Choosing a transcription service based on your needs isn’t as easy as just flipping a coin. There are a variety of factors that should be thought about to ensure the integrity of your content is preserved. Whether you’re archiving oral histories, transcribing sensitive legal documents, or handling business meeting notes, choosing the best transcription service can make all the difference. Remember the importance of being an educated shopper and buyer, so completing your due diligence around choosing the best transcription service requires your time and effort up front. This effort you put in now will save you in time and in your budget on the back end when you receive your transcripts.

Every business has unique requirements and the following are some things you should consider before you start the process:

Identify Your Needs

It is important to understand what your business is looking for and to evaluate what your long-term goals are with your transcript(s). Are you looking for a verbatim transcript that captures every word and utterance? Are you looking for a modified verbatim transcript that offers a clean-read where false starts and fillers are removed for clarity and readability? What type of content are you working with (ie. academic research, media production, government records, etc.)? Whatever your needs are for transcription, it is important to think about the above so that you can determine the best service that will help you meet your long-term goals for your requirements. Remember, not all transcription companies are created equal, and your transcription service should be flexible, willing, and able to accommodate your transcription necessities.

Consider Turnaround Time

This is often one of the most common questions that a business will ask when choosing a transcription service. Can the service you are choosing meet your deadlines? Do they provide rush services, and if so, what are their fees? You want to make sure that the transcription service you choose has a proven track record of not just meeting but exceeding deadlines, including expedited deadlines.

Consider Accuracy and Quality

Accuracy is the foundation of effective transcription services; without accuracy a transcript is useless. What one would consider a minor typing error, could in fact have significant consequences in a transcript – that could be either historically or financially detrimental to you and/or your organization for example. It is also important to consider the difference in accuracy that is produced when using AI transcription services versus all human transcription services.

Let’s Talk About AI v. Human

There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to use an AI transcription service, human transcription service, or a hybrid service that combines both AI and humans. Are you looking for accuracy over speed? What is your budget? Do you have specific formatting guidelines that have to be followed such as verbatim level, font and margin formatting, or inserting time codes? All of these (and more) are important to ponder when choosing what kind of machine will complete your transcripts.

Listen To The Feedback

When vetting a transcription company it is important to review the feedback from other clients. Things to think about when vetting a company include the longevity of the company and reviewing client testimonials. Oftentimes, a company can provide a list of abstracts that include former and current clients and projects. This is an important document to ask for when looking to hire a transcription service. Additionally, utilize the power of the internet, and take the time to read reviews on Google, Yelp, and other social media platforms.

Important Questions To Ask

Some other questions that you should consider asking a company when deciding to hire a transcription service are: Has the company ever had an issue with confidentiality or security? If they have, are they willing to discuss what happened, and the remediation process of what occurred? Can the company meet tight deadlines? What are the industries that the company primarily works within? What are the requirements of the transcriptionists that this service utilizes?

These are just some of the things to think about when deciding on a transcription service. The factors that you should consider are numerous and varied, and maybe some are given more weight than others depending on your particular business. Whatever your most important considerations are, make sure to take the time to vet the transcription companies you are looking to hire to make sure they meet your needs.