Online Transcription Services The Wave Of The Future

By Susan Ross


Whether a freelancer or independent contractor, there are often a number of opportunities. One of these opportunities involves working for online transcription services. In fact, there are now a number of online services offering jobs to individuals whom have experience in transcription.

For, transcriptionists are very good at converting either live or recorded speech into a text document. Most often provided for business, legal, or medical purposes, there are also individuals such as poets and writers who hire transcriptionists. While in the past Dictaphones were used to assist clerical workers putting information onto paper, now audio files are most often the tools use to communicate in this manner.

For, with the advent of computers, now individuals transcribing information from an audio file can type the information into a MS Word, Word Perfect or other word processing file which can later be revised without the need to retype the entire document. While this is the case, there are still some individuals whom prefer to speak into a Dictaphone and have an administrative assistant or clerical worker transcribe the information from a traditional Dictaphone into written or electronic text.

When it comes to using a service, most prefer that the information to be processed be submitted on a cassette, VHS or CD. Whereas, the most preferable is often a sound file transmitted to the service as at attachment to an email. While this is the case, different companies have different guidelines. As such, it is best to check with the company before preparing a recorded or electronic file to be transcribed.

Rates for transcription services often differ among individuals and companies. In most cases, hiring an individual will be less expensive than going through a service. At the same time, services can often offer a faster turn-around time. As such, it is up to individual needs as to which might be a better choice at any given time.

As rates can vary, it is important to know whether an individual or service is charging per minute, per word, per line or per hour. Also, while private services often assist governmental agencies, law firms, courts, meeting planners, nonprofits and trade associates, the rate is often higher for these services.

In the early days, office workers often took dictation from superiors, then typed out the information on a standard typewriter. As there could be a number of revisions, individuals often spent a great deal of time retyping documents from the beginning. Then, in the late 1970s, jobs became easier with the introduction of recording devices. As such, superiors would then dictate into the equipment and transcriptionists would type the information into a typewritten document.

While mailing cassettes became a regular part of the transcription business during this time, audio files now make the job even easier. In addition, there are a number of services whom now provide work to contract and freelance workers on a regular basis. As a result, computers and email have taken jobs which used to take hours and a great deal of footwork into a future where one can simply listen type, then share a file over a number of electronic devices.




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