Well this is a tricky question.

This is going to be different depending on your circumstances.

Here’s some guidance to help you choose which transcription company is going to be best for you to work with.

Consider the following questions

What is your typing speed? This is important as you want to make it worth your while so make sure your speed is above 80 wpm and very importantly accuracy is pretty darn 100%.

Which fields are you qualified to work in? Find a specialist transcription company for that industry, i.e. property, legal, medical, etc.

It is going to be much easier for you and better for the clients if you already know that field.

How many hours do you want to work? Many transcription service providers will be flexible as long as you know what you can do – work out what you can really do and talk to transcription companies that fit you (as above) with that in mind.

Do you want to work from home? Many transcription service providers are well set up to enable remote working but do check with your preferred company that this is a way they are happy to work.

So, if you can find a transcription company in your specialist field that ticks all your boxes, including a rate of pay that you are happy with, that’s the best one for you!

Do bear in mind that even though you may be working remotely, the transcription company will be investing time and effort training you to their systems and it may take a few weeks for you both to feel it is the right role for you, so expect a training period.

Also you may need to supply your own transcription equipment and make sure you have a good PC with virus protection and up-to-date software with plenty of hard drive space!

If property is your field of expertise then we could be the best transcription company for you to work with.

Contact us at jobs@backuptyping.co.uk to discuss or via the website www.backuptyping.co.uk.

BackupTyping provides a fast, accurate and experienced transcription for property professionals - saving time and money. Call us on 020 7096 1663 to find out how we can help you.

They are multitaskers.

Often one secretary in an office can work for three, four or even more (worryingly) people.

A secretary’s role is often many and varied, and includes, among others, meeting clients, taking minutes, organising meetings, answering the phones, filing, and administration, as well as typing.

A secretary is not purely typist, although should be able to.

A secretary and an audio typist are two different roles.

If a secretary spends most of the day typing, the other tasks can be left to the side to mount up.

A secretary can bring the most value to a business by undertaking many tasks aside from typing.

At BackupTyping we can cover the typing role for you.

No distractions, no organising diaries and arranging meetings, just straight-forward and focused typing.

By sending your work to us, your secretary will have more opportunity to carry out all of the other roles required in an office setting and be able to focus on those tasks whilst knowing that the typing is in safe and experienced hands.

It’s really that simple.

By us providing an audio typist service and taking the typing pressure off the secretary in the office, they can complete their tasks more efficiently, while at the same time we can complete the typing, which ultimately increases efficiency and productivity for them and the business!

BackupTyping provides a fast, accurate and experienced transcription for property professionals - saving you time and money. Call us on 020 7096 1663 to find out how we can help you.

An audio typist is a specialist who types speech via headphones and a pedal attached to a transcription system.

In the old days, small tapes were used but now dictators use a digital machine or even a smartphone.

And thank goodness – no more snapped tape, re-threading cassettes or accidentally deleting instead of rewinding before transcribing!

The speech goes in the ears and out the fingers in quite a majestic way.

The pedal is in effect the start/pause ‘button’ but as controlled by your foot (much like driving an automatic car, using one foot only), allowing the audio typist to type continuously by controlling how much speech is heard at one time.

A professional audio typist can control this so the typist's fingers are continually moving over the keyboard while their foot gently moves up and down to allow a flow of speech through the headphones.

It really is an art form and takes some practice to get this beautiful flow going.

BackupTyping has a team of these expert audio typists.

Our team has worked in the property industry for many years, at a senior/PA level, and all have experience of producing the type of documents property professionals dictate; from reports, submissions and all types of correspondence in Word, cost schedules and specifications in Excel to photographic schedules and presentations in PowerPoint.

Our team won’t just type up your documents.

We read them, format them, ensure they are in your correct corporate branding, correct grammar and ultimately produce a complete professional document to your required timescale.

We are a team who are always here – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – ready and waiting to provide you with the efficient service you need when you need it.

BackupTyping provides a fast, accurate and experienced transcription for property professionals - saving you time and money. Call us on 020 7096 1663 to find out how we can help you.

Transcription companies generally all charge per minute of dictation time.

This gives you the ability to calculate your cost instantly.

There are different structures to charging with most offering a 24-hour turnaround of documents as a standard service with the added services of same-day and overnight – all charged at different dictation minute rates.

You do need to check out the pricing structure quite carefully though, as they can look the same until you check how quickly you are getting your documents returned.

Another important consideration when looking at transcription services is to check they specialise in your industry – this really can make the difference in how the service runs and definitely the quality of documents you get back.

This will ensure that outsourcing your typing works for you!

