, or training session?  The answer: No, run the other way!  Serious Damage to Your Brand Could Occur!

Why Almost No One Should Use AI Automatic Transcripts

AI-generated automated transcripts are inaccurate, to say the least. Are you willing to put inaccurate information on your website? Will the automated algorithm spell your company name correctly, your officers, or even your products and services? Likely not. Stay tuned to the end of this post and we will share a link that emphasizes this point.

In James Cridland’s post on podnews.net, he suggests that podcasters should want total control over their content. He says, “…automated transcripts are mostly correct but partially wrong – and they’re not ideal to publish on a website in some cases. For complex legal reporting, having an incorrect transcript on a website could open the podcaster to legal trouble.” I would agree, but also believe that smaller less obvious mistakes make you look sloppy and unprofessional. Is that an image you want to project to your listeners?

Manual Transcription is Better for Business Podcasts

For the cost of a good dinner, an average 30-minute podcast can be transcribed with almost 100% accuracy. We provide such a transcript, labored over by a native English-speaking professional. We manually look up all industry-specific keywords, officers’ names, and how your company spells your branded products and solutions. Our transcription services will make your company look professional and you will gain loyal customers–quite the alternative to automating your transcript.

Skeptical?  Click on this link to go to WAAF’s The Hill-Man Morning Show. [Editor’s note: this legacy link is no longer active].  You can pick virtually any show, but be sure to expand the “Transcript” under the video to view the “Not For Consumer Use” transcript.  It’s right next to the note, “Robot Overlords Only; Will not be 100% accurate”.  Click “play” and prepare to be entertained; yes, both from the show and the text!  I think this will erase any doubts you might have.

The post Never Use AI Automated Transcription Services for a Business Podcast appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

No matter what industry you belong to, there’s a high chance that you’ll need affordable interview transcription services at some point. Everyone from academic to medical professionals will eventually need to transcribe the audio and video interviews they have — which means the industry continues to grow.

Finding a transcription company for your interview isn’t hard. The issue is almost always how to get high-quality service without paying an exorbitant amount of money. Cheap transcription services are easy to find, but you run the risk of it being low-quality and beneath your standards.

Luckily, it’s easy to find an inexpensive interview transcription service if you know what to look for.

Read on to learn how to discover services that are both high-quality and affordable.

How to Find an Inexpensive Transcription Service

When you start researching transcription services, at first it might be hard to tell the companies apart by anything other than the price. After all, they’re all doing the same job…right?

In fact, there are several differentiating factors that you can use if you know what to look for.

Keep this post handy to use as a checklist of sorts as you make your decision. Going through this list will help you sort through the potential scams and find the best value for your money.

Here are our top tips for finding affordable interview transcription services.

Know What Type of Service You Need

It might seem simple, but before you start looking for anything, know what it is you’re looking for.

Do you need interviews transcribed for an academic paper? Are you hoping to have the recorded conversation from a meeting transcribed?

Different companies may have varying specialties or areas of expertise. If you work in the medical industry, for example, it’s probably best to work with a company who has a proven track record of excellence when it comes to medical terminology. The same goes for a lawyer working in a highly specialized field.

Knowing your needs will help you narrow down your choices immediately.

Get Recommendations

Of course, it’s always a good idea to get recommendations from friends or colleagues. This is a great way to determine if the company has low prices and fantastic service or if you’re about to regret the money you spent.

If you know other people who have had their interviews transcribed in the past, ask around. Word-of-mouth is a fantastic way to learn.

This may not always be possible, so in that case, turn to online reviews. Other people should have worked with that transcription company previously. Read what they have to say about the affordability, customer service, accuracy, and speed of service.

Research Transcript Turnaround Times

How much time do you have before you need the interview transcriptions? Do you have a few weeks, or do you need it in just a few days?

It’s important to research the turnaround times of various companies to see how long it takes them to get your transcriptions back to you. Knowing the effective turnaround time is a good way to assess the quality of the company and the services they provide.

