Businesses and individuals with transcription requirements during remote operations have a few options.
First, they can transcribe their audio or video content themselves. But that will take up far too much time that is better allocated to doing other things, like focusing on core business functions. The second option is to hire transcriptionists to work for their companies as full-time W2 employees. However, this may not be cost-effective in the long run, as you’ll need to take care of equipment, training, salaries, paid time off, and other benefits.
Utilizing a transcription services company is a far better option. They save time, money, and effort and can generate high-quality results without training anyone. However, there are essential things to consider when choosing a transcription provider. Our transcription services and tools list will help you choose the best and most appropriate one for your business.
Understanding your options for transcription software and services
Automated transcription software and tools
AI-based technology is used to automate transcription. The software immediately converts the speech to text. Even live speeches can be automatically transcribed into text with transcription software. Unfortunately, the tradeoff for faster processing is lower accuracy, with speech-to-text software consistently giving less than 85% accurate results in all cases.
Transcribing tools are specialized software applications and equipment that aid in converting spoken language to written text. These tools provide a range of features, including collaborative editing, grammar checking, real-time speech recognition, and playback controls.
These tools have been developed to meet the unique needs of transcriptionists and address common difficulties that arise during the transcription process as remote work becomes more common. These software tools and equipment are generally available for one-time purchase or on a subscription-based business model.
Manual transcription services
Manual transcription services are more traditional, employing humans or a mix of human and automated transcription. They usually offer the same features as transcription software but at a different rate and pace.
Manual transcription is performed with professional typists who listen to your audio/videos and transcribe exactly what they hear. The results of manual transcription are more accurate because there is less likelihood that changes in accent or dialect will trip up a human that can hear the differences in speech.
Additionally, nuance, contexts, and figures of speech are easily detected by humans. The more experienced the transcriptionists are, the more accurate the resulting transcripts will be. This is an important consideration, as accuracy is essential in most situations where human transcription services are needed. For example, law enforcement, legal, or medical transcription errors can lead to serious, costly, and unintended consequences. Manual transcription takes more time to complete, but that’s a small price to pay for 99% plus accuracy in your transcripts.
Another disadvantage specific to transcription software is that the client has to do things like proofreading, editing, and error correction themselves. Transcription services do all these things for you, plus other features and customization options they offer on top of their regular services.
Hiring virtual assistants for transcription
Businesses also have an option to hire virtual assistants for transcription. VAs can be found in job marketplaces, or you can hire them directly from virtual assistant companies. Some websites have specialized offerings for specific types of transcription needs.
The Importance of Transcribing Tools and Services in Remote Settings
While we are all trying to increase the followers of our brand, transcription presents a distinct set of difficulties that call for creative solutions. Transcription software and services are highly advantageous for enhancing audio or video content.
They make it simple to easily add subtitles to already-existing content, translate the subtitles into various languages, or even repurpose the content as a blog post. Making your content more widely available and appealing to all audiences is powerful.
A few benefits of remote transcription are:
Enhanced Productivity: It is essential to maximize productivity because remote work environments occasionally lack the order of a traditional office environment. With the help of transcription tools, transcriptionists can control the speed of their work by adjusting the playback speed and integrating a foot pedal. These functions simplify the procedure, making it simpler to keep a steady beat and concentrate on providing precise transcription.
Efficiency and Accuracy: Accuracy is essential when transcribing sensitive or technical material. By transcribing spoken words into text, human-based transcription service providers used in conjunction with transcription tools help to ensure 99% accuracy. This lessens the possibility of misunderstanding and the requirement for any post-transcription editing.
Collaborative Workflows: Remote transcription frequently entails teamwork, where several people work together on a single project. These tools make collaborative editing easier by combining text and audio or video editing capabilities. As a result, team members can communicate and share feedback easily, resulting in a polished final transcript.
Time and Resource Optimization: Transcribing tools are made to maximize both time and resources. Transcriptionists can designate shortcuts for commonly used phrases using text expander tools, saving time and typing effort. This effectiveness results in more output and a more efficient transcription process.
Flexibility and Accessibility: The flexibility of remote work is one of its most significant benefits. Thanks to tools supporting cloud storage and online access, such as Google Workspace, transcriptionists can work from different places and devices. This adaptability guarantees seamless collaboration and eliminates the requirement for ongoing file transfers.
Professionalism and proofreading: After transcription, proofreading is sometimes necessary to produce a final product that is both professional and accurate. The transcripts will be print-ready when the end user receives them by highlighting spelling errors and suggesting corrections. This attention to detail enhances the quality of the transcribed text, which helps build a positive reputation for your brand.
Essential Transcription Tools and Services to Increase Remote Productivity
These software applications and services will revolutionize your experience with remote transcription.
Ditto Transcripts
Ditto Transcripts offers industry-leading specialized transcription services for various sectors, including the legal, law enforcement, medical, academic, financial, and general transcription industries. Their skilled transcriptionists can handle tasks of any size and complexity and provide accurate transcriptions customized to fit your needs.
