The Transcription People - Digital Dictation & Transcription Blog

What is Transcription?

Annalisa — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:51:17 +0000

I am often asked the question “What is Transcription?” when chatting to people about what I do and am often quite surprised when people don’t know. Put quite simply, transcription is the conversion of speech-to-text from video or more commonly digital audio recordings.

However there are a lot of steps to go through to transform a digital audio file into a useable text document – and there are many reasons in business for needing an accurate record of events.

Our clients upload their digital audio files via our secure online server, which generates an email alert to all staff in our office to advise that the file upload has been completed. We load the digital audio into one of our transcription software packages, we use a combination of Express Scribe and the Olympus DSS Player Pro transcription module (so we can transcribe the new .ds2 DSS Pro audio). This software lets our solipsists control the audio playback speed and volume using a USB connect foot control or pedal while listening to the audio.

Once we have checked the audio length and quality we assign the audio to one of our transcriptionists along with an individual client example and reference document. We have specific notes for each client indicating what fonts are preferred, whether or not to type verbatim, what format the client prefers time stamps and if required the clients letterhead. Using their transcription software the typist will transcribe into a Word document using a USB foot control and headphones. Each Word document is proofread and quality checked by a second person, we call this the second set of eyes and ensures that the quality and accuracy of the document is as high as can be. The completed document is emailed back to the client or for highly secure transcripts the completed document can be downloaded from our secure server.

Transcription can be used for business in a number of ways, such as documenting meetings or notes, keeping a record of an annual general meeting (AGM) or for any type of correspondence. Here are some examples:

Financial Transcription – typically financial results recorded live or via webcast.
Legal Transcription – this type of transcription can include hearings, correspondence or records of meetings such as arbitration, court cases and legal notes.
Medical Transcription – for keeping records of patient progress, referrals, letters, insurance cases or summaries.
Market research or focus groups – documenting what the group of people has said when reviewing products or services.
Podcast – many podcasters include downloadable transcripts on their websites.
General – other types of transcription include interviews, scripts, speeches, presentations, manuscripts and research.

Transcription is a very specialised field and for those who are not trained, transcribing an audio file into text can be very time-consuming and often frustrating. It involves the ability to work to tight deadlines, maintain confidentiality as well as the necessary transcription skills.

Previously, a business many have employed an assistant in-house to transcribe company documents, but with corporate cutbacks many of these roles have been absorbed into others and transcription is often now handled by an external company. Time is a valuable resource for business owners, so many outsource transcription to ensure they have more time to concentrate on their core business activities and increase their productivity.

2009 in Retrospect

Annalisa — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:16:21 +0000

In the lead up to the end of 2009 and in the first week of 2010 I’ve read a lot of blogs listing the writer’s goals for this year.

I think this is great and I have a list of goals I’d like to achieve too, but I prefer to make my first blog for 2010 a retrospective look at what I decided were my must-have items from last year. Here I have decided to list everything that has made my business a success in 2009 and helped build it to the operation it has become.

1. Must-have networking group – The Australian Businesswomen’s Network (ABN)

I joined the ABN while I was growing The Transcription People (TTP), looking for some business support, other women in business to chat to and occasional guidance when needed. I gained far more than this and took part in the MentorNET program, which proved invaluable for TTP.

2. Must-have PR person – Johanna Baker-Dowdell, Strawberry Communications

I first met Johanna when several small Central Coast businesses started chatting on Twitter and decided to meet in person. She has since become TTP’s PR consultant and gained us media coverage and new clients.

3. Must-have business coach – Terri Cook, Success Zone

As TTP grew we needed to hire staff and move into bigger commercial office space, but there were other aspects of the business which I didn’t spend as much time on as I should have. I started working with Terri in October and she has guided me to turn around these stale areas within the business, streamline my operations and given me tips to build better relationships with clients.

4. Must-have technology – iPhone

I am so happy with my iPhone I am constantly trying to get others to convert from Blackberries and other smart phones. My iPhone is a great business tool to keep me in touch while away from the office, but with the range of iPhone accessories and applications available it has become as essential as my sunglasses!

5. Must-have “giving back” – YESUP Mentoring Program http://www.frankteam.com.au

After everything I gained from the ABN MentorNET program I decided it was time to give something back last year. I became a mentor for a young business woman and took her through the business basics like planning, accounting and marketing, but also acted as a sounding board for issues that arose throughout the term of the program. I found being a mentor was just as valuable as being a mentoree.

6. Must-have book – Connection Generation by Iggy Pintado

I followed Iggy on Facebook and Twitter throughout the year, but actually met him at Flying Solo Live in September and again at networking events since. Iggy’s book is an inspirational guide to how small businesses can utilise social networking to play in the big league.