If you learn early on that a company takes ages to return a subpar product to their clients, that’s a good indication that you need to stay away. However, you should also be wary of instant turnaround times as the quality of these “rush” transcripts can be lower quality.

This leads us to the next choice you’ll need to make…

Choose Between Human & Automated (AI: Artificial Intelligence)

Not every company is using a team of English-speaking transcribers to listen and transcribe your files by hand. In some cases, they may be using automated software to transcribe it instead. This is commonly known as an AI transcript.

AI can result in faster turnaround times and cheaper service, but you’ll likely be sacrificing accuracy in the process. You’ll need to decide what’s most important to you.

If you don’t need it to be one hundred percent accurate and would like it returned to you faster, you may be able to save some money by choosing an automated service or software.

On the other hand, if you need 100% accuracy, it will be worth a potential price increase to know that humans are creating and reviewing your files.

Uncover Hidden Fees

Another way to save money is to read the company’s website closely for any mentions of additional fees. Often, what is at first perceived to be a low price is actually inflated by hidden fees added after the fact.

If you need something quickly, for examples, some companies may charge you a rush fee on top of their usual pricing. You could also be charged for verbatim transcriptions (AKA including all of those awkward pauses and slip-ups), or if your audio file isn’t high quality.

The last thing you want is to be blindsided by these fees after you’ve already agreed to do business. Look specifically for any mentions of fees before you make a final decision. And require the company to tell you up front what all the fees are. Any reputable company should be willing to do this.

Ensure Security

Finally, the last aspect of a high-quality company is how they handle the security of your audio files.

No matter what it is that you need to be transcribed, odds are that you don’t want it made public. You want to know with absolute certainty that the company you work with will keep your audio confidential.

Reputable companies will be clear about the steps they take to ensure security and confidentiality. If you can’t find it online, ask a customer service representative directly.

If they can’t answer the question, you’ll know you should take your business elsewhere.

Quality Doesn’t Have to Break the Bank

Finding affordable interview transcription services doesn’t have to be a chore. With these tips, you should be able to find what you’re looking for with minimal hassle. Don’t settle for less — find the service that you deserve.

No matter what industry you’re in, we can help you out. Our team of native English speakers carefully transcribe each interview by hand, ensuring deadly accuracy and the high quality you deserve. While we are an audio transcription services company, we also transcribe video!

Best of all — we’ll do all of this for you at an affordable rate.

Upload your files now to get started.

The post How to Find Affordable Interview Transcription Services appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

Ryan Dube from MakeUseOf.com recently wrote a great tutorial on how to use voice-to-text functionality within Express Scribe transcribing software.  This is a great solution for recording yourself (dictation) and getting a very quick and accurate result; however, be aware that this is not a solution for transcribing voice audio files.   Why?  Voice recognition software must first learn your voice.   Other voices will tend to confuse it and produce what Ryan calls “garbage”.   Interviews, group discussions, or any recording that is in a less-than-ideal environment will also not transcribe well.  The noise and/or lack of clarity in these environments will create more “garbage” from your voice-to-text software.  Want to see an example?  I recently wrote a blog post that links to a radio station’s use of automated transcription software.

Also, keep in mind that the best transcripts not only include the correct spelling of words, but also the correct punctuation, formatting and so much more.  A relatively simple thing like the correct handling of homonyms may never be a realistic goal of voice-to-text programs.  Also, professional transcriptionists will hear discrepancies because their ears have been trained to hear and comprehend the details.  If something said later in the transcript does not jibe with what was said earlier, your professional transcriptionist will bring this to your attention.  Voice-to-text software will never be able to do this.

Lastly, terminology research is key to a great transcript.  Here at AudioFile Solutions, it is not uncommon for us to verify 40 or 50 terms in a typical interview.

For these reasons, the automatic transcription of audio files is clearly not ready for prime time and, in my opinion, should be left to a professional.

Read Ryan’s complete article below.

