What is Transcription and How Does it Work for Your Business?

What is Transcription?

In the past, secretaries had to physically attend meetings and take down the respective notes. This was quite a hard task because the secretary had to learn how to transcribe those notes, confirm the specifics with those who had attended the meeting before he/she could complete the minutes of that meeting. In most cases, these secretaries were under immense pressure to submit the notes of that meeting within a short time.

Presently, modern businesses are recording the minutes of a meeting via either audio or video recording. This technique is more efficient and practical because every detail can be captured. However, those who have to know the results of the meeting can obtain a copy of those minutes: thus, they require a text version of that recording. Many companies depend on online transcription services mainly for this reason which removes the need to use secretaries as transcribers. In turn, this helps to free up their time and use it on more important tasks.

This article will inform you of what you need to know about transcription and how it works for your business. 

Reasons Why Businesses Use Transcription

There is a wide range of reasons why companies use transcription services. For instance, a company that requires the translation of a video could have to transcribe the spoken parts of that video first, that is if the company does not possess a ready written script for it. In addition, transcription services for videos are greatly used for legal purposes.

Likewise, audio transcription is used for court cases frequently whereas audio translation can be used in staff training events, language studies, just to name a few.

Transcription Services – How Do they Work?

Transcription is a complex task that needs a lot of attention and concentration on every detail. The role of a transcriptionist is to use a foot pedal that provides a link to the software that is created to play audio-visual files. This foot pedal enables the transcriptionist to start and stop the recording to transcribe the available content. Furthermore, it enables them to fast forward and rewind the recording. This helps especially if there are unclear parts in the recording.

Also, transcriptionists are supposed to time-stamp the typed copy. This is essential in video transcription because it connects all the pieces of the dialogue with the exact visual part of that video. If the transcription is translated and a foreign language dialogue is inserted in the video, the time-stamps will make sure that the visual and spoken elements are synchronized. This is the case also if the subtitles of the real language or the translation are inserted in the video.

Factors to Consider When Looking for a Transcription Agency

The important thing when searching for a transcription agency is - you should consider the extra services that you will require before you even begin to look for prospective firms to use. In the present market, some companies and individuals offer transcription services only, and others offer transcription as part of the greater scope of services (like translation services).

As a starting point, look for feedbacks and recommendations from business people who have used their services and read through the online company reviews. Just like in any other industry, the quality and price could vary significantly; therefore, be clear on your expectations and budget from the outset. Utilize reviews and personal recommendations to convince yourself of the quality and seek quotes from prospective agencies to compare their costs.

Advantages of Transcription to a Business

To a business, it is economical and beneficial to outsource its transcription function. You will no longer have to train employees or hire another one to hand the transcription role. Instead, transcription services enable your business to allocate this function to skilled personnel which in turn ensures accuracy of the transcription.

Audio-visual presentations have become the norm in advertisements and are a way of reaching a wider audience. Different people engage with online advertisements in different ways and thus business owners can prove more choices. You can view short videos, read written content, or even listen to audio materials. Therefore, when you transcribe audio and speech formats into text formats, you enjoy numerous advantages.

Other benefits of transcription include: