Matching a Transcription Service to Your Needs

There are typically two reasons behind the choice to outside transcription services; the most apparent for many professionals is the need to save money on transcription. Hiring an in-house professional can be costly. No matter how you spin it, outsourcing is usually cheaper when handled properly.

Second, outsourcing transcription services frees up a great deal of time for yourself or the people who work for you. This includes time handling the materials as well as doing the transcription. A good example is a recruiting firm that handles the interview process of potential candidates for major brands.

Outsourced interview transcription takes the full burden of time and labor off the agency to transcribe audio recordings of candidate interviews for the review of prospective employers. Recruiters can submit their audio/video and wait for the final documents. The only handling they do is in a review and submission to their clients.

The trick to making it work however is finding the right transcription service, as not all are design, structured, or run the same.  Following are some tips to find the right service to meet your needs, whether you need medical, legal or professional services such as with interview transcription.

Prepare for Outsourcing to a Transcription Provider

If you have a game plan for outsourcing your transcription, the process will go a lot easier for you. Take the time to write up a brief description of the type of projects you need. When you make these project notes be sure to include the type of setting of your recordings, the number of people that are included in the conversation or dialogue, the desired turnaround time for your project(s), and other specific needs you have.

Detailing your project, such as preferred file formats, the smoothing, removal or reduction of ambient sounds, etc. will make it easier for a transcription service to establish an accurate quote. Remember that in some cases, the more flexible you appear (being a potential good, returning customer) the better your rates on quotes could be.

Depending on your field, it may be helpful to include a list of technical words and definitions, as well as names of people, places, and products to speed along the work of the transcription service.

Weighing the Transcription Services

Reviews and testimonials can be a helpful way to determine how accurate and reliable a service is. If you find one or more transcription services that interest you, do some digging online for the brand and see what kind of reviews and information you can find.

Be wary; there are unscrupulous companies that create false reviews and testimonials in order to make them look more favorable.

To find the company best suited for your needs, make a list of several companies that look favorable, and then submit a price quote from several.  Avoid making a decision based solely on price, but consider the services that are offered along with the quotes you receive. Beyond the price, make note of how long it took the transcription service provider to return a quote to you.

Lastly, compare the service delivery details. If you expect to have a great deal of transcription work in the near future or on a consistent basis don't be afraid to request a bulk discount.