7. Must-have podcast – Small Business Big Marketing

Started by experienced marketer (Tim Reid) and web developer (Luke Moulton), the Small Business Big Marketing podcast has become one I watch out for because it is fun and full of business ideas that are easy to implement in a short format I can make time to listen to.

8. Must-have social networking – Facebook

Facebook is my favourite social networking site because I can chat with friends, post photos from my phone or camera, post links, find new people to connect with and share my news with my network.

9. Must-have comfortable shoes – Chinelas by Michelle

These shoes are so good! How many times have you put on some fantastic heels only to regret that decision at the end of the night when you have to walk home/to the car/train. Not anymore! Chinelas are folding shoes in a range of colours that fit in your handbag until you put them on at the end of the night to give your feet a break. Great news is, they are designed by a young entrepreneur that I met through the YESUP Program. Look out for Michelle, she’s on a winner!

10. Must-have support – family and friends

None of the list above could have happened without the support from my loving family and friends. They are the first to celebrate with me when we land a new client and provide an ear when things aren’t going so well. Their support is what drives me every day.

So this was my look back what made 2009 such a great year for me and my business. I can’t wait to see which items join my list for 2010!

‘Tis the Season to be Charitable

Annalisa — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:03:38 +0000

Christmas is a time of giving, but it also a time for being with friends and looking back at the year that has gone before, celebrating what has been achieved.

I intend to do just this when I attend the CCBiz Christmas Cocktail function at Ettalong Mantra on Friday night (November 27), both as an event sponsor, but also a member of the Central Coast’s own networking group.

It has been a big year for The Transcription People, with our move from our home office into the HighPoint Building at Erina, as well as the business’s growth. We have big plans for 2010, but first I will honour 2009.

I am looking forward to letting my hair down at the CCBiz Cocktails, sharing a few drinks with friends and business associates – and meeting new business owners. I’m also pleased I will be helping to raise money for an important charity, while I’m celebrating the end of the year. All money raised at the function will aid Central Coast Child Abuse Prevention Service (CAPS), which relies completely on funding from the community, businesses and fundraising. CAPS is a not-for-profit organisation offering support services for parents and families on the Central Coast for more than 35 years. The charity aims to alleviate child abuse in all its forms, by educating and informing both parents and the public through telephone counselling, training sessions, workshops and referrals to relevant professional services.

Tickets for the CCBiz Christmas Cocktail function are $63 and are still for sale right now. Entertainment, canapés and drinks are included in the ticket price, and there will also be a silent auction and raffles drawn on the night with thousands of dollars worth of goods and services donated from Central Coast businesses up for grabs.

Buy tickets at http://ccbiz.com.au/events/charity-fundraiser/

Dear Sir/Madam … I’d like a job!

Annalisa — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:11:36 +0000

Being a busy transcription business, we often receive around ten job enquiry emails per day either requesting information or submitting resumes for transcription work. Whilst this can be quite time consuming to review each email and resume, the process is often shortened by the occasional email that I don’t even waste my time reviewing. I have been shocked over the years at people’s lack of consideration and social etiquette with something as serious as asking for your employment.

The following can deter me from even considering an application:

Not addressing who the email is to;
Not researching the company details to find out who you are submitting your work enquiry to but rather opting for the quick and easy way of addressing ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ – The Transcription People website has my profile and picture and easily identifies me as the Director of the company.
Not writing any content at all but simply attaching a resume.

I sought some advice from a professional resume writer, Kirsty Stewart

Tips for writing a great resume and cover letter:

If you are not an advanced MS Word user make sure you use a nice, easy template so you don’t have to spend too much time playing around with it. There are plenty of free examples online to choose from.
Don’t use italics or fancy fonts as they are hard to read. Instead use bold to highlight areas of interest e.g. name, phone, job titles, course names. Also only use black font with a white background. Colours can be hard to read and don’t print and scan as clearly.
If printing your resume always use plain white paper only (I cannot stress this one enough). A simple staple or paper clip is preferred. Never bind your resume.
Use bullet points rather than paragraph format to list your work skills and experience. However, just because you are using bullet points does not mean you should not write full sentences.
Always provide examples and specific information. The difference between a good and a great resume will show how you made improvements and contributions in your previous position. However, be truthful and don’t go overboard.

