It’s incredibly easy to surf the web and pick the cheapest transcription service you find, but are you getting value for money?
In the past I’ve been privy to some work one of my clients had received from a cheap and cheerful transcription service and I was appalled by what I saw.
Apart from the terrible spelling, grammar and poor formatting, the report was full of basic errors. To start with there was no consistency, for example they used “78 per cent”, “78%” and “78 percent” on the same page, not to mention the fact they’d typed “stop” where a full stop was supposed to be.
Oh dear.
If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur!
So when choosing who to trust with your transcription bear in mind these three key points:
1. How experienced is the transcriber?
Check out client testimonials and read first hand about their experiences.
2. Compare like for like
If you’re shopping around make sure the quotes you receive are for exactly what you need. A faster turnaround will attract a premium, so if there’s a price difference ensure the services being quoted for are exactly the same.
3. What time do I have to spend correcting errors and formatting?
It’s all well and good getting a cheap rate, but if you then spend ages proofing, editing and fiddling about then it’s a false economy. Your time is precious, so if all you have to do is print, sign and send then it’s worth paying a premium.
Remember, don’t look at the bottom line – think about the value.