Here at BackupTyping we specialise in property transcription and believe that transcription costs should be clear and transparent to ensure the service remains a cost-efficient solution for our clients.

We look at it a bit differently.

As ex-property secretaries we have always worked on the basis that what is dictated that day needs to hit the postbox/email address that day, so our standard service is Same-Day, giving a quick transcription service.

We do also have an urgent, overnight and 24-hour service of course.

This gives you the ability to choose when you need a document back and know what that charge will be before you have sent it.

You will find a free trial generally available, probably with a maximum limit of dictation, allowing your organisation to test out a company so you can rest assured they are as good as they say are!

We also offer a copy typing service at around £5 per 500 words on a 24-hour turnaround.

With BackupTyping there are no sign up fees or any hidden costs.

To instantly see our transcription service prices click here.

BackupTyping provides a fast, accurate and experienced transcription for property professionals - saving you time and money. Call us on 020 7096 1663 to find out how we can help you.

Transcription simply means putting speech into a written form.

If you dictate into a recording device, you need it transcribed.

You not only need it transcribed, you want it transcribed into a professionally prepared, accurate, proofread and checked format.

For over 20 years BackupTyping has been providing this service to the property industry throughout the UK.

We work with many large nationwide and global property companies as well as smaller independent surveying practices.

The BackupTyping team are all highly experienced in the property industry having worked in offices in London and throughout the UK at a senior level.

BackupTyping is here to provide you with the best transcription service possible when you need it.

BackupTyping provides a fast, accurate and experienced transcription for property professionals - saving you time and money. Call us on 020 7096 1663 to find out how we can help you.

Well it depends on what you are looking for as they all effectively do the primary thing that is needed and that’s make recordings, it just depends on what else you want it to do.

Possibly the first consideration is handheld or an app on your smartphone.

The main things to consider before deciding are:

Security

Using a mobile app isn’t a secure way to dictate and share documents to your audio typing company unless you’re using an encrypted paid for service. Free recording apps, Siri and so on don’t protect your data. However, a handheld device means (99% of certified devices) are encrypted or PIN protected or both – super safe.

Battery life

If you rely on your Smartphone to take and receive calls, compose and check emails, take photos for work purposes as well as dictate reports to your audio typist – you might find your phone is needing constant re-charging. Using a dedicated device means your phone can take a break between all of its other tasks. A dedicated device also has a superior battery life in comparison to a smartphone.

Need your dictation urgently

With an app-based system, you also have the benefit of being able to send your files immediately either to your secretary or outsource typing facility to enable your dictation to be transcribed immediately rather than needing to wait to ‘dock’ back in the office. Some hand-held devices also now have Wi-Fi capabilities so this is no longer the domain only of the smartphone app.

There is of course benefits to using an app – including but not limited to:

Only needing to carry one device as opposed to multiple.

A dedicated device may be slight overkill for someone who doesn’t dictate very often.

Equally, if you are dictating very long files you would need to keep an eye on the battery life.

If you’ve made the decision to opt for a handheld device now you face the task of trying to figure out which of the dozens of machines is the right one for you so check out our article 'Which dictation machine is the best?'

BackupTyping provides a fast, accurate and experienced transcription service for property professionals - saving you time and money. Call us on 020 7096 1663 to find out how we can help you.

Which dictaphone should you buy?

If you’ve made the decision to opt for a handheld device, you now face the task of trying to figure out which of the dozens of machines is the right one for you.

Best dictation machine for a technophobe

Philips DPM6000

Lots of dictation users don’t want complex devices – simply a slide switch ready to go and the ability to dock and move on with their day. This is the device for them! Of course, you can edit and amend dictations in the device as you would expect. But for some

thing which does what it says on the tin and is easy to use out of the box – this is the one. Also included in the box you receive a pouch to keep the device protected and the rechargeable battery for extended battery life.

Alternative models:
Philips: DVT7110 | Olympus: DS-2600

Best dictation machine for on the go

Olympus DS9500

A lightweight recorder with integrated Wi-Fi capability meaning you can dictate and send files on the go. Fits nicely into a pocket or bag due to it’s slim build, while you benefit from real-time updates on your pending dictations on the device thanks to the Wi-Fi. Once you’re back in the office, dock it and charge it to go again tomorrow!

 

 

Best dictation machine for high volume use

Philips DPM8000

3D mic system, large colour display and light & motion sensors inbuilt for extended battery life. This Premium device benefits from the integrated slide switch (slide switch configuration is model dependent) and is designed with the ultimate dictation user in mind. The device also boasts file encryption and device PIN lock for high data security.