Begin Article
——————–

When you do a lot of phone interviews that get published in text format on the web, transcribing audio files becomes a big part of one’s life. There are a lot of people that have the need to transcribe voice to text, such as doctor’s that record a log of office visits, journalists that conduct audio interviews, or even students that record class lectures.

For years, I’ve been looking for a high-quality free voice to text software solution that will automatically take an audio recording and transcribe it to text. Such an application will put a lot of transcription companies out of work, but it’s a dream that I believe will come true some day. Recently, I conducted another hour-long interview… (continue reading the full article here: How to Use Voice-to-Text Dictation on Express Scribe.)

The post How to Use Voice-To-Text Dictation in Express Scribe appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

General Transcription Job Requirements:

1. Expert in MS Word and transcription software.
2. Accurate grammar and spelling.
3. Above average typing speed.
4. Top notch listening skills.
5. Proofreading with 100% accuracy.
6. Proficient with Internet investigation.
7. Attention to detail.

Job duties will include general transcription, legal transcription, interview transcription and more.  This may include transcribing focus groups, meetings, conference calls, videos, and the like.

This job can be performed at home with a turnaround time (cycle) of 1-3 business days.  Workload varies and can range from 0-4 hours of recordings per cycle.  Candidates can limit their workload based on their availability.

If interested, please read our blog articles that explain in more detail what we are looking for:

3 Keys to Providing the Best Transcription Services
The Best Transcription Companies — How to Find One

Testing is required.  Please inquire HERE (tick “Job Openings”), or call 719-477-9600 and tell us you want to apply.

AudioFile Solutions, LLC is a professional transcription company since 2002.  We are based in Colorado Springs, one hour south of Denver. We provide nationwide service to our customers in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the UK.

The post General Transcription Job Opening: Work-at-Home Transcriptionist appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

Transcribing takes focus and a special skill set. Quality work, with value, will help create repeat customers for years to come.

Here are 3 key principles to providing the best transcription services to your clients.

As a transcriptionist, help your clients put their content into context and it will keep them coming back.

1. Do you offer top-notch transcription skills? You need to be a fast and accurate typist with a tremendous grasp of grammar.  You must maneuver in transcription software like you were born doing it, follow client-provided style guidelines, and never waver from the deadline-being-the-deadline. When you provide digital audio transcription services, you’re ultimately evaluated on keeping your word and delivering the words on time. Don’t dabble. Make sure you have what it takes to succeed.

2. Do you like to learn new information? Offering transcribing services gives you a view into industries and subjects that may be new to you. Don’t deliver a final draft with (inaudible) or (indistinguishable) notations when a quick search on the Internet could verify these terms you’re unsure of. In addition, ask the client if they can provide a list of commonly used terms from the recording. This will help you provide a more accurate transcript.  Offering these value-added services is not lost on the client; they know when you’re going the extra mile.

3. Are you viewing things from the client’s eyes? The transcript is the end-product delivered to the client, but what else does your client receive from you? Do you do an audio proof (not just proofing while typing the raw transcript) to review the quality of the transcription? Do you offer a final read-through to ensure comprehension? Are you alerting the client of items that may be discrepancies in their transcript? A “good enough” transcription is never an option. Deliver with the quality that you’d expect to receive.

If you’re a top-notch transcriptionist or if you’re a company seeking transcription support that meets YOUR mark, contact AudioFile Solutions today. We provide the best transcription services to our clients on a daily basis and would like a chance to prove it to you.

The post 3 Keys to Providing the Best Transcription Services — For Transcribers appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

Looking for a way to use your iPod to cheaply record a podcast, record your company conference call, or transcribe an interview or lecture?  Recording with an iPod is easier than you might think.  In all cases, these audio files can be used for podcasting, archiving or uploading to a transcribing company.

Here are the top 4 articles we’ve found that will help you use your iPod for recording.

1. Recording a Podcast Using an iPod and a Micromemo
Author: academictechnology

In this YouTube video, Jason discusses using a standard iPod to record lectures or interviews with the Micromemo.  He demonstrates how to plug-in the device and how easy it is to record directly to the iPod Nano.

