7 Things to Consider When Hiring a Transcription Service

There are many reasons you might want your audio files transcribed. Quality transcription gives you an accurate written record of important events, like meetings or interviews. You can then share that written record with colleagues, use sections of it in reports and collateral, post relevant parts on your website and use it in many other ways; however, there are some things you should consider before hiring a transcription service. In this article, we take a look at seven of the most important.

1. In-house vs outsourcing

It might seem a good idea to have someone in-house do the transcribing; however, we find this is often a more costly option for businesses than outsourcing to a professional transcription service – and not just in a financial sense.

Tying up an employee with transcription duties takes them away from other responsibilities they should be performing. If an executive assistant’s salary is $60,000 per annum, this gives us a rough hourly rate of $30. If they are spending their time transcribing, this hourly rate can quickly add up (not to mention the opportunity cost of what they otherwise could be doing). The good news is, outsourcing to a professional transcription service means you recover 100% of the time the executive assistant would have spent transcribing material. Now they can attend to other duties and be more productive in other areas. At Tasman Transcription, our business clients average spend per annum is $15,000.  Now, doesn’t that sound better than $60,000? 

2. A higher level of security and confidentiality

Having employees transcribe sensitive files risks exposing private organisational information, especially if that employee becomes disgruntled.  A professional transcription service will take security and confidentiality very seriously, so you know your private information is secure and you won’t have to worry about it falling into the wrong hands.

3. Faster turnaround times

Having an employee who is not versed in transcribing files may struggle and will take longer than a professional transcriptionist who has spent years perfecting their craft.  A professional transcription service is equipped with the right equipment and experience in handling different files.  They will know the best way to manage your project and turn it around in the fastest time possible, so you get important documents in your hands much sooner.

4. A team of professional transcriptionists

A good transcription service will have a team of experienced, professional transcriptionists. Individuals in the team may also have knowledge on the subjects they are transcribing, so each project goes to the most appropriately qualified transcriptionist.

5. A clearly defined transcription process

You should make sure the transcription service you choose has a well-defined process, so you know what to expect at every step.  At Tasman Transcription, we make sure all our clients understand the process before we begin an assignment.  You can read about our process here.

6. A greater level of accuracy and quality

Accuracy and quality are essential in any transcription project.  Technology has seen a rise in automated transcription services; however, the result will only be as good as the quality of the audio file.  Human transcription still beats automated transcription in terms of producing quality transcripts.  Experienced transcriptionists have excellent language skills, the ability to understand regional accents and will identify grammatical and punctuation errors.  Humans understand context and homophones, which AI technology cannot. For example, the sale of a boat or the sail of a boat. 

7. An understanding of different industries

A good transcription service will be comfortable working across different industries and professions.  They will understand industry jargon and technical terms.  At Tasman Transcription, we have extensive experience working with professional services, such as law firms, barristers, accountants, financial planners, consultants and businesses.  We also work with medical professionals, market research companies, students and academics.

Contact us for your next transcription project

Talk to Tasman Transcription about your transcription needs to find out how we can help you save time and money.  Remember, our services are 100% recoverable; adding value to your business through focus and industry expertise.  Get in touch today on +64 (0) 3 526 7808 or at ml@tasmantranscription.com