Ajay Prasad
8/7/2009
Remember when getting an interview transcribed used to be a pain? Mailing your cassette, paying for unpredictable prices, finding the right typist, and dealing with the overall hassle overshadowed the end result.
A typical transaction would include searching for the right typist, then mailing it to him/her or driving to their house and delivering the interview, allowing the person to create a transcript, and finally returning to pick up your transcript and interview cassette.
The prices were an even greater pain. Normally, they were set on the number of lines a transcript would end up having, which led to uncertainty, especially if the interview was very lengthy. Often times, it was difficult to know how much you would have to pay.
Fortunately, a permanent solution has emerged in the last few years.
In the last decade, a new, more convenient form of transcription has revolutionized the transcription industry and what it has to offer: online transcription. This improved method of transcription eliminates the necessity of sending a cassette to, in some cases, another country, searching for the right typist, and paying for ludicrous prices.
US-based Transcription companies were among the few companies that pioneered this movement and, to accommodate this fast-growing industry, developed a reliable system of online transcription that is accessible at the click of the mouse virtually anywhere in the world. Now, a typical online transaction begins when a client signs up for a website that offers online Transcription services. Before a potential client decides to initiate a transaction with a certain company, he/she can decide whether the rates offered, which are now by the minute – not by line, are acceptable. Next, he/she must upload the file that will be transcribed onto the website servers. From there, the client’s work is finished. Depending on which turnaround time was chosen, the client simply awaits the transcript to be sent to him/her.
What the company must do is assign the file to a typist who can transcribe the file, which is scrambled to protect the client’s identity. If you want this level of confidentiality and security remember it is offered by only a few select companies and is not a norm. So pay attention while selecting your transcription company.
Once finished, the company pays the typist for his/her services and the transcript is sent back to the company’s website where it is reassigned to the client’s username. Finally, the client receives a notification and completes payment via credit card, thereby receiving the transcript. This process allows persons living in the most remote areas of the world to have a file transcribed within the specified turnaround time, with relative ease. Moreover, the client’s identity is kept anonymous, and all of the payment transactions are completed over a secure server, ensuring the privacy of the client.
Online transcription’s accessibility, innovative process, and reliable results have made it a promising industry that is growing rapidly every year. Another profound benefit of online transcription is its widespread popularity. Countries such as Pakistan, India, and the Philippines are exploiting the lucrative online transcription business opportunities, as is evident by the hundreds of companies that have sprung up all over the world.
A word of caution. Even though their rates may be cheaper accuracy is of utmost importance in transcriptions. So check out several sites before deciding on the best vendor.
Contact GMR Transcription for your transcription needs and services
Learn more: How to Choose the Best Transcription Service for Your Business
