Transcription Companies – Getting Value for Money
If you are thinking about using a transcription service for the first time, there are a number of steps that you can take to reduce the cost of your transcripts. In this post, I’ll go through some of the easiest ways you can save money on the cost of your transcripts.
Compact Files. Hard copies of audio or video such as cassette tapes, CD’s, DVD’s, VHS and flash drives will work out more expensive (and slower) to transcribe that if you send your sound or video files online. This is because most transcription companies will have to convert and compress your files before beginning transcription. If you have a hard copy of your sound or video and want it transcribed, you may find that it works out a lot cheaper if you can convert and compress the files yourself. In fact we have a number of videos and articles available on our website, showing how to do this and if you can’t find the information, feel free to email or call us for further details.
Removing redundant audio. If you have a large chunk of silence within your audio or video file, be sure to make a note of the time and either remove it or make the transcription service you are using aware of what times you wish for them to start and stop transcription. All this will help to reduce the cost of your final transcript.
Transcript Style. Transcripts that are typed in verbatim or using time codes are more expensive that transcripts typed using intelligent verbatim. Unless there is a particular need for you to have a verbatim transcript (usually legal documents) or a time coded transcript (often used for video transcription) we recommend opting for the intelligent verbatim style of transcript, which is often also easier to read.
Special Offers. You will find that many transcription companies frequently have special offers available, especially for new clients. A lot of transcription service providers also offer discounts for referring friends and colleagues. When in doubt, simply scan through there website or better still just contact them and ask.
There you have it, my top tips for getting the best value for money when using a transcription service. If you have any other suggestions or tips, feel free to leave your comments below.
If you are interested in using our transcription services, why not contact us today?