2. Recording Lectures with an iPod Touch
Author: Heather M. Whitney

This post on The Chronicle of Higher Education site is geared towards those wanting to use the second-and third-generation iPod Touch for recording audio.  This method can be used to record lectures, interviews or any other live source via the iPod Touch.

3. Recording Phone Calls with an iPod
Author: Jake Ludington

Conference call recording is typically best left to experts like, well … us.  Jake Ludington says as much in the introduction to this post.  But if you find yourself with no other choice, recording your next phone call using the iPod—while not perfect—is doable.

4. Using Your iPod to Record Audio and Podcasts
Author: Michael Miller

With the right equipment and accessories, you can use your iPod to record conversations and interviews, and even to record and mix podcasts for broadcasting over the Internet.  Read this article to learn more.

photo by Jay Riddle

The post Top 4 Articles on Recording Podcasts, Conference Calls, Interviews & Lectures with an iPod appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

• Title
• Date of audio / video recording
• Speakers’ names
• Any frequently used technical terms/names (if possible)

The “technical terms” above will help to make your transcript as accurate as possible.  We investigate unknown terms and names stringently, but your help in this area is greatly appreciated.

Then, think about whether you want us to transcribe your recording verbatim, or a variation thereof.  We typically omit verbal stuttering, incomplete words, ahs, and ums.  But there are two additional areas that, if we omit them, it makes the transcript much easier to read.

1.  Someone—like an interviewer—saying, “ok”, “right”, “yes”, and other terms to express the fact that he/she is listening to the other person.  I like to call this a “rhetorical” use of these words, but suffice it to say, they serve no other function than to make the other person feel comfortable that he/she is understanding what the other person is saying—they have no direct relationship with the content of the recording.  Obviously, in cases where, “ok”, “right”, and “yes” are used in a “non-rhetorical” context, we would not omit them.  Here is an example.

As spoken:

John:  …and I was thinking to myself that the chocolate was the best I had ever had.

Interviewer:  Okay.

John:  The flavor was unlike any other.

Interviewer:  Right.  Uh-huh.

John:  But then I remembered that it was made with cocoa from an illegal supplier…

Interviewer:  Yes.

John:  …and I had to take it back to the store.

Transcription Rewrite:

John:  …and I was thinking to myself that the chocolate was the best I had ever had.  The flavor was unlike any other.  But then I remembered that it was made with cocoa from an illegal supplier, and I had to take it back to the store.

You can see that the rewrite above is much more succinct and easy to read.  In most cases, we recommend that you direct us to make these omissions, but it is entirely up to you.

2.  In the normal course of speech, many of us will use “filler” words/phrases that have no use within the structure of a sentence.  They also have nothing to do with the content of the recording.  These are words/phrases like, “kind of”, “sort of”, “like”, “you know”, and many others.  Some of these words double as valid parts of a sentence, in “non-filler” applications.  Obviously, in these cases, we would not omit them.  But in cases where they serve no useful purpose, we recommend that you direct us to omit them.  Here is an example.

As spoken:

John:  …and I was, like, thinking to myself that the, sort of, chocolate was the best, you know, I had ever had.  The flavor was unlike, you know, any other.  But then I remembered that it was, sort of, made with cocoa from an illegal, kind of, supplier and I had to take it back, like, to the store.

Transcription Rewrite:

John:  …and I was thinking to myself that the chocolate was the best I had ever had.  The flavor was unlike any other.  But then I remembered that it was made with cocoa from an illegal supplier and I had to take it back to the store.

I’m sure you will agree that the above rewrite is much easier to read and does not change the content one bit.  But, of course, the decision to omit these “filler” words/phrases is completely up to you.

Let me take this opportunity to thank you for trusting us with your audio or video transcription project.  We work hard to make sure you are 100% happy with the work that we do for you.