Poor Resume Example:

Filing
Reception
Mailing

Good Resume Example:

Attended to the electronic, manual and archiving of files for 3 Senior Lawyers of highly confidential information
Managed a busy reception desk including answering incoming client queries, greeting customers and general administrative tasks
- Organised both incoming and outgoing mail including organising couriers and attending to email correspondence

Better Resume Example:

Created new procedures for the electronic, manual and archiving of confidential files that decreased time spent on task by 30 minutes a day
Developed procedures manual for front desk reception tasks that included telephone messaging systems and client greeting procedures to streamline break cover and holiday leave
- Organised both incoming and outgoing mail including organising couriers and attending to email correspondence

Finally, always proofread your documents. If you can’t afford to hire a proof reader it is well worth your time to have someone you know to have a look at your resume for any mistakes. A great tip for spotting mistakes is to read your resume and cover letter out loud.

Australian Small Business – 4 Tips to Think and Act Big, It’s Easier Than You Think

Annalisa — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 23:57:17 +0000

I was inspired to write this blog post after attending FlyingSolo Live in Sydney recently. One of the best speakers on the day was Andrew Griffiths an Aussie who has done very well in business in Australia. His keynote speech at FlyingSolo Live talked about his personal and business journey and how he once trusted a business adviser who came his way during tough times who turned around his ailing business and promoted him into the A-League of small business entrepreneurs.

One of the things that Andrew spoke about on the day which I could totally relate to was how small business must think and act big. This is something I worked on in the early days of my business, before we had an office and staff, when I was working on my own from my home office.

It is easy today to create a website and sell your wares to the world online. A great looking website is a must and is often one of the first things any potential client sees so good first impressions are essential. But alot of small and micro businesses start to fail when you look closer at the detail of the business. Here are four quick and easy things to work on to swell the image of your business:

Tip 1: Use A Real Address For Your Business

Yes a PO box is handy, send all your bills there, forget them and hope they go away. But when potential clients see this the bells start to ring. Is this a legitimate business? Why don’t they have an office? Whereabouts are they located?

This one is quite easy to fix. Use your home address except add a Suite number to the first line. So for example if you live and work at:

27 Harold Street,

Suburbia,

NSW 2000

Simply add the Suite to address line:

Suite 1,

27 Harold Street,

Suburbia,

NSW 2000

Don’t worry this doesn’t confuse your postie, he or she will still deliver your post.

Tip2: Email Address

This is my pet hate. Nothing gives away a small or micro business more than using an ISP or free email address as your primary business email address. By that I mean BigPond, Optus, Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail email addresses. Every business should have a website, no question. If you have a website you have your own domain name, you must use that domain name for all your business emails.

I see this all the time, especially from people who apply for a job with The Transcription People. I will get an introduction email with a resume attached “Hello I have been running a small business for X years and would love to work with The Transcription People …” invariably the email signature block will have something like hilda@agoodtypingcompany.com.au BUT when you look at the sender the email is from fred_and_hilda52@bigpond.com !!

Worse still, I get an email from someone using Hotmail or Yahoo with a “Find Singles Near You” advert at the bottom of the email, not very professional.

Do not redirect your business domain emails to your home ISP or free email address. No excuse, if you have a domain name use it for your business emails. You can either do this by configuring the email that you pay for which comes with your web hosting or switch to something like Google Mail for Business.

Tip 3: Phone Number

Times are changing, in the not so distant days gone by it was a faux pas to list your mobile phone number as your only contact number, mainly due to the exorbitant call costs to mobiles. Those days have gone and it is more acceptable to put your mobile number on your contact page, but not as your only contact number. Remember, small business thinking and acting big. Look to get a 1300 (local rate) or 1800 (free call) number, doesn’t have to be something meaningful as your first number like 1300 I AM GR8 any 1300 or 1800 has the look and feel of a “real” business. If you live and work on your mobile simply have the 1300/1800 routed directly to your mobile. The costs involved in setting up and maintaining a local rate (1300) or freecall (1800) number is minimal for the effect it has.

Tip 4: GST

Before you roll your eyes or start the whole “I don’t earn enough for GST” comment just stop and have a think. How many professional companies do you deal with, day to day, who charge you GST, I am willing to bet all of them. So, why not join join them? Small businesses who turnover less than $75,000 a year are not required to register for GST but you can optionally register for GST – ATO details here. You should already be accounting for your sales and purchases so it should be easy to account for that extra 10% tax. You will be required to lodge a BAS (Business Activity Statement) every quarter, yes only four times a year, no big deal. The extra 10% of income you receive and hold onto for the government for a couple of months can come in handy sometimes if cash flow becomes tight, the 10% rebate on any purchase is always worth having. Of course always talk to your tax professional before you do this.

These are four quick and easy tips to help move you and your business forward.

