There are many companies in today’s market that require business transcription services. The majority of specialized work professions need hard copies of the audio files. Transcription entails taking oral dictation from professionals and recording them into electronic or printed form. Many professionals are increasingly consuming transcription services, including doctors, attorneys, NGOs, large businesses, government organizations, insurance companies and so on.
Transcriptionists will usually listen to the audio, transcribe it, and provide comments for the initial draft as per your requirements. A proofreader will then listen to the audio file and look for apparent errors and segments of the tape that are inaudible. Once all the issues are sorted out, the text will be forwarded to a more experienced proofreader for final quality assessment, before being sent back to the client.
Almost all transcription companies train their employees to follow specific guidelines and format the files according to the client’s needs. It is ensured that the employees have a background in the field they are working at. All the employees are required to pass efficiency and speed tests before being hired for the job. For ensuring accuracy, transcription companies also have senior quality assurance managers to proofread the work.
The costs of business transcription vary, depending on the volume, quality of audio files and the type of output required. Audio to text transcription projects that involve more than 5 hours of audio will usually cost less than smaller tasks. Dependent on the company’s pricing policy and the project’s size, business transcription may cost you:
$0.08-$0.25 per line
$0.75-$2 per minute of audio
$1.25-$2.50 per page (this is the cost for large projects; for smaller projects you may be required to pay much higher)
Some transcription companies charge their clients on hourly bases rather than per word or per page. The average rate is $50 per hour, which normally comes down to under $0.02 per word or $2.5 per minute of recorded audio. This might be a much cheaper option compared to around $150 for a one-hour interview if you pay per word or page.
Most companies normally send the converted files back to the client through email using a secure internet connection. However, they can also burn the data onto a floppy disk/ CD or send out printer copies for a small fee, if the client asks for it. The average costs of these additional services are as follows:
$3 for each floppy disk/CD sent with the package
20¢ per printed page
Shipment charges plus $3.00 extra for packaging and compiling time.
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