The post Customer Checklist for Audio and Video Transcription Services appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

Clark Kent Interviews Always Include a Recording with the Transcript

A Transcript Sans Audio Recording?
I had a customer recently ask for a transcript of a conference call interview recording they were doing with a high profile figure.  Since this is one of our core services, I said, “Sure, would you like a copy of the recording as well?”  His initial answer may surprise you: “No, I don’t need the recording; just the transcript is fine.”

When I questioned him about this, it turns out that the transcript was going to be used for a magazine article, not for a podcast production or any other audio medium.  While this answer makes sense on the surface, further examination will show the flaws in this thinking.

Your Personal Interviews
Think about the conversations you have in the normal course of your day—at work, at home, with the taxi driver, etc.  How many times do you find yourself asking the other person to repeat themselves?  You probably do it without even thinking: “what’s that”, “pardon”, “excuse me”.  And that is a conversation you are having in person.  How much more difficult is it for a transcriptionist during a conference call or other phone conversation to accurately comprehend every word being said?

My sister who is an elementary school teacher recounts a conversation with her boyfriend during a marathon phone interview, eh hem, I mean, conversation.  She says:

“He thought I was talking about having a ‘cash can’ behind my driver’s seat, and I was talking about my ‘trash can.’  He didn’t know why I was emptying Kleenexes out of it.”

“On another occasion I said, ‘I talked to the PTA lady today,’ and he thought I said ‘I went to the pizzeria today.'”

And finally, a more serious issue came up that threatened to break up their relationship.  She said:

“I’m putting my hair in a ponytail now.”  And he thought she said, “I’m putting my head in toilet water now.”

Your Business Interviews
All kidding aside, you can see that the last example has implications in the business world too.  For instance, when interviewing a high profile sports figure about his alleged improprieties with a mistress, two people can hear the same response in two different ways:

“I never see her without my agent being in the room.”

This is very different from:

“I endeaver to see her when my agent leaves the room.”

Verifying Accurate Comprehension
This brings us back to the original scenario.  As a magazine editor, printing the later quote can have serious implications.  Do you trust a transcriptionist 100% of the time in 100% of the situations he/she may come across in an interview recording?  Let me ask that a different way: Do you trust YOURSELF 100% of the time in every situation when you are listening to a recording?  The answer is, of course, NO.  No one is perfect.  And even though at AudioFile Solutions we strive to be 100% accurate—and have safeguards against transcribing incorrect information—are you willing to trust your livelihood and your company’s brand to anyone other than yourself and your staff?  And if you’re using another audio transcription service, what safeguards do they have in place to protect against inaccurate comprehension?

A Legal Record
Looking at it a bit differently, when this hypothetical sports figure takes you to court because he now regrets talking about his indecency, how are you going to prove to a judge that your interviewee actually did say, “I endeavor to see her when my agent leaves the room.”?  Will only a transcript suffice?  Of course not.  Wouldn’t you feel better having the actual audio recording in-hand to prove beyond a doubt what was really said?  Afterall, your career is on the line here.

I think the takeaway is obvious: Always, always request an audio recording of your interview along with your transcript.  This is the only way you can review the transcriptionist’s work and protect yourself against being wrongfully accused of mis-quoting someone.

Note:  Have you had someone accuse you of misquoting them?  Or have you had a transcriptionist misunderstand what was said on a recording?  Share it with us as a comment to this post.

photo by Thomas Duchnicki :: Location Scout

The post Ace Reporters Use Both Recording & Transcription Services for Interviews appeared first on AudioFile Solutions.

Editor’s Note: We no longer use this transcription tool.

We believe we are one of the best transcription companies out there. But what exactly does that mean? Are we just blowing our own horn?

Our clients count on us to render line, form and movement to their audio and video recordings—the  result being a tangible transcript of the spoken word. We’re contacted daily to deliver professional transcription support for focus group discussions, lectures, academic interviews, podcasts, meetings, webcasts… the list is endless.

As a business professional, you need to feel confident those whom you’re entrusting to transcribe your content have your best interests at heart. We’ve been delivering transcription services to companies for many years and it’s our pleasure to provide the outline below—identifying four key areas and the elements within—for you to consider when evaluating and choosing a transcription company.

