The quality of your audio material recording is the most important factor in terms of time and cost when using outsourcing transcription agencies to transcribe your audio material into professional text based documents. Therefore it is vital to ensure good quality recording of your audio material in the first instance.

Time Equals Cost

Transcription outsourcing agencies employ professionally qualified and highly trained transcriptionists - often with typing speeds over 70wpm and from varied professional backgrounds and industries such as academics, legal, research, commercial, medical and public sectors - the diversity of professionalism corresponds with the project material their clients outsource to them.

Transcriptionists have extensive experience of dealing with audio material good and bad, but the cost of your transcription is still determined by the quality of material foremost, followed by factors incorporated within your project such as the content of your material and whether they will have to research your industry terminology. Factors that all take time to ensure accuracy (which is paramount when transcribing audio material) and time equals cost.

Industry States That...

Technically, we speak four times faster than we can type and it requires 4 hours to transcribe 1 hour of audio recording. Generally based on standard, good quality audio material with no background noise and clear voice clarity - industry states this example as a basis for transcription, but dependent on the content and scale of your audio material, it may take longer due to other factors of your project.

Factors of audio material recordings which affect cost and transcribing timescales

* The clarity of the recording Significant background noise

* The voice clarity of the person/or people speaking

* The speed a which a person/or people speak

* The number of people speaking

* The accents of the person/or people speaking

* The content of the material technical terminology used

* Further research into company/industry

As you can see from the example above, these factors are taken into consideration when transcription agencies assess audio material prior to transcription.

Two Essential Steps To Creating Quality Audio Recordings

The factors above can affect the timescale and costs of transcribing your audio material - but there are a number of ways you can save on costs of transcription by following the steps below to create good quality audio recordings and providing essential about your audio material to your transcription outsourcing agency.

Step One - Creating good quality audio recordings

If recording dictation - make a test recording to determine the best audio level. If possible use a desk top recorder or digital voice recorder. Hand held tape recorders work just as well but ensure to use a fresh tape for each dictation session.

* If your recorder supports external microphone, use these particularly when recording multi-participant functions. Use additional microphones for functions with more than three speakers.

* If recording via analogue tape, reduce 'tape his' by setting the control speed to fast.

* Eliminate background noise when recording your function as recording in a noisy environment will impair the quality of the recording and increase the transcription time of your audio material - increasing your costs!

* Save on recording time by noting 'housekeeping' information such as fire exits and when breaks and lunch will be served prior to recording.

* Press the stop button when it is not necessary to record such as during breaks and when confer between speakers.

* Ensure each speaker introduces themselves - e.g. full name, professional title and the company they represent.

* Ensure speakers do not talk over one another.

* Ensure speakers do not eat during discussions, and keep paper shuffling to a minimum as background noise again will impair the quality of the audio material - if speakers require refreshments, stop recording.

* If possible, record your audio material digitally. There are many advantages over analogue tape recordings:

* Digital recording quality is greater as there are no risks of tape hiss.

* Digital recordings can be copied repeatedly without quality deterioration.

* Digital recorders note per word per minute ensuring you know the exact length of audio material. (Which helps to determine the cost of your transcription project). There are many differing types of digital recording files that can be easily emailed or uploaded onto websites and downloaded to be transcribed - saving you the cost of postage of other formats.

Step Two - Compile Essential Information of Your Audio Material

* Make a list of all participants who attended the interview, meeting conference etc.

* Ensure to list names correctly and other relevant information such as companies participants represent, gender and professional title such as Dr, Senior Manager or Chief Medical Research Director.

* Ensure you give full details of the moderator (head speaker) leading the meeting.

* Include details of individuals not on the panel, but who make comments

* It would also be beneficial to make an order list of speakers - e.g. In the case of multi-participant meetings such as focus groups and conferences with participants each speaking individually, in turn, a compiled and numbered list of speakers names and companies they represent. (See example)

Example Participant List:

First Speaker Dr Jane Williams ( Medical Research Director) - Any Town University

Second Speaker Mr John Brown (Director of Medical Resources) - Any Town University

Compiling this essential information, will help the transcriptionist, thus requiring less transcribing time resulting in less cost to you.

When You Are Ready To Submit Your Audio Material

Good transcription companies will consult with you in depth of project, highlighting areas that may require further research, request a participant list of all speakers, industry terminology lists and discussing potential problems, then offer you a fixed quote rate for transcription keeping in line with your budget and confirming what you will pay on completion of your project.