Thank You – Finalists in the Express Advocate Business Achiever Awards

Annalisa — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:06:36 +0000

On behalf of The Transcription People I would like to thank our amazing clients for their support and for nominating us in our local Express Advocate Business Achiever awards for 2009, we are finalists in the Business Services category.

This award is run by one of our local area newspapers and recognises businesses located on the Central Coast in New South Wales. Our office is located in Erina, just outside Gosford, about 60 minutes drive North of Sydney. Although the majority of our clients are located outside of the Central Coast, they are located all over Australia as well as overseas. I am active in the local business community supporting and encouraging business not just on the Central Coast but nationally. I am currently mentoring an aspiring business woman in Sydney with her PR business. The awards will be presented on 25th November, we will be attending along with fellow Business Achiever Award Finalists who are also our friends.

Director – The Transcription People Australia

Sending Confidential Audio Across The Internet – What To Look For

Annalisa — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 06:54:20 +0000

When using a transcription service one thing you must check is the security of the file transfer mechanism used by that transcription service. The vast majority of audio we process at The Transcription People is confidential, this means that the audio our clients send to us must be sent to us across the internet securely, this means encrypting the audio from the sender all the way through to our servers.

How do we encrypt audio and what should you look for when hiring a transcription service?

There are a couple of common ways to transfer files across the internet, email and FTP (File Transfer Protocol). Neither of those are secure: email by default travels in the clear across the internet from the sender to the recipient. By “travels across the internet” we mean your email is passed from server to server, called hops, until it reaches its destination mail server. As email is sent in the clear the content could potentially be intercepted and read by others. FTP is also a very common way to move larger files and many smaller transcription services make use of this. FTP is fine for non confidential audio, using FTP again transmits data across the internet in the clear, unencrypted. When using FTP you are usually required to enter a user name and password to connect to the FTP server, that is just the key to open up access to a location on a server to deposit your file, it does not mean that your audio is encrypted. Both email and FTP can be secured; for email by using secure certificates for both the sender and receiver and for FTP to use the SFTP protocol (Secure File Transfer Protocol) which uses an encryption key exchange as the transfer is initiated, both of these are rarely used by the majority of small transcription services around Australia.

Recently there has been a boom in third party online file transfer services like SendThisFile.com which some transcription services have embraced. This allows senders to deposit large files, like audio, with the third party. This system does allow for secure file transfer but neither the sender or the receiver have any control of where the data is stored and who has access to that data.

Whats does The Transcription People do to secure file transfer?

At The Transcription People we use web browser secure file transfer across HTTPS direct on our own servers. HTTPS is a combination of Hypertext Transfer Protocol across SSL (Secure Socket Layers), which basically means that whatever is transmitted through the browser is encrypted. This is the protocol used by banks and credit card companies to secure data exchange between the browser and the server and is indicated by the padlock in the browser and the URL starting with https. Using this protocol the data is encrypted from the sender to the receivers server, across all internet hops.

We own and administer our own webservers, we do not share them with other websites or businesses and we have full access and control over our servers. Audio you securely transfer to us via our innovative and easy to use web application comes directly to us, securely across HTTPS.

New .ds2 Audio Format In Use By Olympus Recorders

Dave from dictate.com.au — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:19:07 +0000

Olympus have long been the market leaders in both tape and more recently digital voice recorders and dictaphones in Australia and I am sure in most parts of the world. Olympus Voice in Australia is run from their head office in Melbourne with an additional office located in Sydney.

In 2009 Olympus Australia have been very agressive with updates to their product range and we have seen a number of recorders discontinued and replaced with newer models. The greatest impact of changes in product line have affected the digital dictaphone range, most commonly used by for single speaker audio and very popular in the medical and legal fields. The product range now comprises the DS-2400 (replaced the DS-2300), DS-3400 (replaced the DS-3300) and the DS-5000 (replaced the very popular DS-4000).

All the Olympus digital dictaphones now by default record in the new DSS Pro (Digital Speech Standard) audio format which creates .ds2 audio files. This is great to see Olympus moving forward with product lines which are advancing with audio technology but this can give smaller transcription companies some issues. DSS Pro is a licenced audio format meaning its audio codec is not openly available restricting transcription of these audio files to companies or individuals with official Olympus transcription module software, generally bundled in an official Olympus transcription kit. Many small transcription businesses rely on free or open source software for transcription, the most common free transcription software is Express Scribe from NCH SwiftSound, ExpressScribe is not able to play .ds2 audio files.

The Transcription People use a mix of transcription software, we regularly use ExpressScribe but that is also complemented with some of our Windows PCs and Macs running Olympus DSS Player Pro 5 transcription software for the times when we receive .ds2 audio files from our clients, a trend which is growing as more clients start to upgrade or replace their digital dictaphones.

