What’s involved in transcription?

The skills of a top quality transcriber

A superior listener

Focus, concentration and listening skills are required to decipher audio transcripts, and they really come to the fore when working on live events. At focus groups, seminars and interviews you only have one chance to capture information. Our ability to focus on the detail and record important points is crucial.

Attention to detail

An audio transcript  is never completed in a single take. Sometimes we can listen to a recording several times before filling in all the blanks and making complete sense of it. It takes perseverance and determination to understand when voices are muffled or talking over one another, and we always get there in the end!

Proofreading

When you’re typing at speed, errors can occur. Once we’ve finished typing a transcript, your transcriber will always go through it with a fine-tooth comb to correct any typos and review it for grammar and punctuation. High standards of proofing ensure the final version is clean and free from errors.

Editing

When we talk one to one we don’t always use words efficiently. In general chit chat we tend to pepper the conversation with filler words. Common ones include “basically” and “you know”, along with the classic “err”!

Unless you brief us to transcribe verbatim (word for word), such as for a police interview or legal records, a transcriber will automatically edit out all the “ums”, “ahs” and superfluous words we use in speech that don’t translate well to a written format. This results in a more readable and useful document for the end user.

Efficient turnaround

Many transcribers started their careers in administrative or secretarial roles in the corporate and public sector. We’re used to working under pressure and in fast-paced environments. Providing a speedy turnaround and efficient service is in our nature.

Sector knowledge and experience

Legal, medical, scientific and academic texts can be complex and difficult to understand to an outsider. Choosing a transcriber with experience in your sector means you won’t have to field questions, they’ll just get on with producing an accurate, readable document.

Adaptable IT skills

Being a good transcriber involves knowing a few keyboard shortcuts and being able to use a variety of document templates. Clients often ask us to transcribe into their template. We adapt to using different document styles and formats to give the client what they want.

To discuss your next transcription project, please contact us on 07786 271871 or use the form below.