It’s easy to find a transcription service online.
A simple search for terms like ‘transcription service’ or ‘transcriptionist’ on Google, Twitter or Facebook will throw up several pages worth of information.
But how do you decide which is the right service for you? What questions should you ask? What instructions should you provide? How do you decide what you need?
Here are some things to consider:
1. Transcription style
Decide how you want the recording transcribed.
Do you need a word-for-word transcript or would you rather have the unnecessary parts (like the ums and ahs) edited out?
There are two styles of transcription generally used – Verbatim & Clean Read.
Verbatim transcription involves typing out every word and sound on the recording along with non-verbal communication such as laughter, pauses, etc.
This style is ideal for research and analysis. But if you’re simply looking for the main ideas on the recording, a transcript based on this style may be cumbersome to read.
Clean read transcription makes for easier reading. It involves typing all the important parts but leaving out the irrelevant content such as fillers, false starts, side conversations, etc.
2. Transcription Turnaround time
How soon do you need the transcript?
One hour of recording takes 4-5 hours to transcribe. The transcription time increases if the recording involves strong accents, background noise, multiple speakers, technical terminology etc.
If you need editing & formatting as well, that would require additional time.
The standard turnaround time of most transcription services is 3-5 business days depending on the length of the recording.
If you need a transcript sooner, mention this to the transcription service before the project begins and discuss any applicable ‘rush’ charges.
3. Technical Terminology
What is the subject of your recording? Is there industry-specific terminology involved (related to finance, software, real estate etc.)?
If you need technical terms transcribed, look for a transcription service that researches spellings at the time of transcribing. This will save you a lot of time filling in the blanks.
If you don’t need the technical terms transcribed, you can ask the transcription service to put a time stamp (hh:mm:ss) at the point in the transcript where the word appears. This will help you quickly skip to the relevant part of the audio at the time of proof reading.
Transcription services charge a higher rate for technical recordings, so it’s a good idea to ask for a quote before sending work.
4. Accents
People with neutral accents are easy to understand (and transcribe).
But transcribing speakers with accents requires familiarity with the accents. For example, not everyone can transcribe an Australian or Irish accent unless they have a trained ear for these.
If the speakers on your recording have strong accents, it would be wise to choose a transcription service that is familiar with the accents involved.
5. Audio Clarity
If your recording has background noise, low volume, echo, or multiple speakers talking over each other, then it will be hard to transcribe.
Such recordings require several rounds of proofreading to reach a decent level of accuracy and therefore take much longer to transcribe.
Additionally, there’s no guarantee of accuracy and the costs are invariably higher.
It’s a good idea to send a sample file to your transcriber so that they can give you an accurate evaluation and quote before starting work. You can even ask for a paid sample to see if it’s worth the effort.
Precaution is better than cure in this case. Try using professional recording gear to ensure a good quality recording.
6. Speaker Identification
When there’s more than one person speaking on a recording, it helps to have each speaker identified separately on the transcript, like:
John: blah, blah, blah
Katy: blah, blah, blah
Or
Speaker 1: blah, blah, blah
Speaker 2: blah, blah, blah
Transcribing 2-3 speakers is not a particularly difficult task, but if there are more involved, then the transcriptionist has to listen very carefully to differentiate between the voices of the different speakers to mark their names correctly on the transcript.
Not everyone can do this well and therefore it’s a good idea to choose an experienced transcriber or transcription company for recordings with multiple speakers.
7. Editing
Many transcription companies provide editing services that can be used for creating a ready-to-use documents.
Editing services may include checking the transcripts for grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, fillers, false starts, slangs, etc.
You can also ask for the text to be placed under contextual headings or have the transcript converted into an information product such as an e-book, blog post, workbook, handout, PowerPoint presentation, etc.
Transcription companies that provide editing services usually charge more. Discuss what you need and ask for a quote to make sure you don’t go beyond budget.
8. Formatting
This is an important one if you don’t want to land up with a long document without breaks, something like this:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam nisi nibh, vestibulum eu vulputate in, pharetra id velit. Phasellus aliquet, leo eu porttitor sagittis, augue elit ultricies sem, a dignissim nisi dui vel dolor. Nulla eget nisl sit amet dui condimentum ullamcorper. Proin ultricies viverra pharetra. Sed at ipsum urna, ut malesuada sapien. Mauris id ipsum dui, nec lobortis arcu. Donec imperdiet porttitor nisl a vehicula. Integer in neque sed ipsum commodo mollis at id est. Suspendisse lacus ipsum, molestie sit amet suscipit sit amet, suscipit ut lorem. Proin lacinia convallis nisi, et adipiscing nunc ultrices in. Ut at leo tellus. Nulla quis massa turpis. Cras semper dolor quis mauris faucibus eget tristique tellus ornare. Fusce pellentesque justo dolor, sit amet porta augue. Proin tristique malesuada velit eu lobortis. Phasellus ornare mollis laoreet. Fusce vel neque vitae eros cursus interdum. Fusce dapibus felis nec eros condimentum accumsan. Duis cursus semper arcu, sed venenatis mi fringilla euismod. Aliquam eget urna quis augue mattis tincidunt. Donec dapibus cursus odio, a volutpat leo pretium et. Morbi tellus nisl, rhoncus non accumsan vel, auctor ut felis. Nulla congue tristique augue vel egestas. Ut dignissim convallis lectus, id porta eros varius non. Morbi sit amet euismod orci. Integer et nisi leo. Proin nunc arcu, molestie ut gravida id, molestie semper neque. Nulla gravida urna sit amet libero dictum scelerisque.
Let the transcription service know that you would need the text broken into short, easy-to-read paragraphs with page breaks at appropriate places.
You can also ask for additional formatting such as headings, subheadings, special margins, italicizing of text, etc.
This may involves additional time and cost, but is worth it in the long run.
9. Transcription of videos
Most transcription companies convert video files to audio formats compatible with transcription software.
If a video cannot be converted, then the transcription must be done directly from the video. The same principle applies to online videos such as the ones on YouTube.
As a rule, transcribing videos takes longer and costs more. Checking on the additional costs and turnaround time may be a good idea.
10. Time stamping & Time Coding
Time stamps are inserted in a transcript where the transcriptionist can’t understand a word. They’re usually in [hh:mm:ss] format and are helpful while editing.
Time codes are periodic codes placed on a transcript (say every minute or every 3 minutes etc.). Time codes are also placed on transcripts of video footage.
Discuss your requirement with the transcription service to ensure they put in the right stamps/codes.
11. Sending files
How are you going to send recordings to the transcription service? Do they provide online space where you can upload files? Can you use FTP or send a link to the recordings? Emailing recordings is not a good idea due to size and encryption issues.
How will the transcript be delivered? Will you receive a downloadable link? Would the transcript be sent as an attachment in an email?
Many transcription services provide free online space for uploading files. If they don’t, you can use online file transfer services such as yousendit.com, sendthisfile.com, etc.
Using securing online storage for sharing files is highly recommended if you’re concerned about the safety of your data.
12. Payment methods
Depending on the location of the transcription service, there are several payment options to choose from such as PayPal, Moneybookers, Payoneer, and Xoom. Wire transfers, moneygrams, and checks are also some options available.
Deciding on a mutually convenient method of payment will save a lot of inconvenience later. Don’t forget to check for transaction fees that differ according to the payment method used.
Outsourcing your transcription work can lead to substantial savings both in terms of time and cost. But an uninformed decision can lead to the opposite.
For best results, invest a little time on research and ask the right questions.
Good luck!