Ditto employs experienced professional transcriptionists, most specializing in one industry. Files and recordings are assigned to highly trained transcribers, ensuring the highest quality and accuracy of every project. The service provider also offers customization options like time stamps, closed captioning, and other vital features.
Features:
- 99% guaranteed accuracy for all project types
- 100% human transcription
- CJIS- and HIPAA compliant, ensuring the highest levels of confidentiality and security for all industries and projects
- Expertise in various industries like legal medical, law enforcement, business, academic, and general services
- Offers translation services
- Competitive pricing options
- Offers comprehensive typing services for various document types, including contracts, wills, PDFs, Excel spreadsheets, manuals, and more.
- Offers deposition summary services
- Provides an online portal where customers can securely upload files and access their transcripts 24/7
- Top-notch customer support
- Extensive list of clients, from government agencies to small and large businesses to academic institutions
Pricing:
Medical transcription:
- 7 cents per line for turnaround times of 72 hours
- 10 cents per line for an average turnaround time of 24 hours
- STAT files cost 14 cents each (turnaround time: 4 hours).
EMR and EHR transcription pricing:
- Flat fees range from $0.25 to $3.00 per report
- We can also use the above-per-line rates if your EHR or EMR has a line counter.
Medical transcription for direct to LIS and PACs systems transcription:
- Flat fees range from $0.25 to $3.00 per report
Options for a secure HL7 interface:
- EHR, EMR, LIS, and PAC systems can be interfaced using our HL7 interface capabilities.
- This will allow us to send your completed reports directly to your system and into the appropriate data fields without needing any assistance from you or your staff.
Express Scribe
Express Scribe is a flexible transcription program with many audio and video file types. It has built-in support for foot pedals, allowing transcriptionists to use their feet to manage audio playback while keeping their hands free from typing. Additionally, the software offers practical keyboard shortcuts for adjusting playback speed, which are crucial for effectively transcribing fast talkers or multiple speaker files.
The tool lets you transfer files to other team members quickly and effortlessly, syncs with USB-powered foot pedals, and supports variable-speed playing. Additionally, you can utilize Express Scribe with your preferred word processing program, such as Microsoft Word.
Features:
- Supports over 45 audio and video types.
- The software synchronizes with foot pedals powered by USB.
- Hotkey features for playback without a mouse.
- Simple file transmission using secure automation tools.
Pricing:
Basic: $70/year
Professional: $80/year
Otter.ai
Otter.ai is a real-time transcription tool powered by AI that excels. It is beneficial for live transcription during virtual meetings, interviews, or webinars because it uses state-of-the-art speech recognition technology to change spoken words into text. The overall transcription experience is improved by Otter.ai’s capacity to distinguish between speakers and produce separate sections for each, especially in multi-speaker scenarios.
Otter is the best option for anyone who occasionally transcribes a few files but does not frequently have much work for transcription. Although Otter’s standard rate is competitive, many users can meet their needs with Otter without spending anything because of the monthly free minutes.
Features:
- Offers a generous free plan.
- Supports the leading platforms for video conferencing.
- Modern, user-friendly mobile apps.
- Excellent tools for editing and working together on transcriptions.
- Social media automation
- Obtain real-time notes for audio and video.
- Adjustable playback speed.
- Enables bulk export in various formats.
Pricing:
Basic: Free
Pro: $10/month
Business: $20/month
Enterprise: Customized Plan
Descript
By combining transcription with tools for audio and video editing, Descript sets itself apart. You can edit the transcribed text while the corresponding audio or video segment is adjusted. The editing process is streamlined by visual feedback, which also improves accuracy. Teams can collaborate on transcriptions using Descript’s collaboration features, making it a fantastic option for remote team projects.
Descript provides quick turnaround automatic transcription for both audio and video content. All you have to do is upload your content file, and the platform will quickly transcribe it. Additionally, the software is available in 22 languages, including Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Swedish, Croatian, Turkish, and Polish.
Features:
- Text editor for audio editing and trimming
- Speaker labels and automatic multitrack transcription
- Quick transcription turnaround times
- Provides 22 language translations for the transcription
Pricing:
Free: $0/month
Creator: $12/month
Pro: $24/month
Enterprise: Customized Plan
Rev.com
Transcribing your audio or video content is easy with Rev. Drop a link to your content on Zoom, YouTube, or Vimeo, or upload the files yourself. The program uses speech recognition technology to quickly and accurately transcribe the file with over 90% word accuracy.
When the transcription is complete, you can review the content using the platform’s editor. Also, you can search for and highlight important information. Rev also provides human transcription at a higher cost if you require a more thorough service.
Features:
- AI or human transcriptions are available.
- Text-based documents that are fully editable
- Transcription accuracy of 90%+
Pricing:
Human Transcription: $1.50 per minute
English Closed Captions: $1.50 per minute
Global Translated Subtitles: $5-12 per minute
Key Takeaways
The right tool or provider can make all the difference in transcription. These options can increase productivity while enhancing precision, effectiveness, and quality. Explore your options to move toward achieving a new standard of transcription excellence in the remote work environment, regardless of your experience level as a transcriptionist or where you are in your career.