Here’s what the best transcription companies provide and what they require from their employees.

Technical Skills

• Keyboarding Skills/Speed – Look for an above-average rate of speed (75+ words per minute) married with a high degree of accuracy (98% or higher). Fast isn’t valuable if precision isn’t the guarantee.
• Know and Understand Technology/Computer Literacy – Work with someone who knows more than just the technology basics. Look for creativity and adaptability, ask what type of technology they use to listen to your audio/video and the software they use to create your transcript.
• Working within Deadlines – This is all about time management and organizational skills. Great transcriptionists know how to “work backwards” in estimating typing time, proofing time and reading-for-comprehension time to beat your deadline and exceed your expectations.

Communication Skills

• Spelling and Grammar – You have a right to expect the best transcription companies to excel in these areas. Inquire how they ensure the accurate handling of homonyms. If they’re uncertain or confused about their homonym policy, don’t go there.
• Superior Listening – Typing what is said can be a science at times. Does the transcription company have the capability to provide verbatim (word-for-word) transcripts? Can they remove the superfluous (I know, you mean, like, uh, um, ah) interjections to create a cleaner transcript for you? Be specific with what you’d like to see as an end result and learn if the transcription company offers these skills.
• Superior Comprehension/Ear for Detail –This is where experience is vital. Great transcriptionists will hear discrepancies because their ears have been trained to hear and comprehend the detail. If something said later in the transcript does not jibe with what was said earlier, the best transcription companies will bring this to your attention. It’s not too much to expect.

Experience

• Specialties – Some transcription companies specialize in delivering transcripts of accented speakers, those that contain two or more speakers or transcripts requiring time code stamps. Be sure you understand areas of specialty and any price increases associated with higher-value services.
• Terminology Research – Is it important to you that your transcription company go the extra mile in researching and verifying terminology on your transcript? A transcription services provider who is on the ball will maintain a terminology list specifically for your work to ensure consistency on your future transcripts.
• Proofing Process – Ask questions about the proofing process. If your transcript is not proofed a minimum of two times, you may want to consider speaking with another potential provider. And… a response of “proofing as the transcript is typed” is not an acceptable guarantee of accuracy or consistency on your deliverable.
• Years in Business – Ask the provider how long they’ve been in business providing transcription services. Any transcription company worth its salt will be pleased to share this information with you. Longevity is significant.

Work Ethic

• Professionalism – This does not become any less important as we move from the brick-and-mortar environment to the virtual workplace. Ask for references and examples of work if this will provide you with a better feel for the provider’s professionalism. Those who are serious about your business will gladly respond to your requests.
• Confidentiality – Work with a transcription company that provides a confidentiality clause in their service agreement. (Yes, be sure to sign an agreement.) Feel confident that the subject matter shared with your transcription company stays with your transcription company.
• Business/Industry Knowledge – This is extremely important when it comes to creating your content. A transcription company should be familiar with standard business acronyms, business leaders and business trends.
• Vested Interest in Your Success – Work with a transcription provider who wants to understand what’s important to you. Find someone who isn’t afraid to have a voice-to-voice conversation and clarify your needs. You want to work with someone who requests that level of detail because it indicates they’re interested in your success.

And finally… transcribing is more than just typing. If you have ever received transcription services support, you quickly discovered upon review of your final deliverable whether you hired a skilled service provider. Transcription is a combination of art, skill and business savvy; it’s the transformation of your raw material into a meaningful deliverable to support the success of your business. Be sure to partner with a transcription company that has experience, is pleased to answer your questions and is committed to your success.

All the best.

Lori J. Clark is the Founder and Lead Administrator of Clark VA Solutions, a virtual administrative consulting practice delivering services based on a strong, 30-year professional foundation of education, skills and experience. Clark VA Solutions serves C- and executive-level professionals and entrepreneurs with writing services, corporate/business transcription, administrative planning and brainstorming/structuring service offerings for success. See http://clarkvasolutions.com for more information.

photo by Nathan LeClair

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