Frequently Asked Questions

What audio formats will you accept? We can work with almost any audio format. You can securely upload your digital audio files.Please be aware that WAV files are extremely large and will take a considerable amount of time to upload. If your files are in WAV format please contact us prior to uploading. If you are sending cassette tapes we ask that you send them recorded delivery. We can also provide you with a digital copy of your recording at no extra cost.

Can you reccommend any recording equipment? Any digital recording is superior to tape cassettes. However, we use Olympus digital voice recorders as the audio files in .dss format are very small and take less time to upload.

Is there a minimum charge? There is no minimum charge and we charge per audio minute so you only pay for the work done and not the time taken. On your invoice each individual file will be billed to the nearest audio minute.

Do you offer discounts for larger jobs or regular work? We offer a 10% discount for new clients and reduced rates for univeristies, students and charities. Please contact us to discuss discounts for regular transcription work. We also offer clients a further 10% off their next invoice if they refer a new client to us.

How do I pay? We will email your invoice to you at the end of the project and our terms are 14 days from the invoice date. We prefer payment by BACS but can accept a cheque.

Who are your transcribers? We use UK home-based audio transcribers who have English as their mother tongue, have passed our audio test and signed confidentiality agreements.

How long does it take to transcribe an hour of audio? It takes a transcriber roughly 5 hours to transcribe and quality check an hour of clear audio. It will take slightly longer for poor quality audio.

How will I receive the transcript? We will email you the completed transcript in a Word document.

What is your transcription style? Our transcription style is ‘intelligent verbatim’ unless fully verbatim is specifically requested. If our format does not meet your requirements then we are happy to talk through formatting styles with you at no additional cost.

What does 'intelligent verbatim' and 'verbatim' mean? 'Intelligent verbatim' transcripts omit 'ums' and 'ers' and other fillers such as interviewers constantly saying 'yeah' and 'ah ha' while the respondent is talking. This produces an accurate transcript which is also readable. 'Verbatim' means completely word for word and every utterance, pause, cough, etc is transcribed. This is mainly used for police and court transcripts as they are very detailed. 'Intelligent verbatim' transcript are usually required for more general business or academic use.

What if I have audio files which are really poor quality? We will tackle poor quality audio as best we can but please be aware that the transcripts may not be as detailed or accurate as a result. If we feel that an audio file is of such poor quality that you will not get any benefit at all from the transcript then we will advise you before we start the work.

What happens if the transcriber cannot make out some words? The transcriber will replace the word with an explanation such as (inaudible 00:03:56) or (overspeaking 00:02:56). The more keywords and speaker names you can provide the better and if possible a link to a website which will give the transcriber some background information would also be useful.

What if I am not happy with the quality? If you find errors we will obviously amend those and thoroughly check through the transcript once more. We guarantee excellent accuracy and strive to produce detailed and beneficial transcripts.

How do you ensure confidentiality? We are happy to provide each client with a non-disclosure agreement and we also ensure that all information relating to each project is responsibly destroyed within 30 days of the end of the project. Your audio files will only be sent to transcribers in the UK, we do not outsource to other countries. Our upload system also gives you access to a password protected account and only you will know the password.

Can you provide references and testimonials? We have several quotes from clients on our website but can provide you with additional testimonials and full references if required. Please contact us by phone or email at any time.