If you use an Olympus dictaphone and are looking for an Australian based transcription service, one question you should be asking when you shop around is “can you transcibe .ds2 audio files?”.

From A Proofreading Perspective

Anne - Proofreader — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 02:12:37 +0000

I love my role as proofreader for The Transcription People. Proofreading is one of several key quality control measures that The Transcription People have implemented to ensure their clients are totally happy with the transcription service we provide.

After one of our transcriptionists completes a transcript from a digital audio file it is my role to proofread the transcript whilst listening through the audio, before it is returned to the client. It is my responsibility to ensure the transcript is 100% accurate.

Accuracy means ensuring that the typist’s interpretation of the audio she has transcribed is absolutely spot on and that there are no mishearings. If I am not absolutely certain of a word of phrase in the transcript then it will be noted as a time stamp of the audio time.

Transcript accuracy also means ensuring that any specific information provided by the client has been strictly adhered to. It is also the proofreader’s responsibility to ensure the document is grammatically correct and that it is punctuated correctly.

Anyone typing at high speed will make errors and these errors are generally picked up when a document is proofed or read for a second time. It is impractical to expect 100% accuracy in transcription work and this is why the transcripts are proofed.

Many things will impact on the accuracy of a transcript, such as the quality of the audio, background noise, the clarity of the speakers, speakers muttering and speaking sotto voce, accents of speakers, two or three or more speakers all speaking at the one time, unusual names, place names, use of scientific or medical terms, accurate information provided or not provided by the client.

After the document has been proofed the tracked changed are returned to typists in an endeavour to reduce errors in subsequent transcripts, particularly with regard to format and style, punctuation, sentence construction and common words, names or phrases.

The Transcription People prides itself on producing high quality transcripts for its very valuable clients and the role of proofreader is an integral part of this process.

Add Some Colour To Your Life – Become Your Own Boss!

Annalisa — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:35:30 +0000

The corporate world can be a bit grey at times – you travel to work on the same route, sit at the same desk every day, complete the same tasks, go to meeting after meeting… After 15 years of this grey existence I wanted to add some colour to my work life.

While working in the very corporate world of American Express, I started my own virtual office business, AMC Professional Office Services, from my dining room table in 1999 with my husband. It was a side business at first, but became much more when I was made redundant. I wanted the opportunity to work from home while I was pregnant with my son, so this seemed like the ideal opportunity for me. Initially AMC offered office services such as typing, resumes and PowerPoint presentations and just grew from there.

I have since had a daughter, and found working from home around two children met my dual aims in work and life. I am stimulated through work and building a business, while at the same time being a great mum. The flexibility of being my own boss means I can drop the kids off at school/day care and pick them up, attend their special events and take time off when they need me.

Like many successful business people I realised I couldn’t be everything to everyone – nor did I want to be – so I created my own niche. AMC’s strongest point was our transcription work, so I decided to concentrate on what we did well and be the best in the marketplace. This made great business sense because we had built up a good network of online typists and a strong client base, so it wasn’t hard at all to do away with all the little things that really were never quoted on.

We decided to rebrand AMC Professional Office Services to The Transcription People and we became a company on July 1, 2007. Now we concentrate on providing high-quality outsourced transcription services from our Australian base to clients throughout the world. The calibre of our clients is growing constantly and our client list includes Ernst & Young, Sony BMG, Tikitiboo, Canon Australia, IBM Australia, Wesley Mission, Macquarie University, KPMG and Sydney Water.

The business has become more than just fulfilling my goal to be a successful businesswoman. As interest in my business grew, I started contracting other work-at-home-mums (WAHM) as typists and proofreaders to cope with the increasing workload. We have now just taken on some on-site typists from our local area to help out with transcription.

Not only am I building a business for myself, but I am helping other female entrepreneurs grow too. It’s the ideal job for a WAHM because they can choose how much work to take on every day, based on how everything is running at home.

This year we took the plunge and moved The Transcription People from our home to office space in a growing business district and haven’t looked back. While it was great to be able to combine home and work, it’s better to be able to switch off, close the office door and go home at the end of the day. Our office space also gives us the room to expand that our home office didn’t, and this is becoming more relevant every day as our staff needs grow.

Running my own business means I now have a great work/life balance and I can guarantee no day is ever the same, like it was when I worked for someone else. This opportunity has shown me what I am capable of and added much more colour to my life – especially bright pink, in our logo and office feature wall!

For more information regarding our transcription service, please visit The Transcription People – Australia