 

 

Best dictation machine for every now and then

Olympus DS-2600

As Olympus say themselves, the DS-2600 is the ideal device for your personal efficient one-to-one workflow. With the continuing slide switch theme included as well as high quality crisp recordings created on the device, this makes it a great fit to sit on the desk of someone who wouldn’t usually dictate every day. Equally it’s capable for the busy professional who’s reliant on top quality recordings. It’s a strong all-rounder!

 

Best dictation machine for dictating in bad weather conditions

(for example standing on top of a roof)

Philips: DVT7110

Philips have a device which comes with a windbreaker (the grey fluffy mic) which is designed to remove noise such as wind Philips DVT7110. There is nothing worse for a typist then trying to transcribe a file with a gale blowing into the microphone as it makes it more or less impossible to hear, no typist wants to return work incomplete because of bad weather.

 

 

 

 

For advice and prices please contact BackupTyping and together with our partner ORdigiNAL will offer the best dictation machine advice for your organisation. Contact us on 020 7096 1663 or use the button below to find out which really is the best system for you.

BackupTyping provides a fast, accurate and experienced transcription for property professionals - saving you time and money.

We hear this from the younger members of staff at organisations that we work with.

But could they be missing the bigger picture? After all that studying, is it the best use of time to spend hours typing up reports? Is that adding the best value to the company?

A ‘pick and peck’ typist will achieve (on average) 20 words per minute.

Professional audio typists can exceed 100 wpm – meaning it can be up to 5 times faster than trying to type yourself.

At around 20 wpm, a 3,000 word or roughly 6-page word report will take a minimum of 2.5 hours.  Dictation will take 30 minutes.

The faster you can create a document, the more you can do in a day.

We realise that starting to dictate can be a little awkward but it is really is worth taking the time to practice.

See our article titled How dictation is completed well – your typist will thank you! which gives all the information needed to bear in mind when dictating – there isn’t really a lot to it but it is a skill that takes a bit of practice and is really worth it.

The property professional can then, for example, while on-site dictate an inspection report, possibly multiple in one day, and then send them to be typed straight afterwards – by a professional audio typist who will type it quickly and accurately and in the right format.

You don’t need to be a Word expert because your transcription service already is.

You then get your documents back and send them to your client in the quickest time possible enabling you to get on with the next fee-earning task.

We believe it really is a no brainer.

BackupTyping provides a fast, accurate and experienced transcription for property professionals - saving you time and money. Call us on 020 7096 1663 to find out how we can help you.

How to dictate for business is rarely taught but is a real skill and just takes a little practice for great rewards.

Once it is mastered you will love it.

It can make your life easier and free up time wasted doing tasks that can be done for you (no doubt quicker and maybe even better).

Your typist should be an expert at Word and Excel as a minimum – you don’t have to be!

Benefits of dictating well

A ‘pick and peck’ typist will achieve (on average) 20 words per minute.

A professional typist can exceed 100wpm – meaning it can be up to 5 times faster than trying to type yourself.

At around 20wpm, a 3,000 word or roughly 6 page word report will take a minimum of 2.5 hours.  Dictating this will take 30 minutes.

The faster you can create a document, the more you can do in a day.

See our article on Why dictate? I can just type it myself!

How to dictate for your audio typist

Make sure your dictation machine is charged and you are familiar with the record and pause buttons (pop some spare batteries in your briefcase too).

Know how to download your speech file once you have finished dictating so it can be typed.

1. Ensure ‘rec’ has started before speaking.

2. Take care when pressing Pause and Record so you do not 'clip' the first or last words of a sentence.
This is a common problem and can mean you don't get accurate documents back! Try taking a short breath after pressing record and before starting to talk.

3. Use the pause not stop button – this will just pause the file you are working on while you consider what to say next.  Stop may well start another file which is going to be annoying later.

4. Hold the dictation machine about two of inches away from mouth to get the clearest speech.

5. Don't turn your head away from the microphone while speaking as your voice will fade in and out.

6. Don't rustle through papers while speaking – it’s just harder to hear exactly what you are saying.

7. Speak clearly but don’t change your normal speech pattern – just speak at a normal pace and level.  Fast dictation won't get your typing done any quicker (and could slow it down) and it may make your typist shed a tear or two.

8. Enunciate numbers clearly – 13 and 30 are very different numbers – say “thirteen one three” or “thirty-three zero”.

9. Spell any unusual names/words - Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch "L for Lima, L for Lima, A for Apple, N for November, you get the point.

10. Do speak with emotion in your voice. A monotone voice tends to put typists to sleep.

11. Remember to pause recording when thinking for a while or taking a telephone call.

12. Heavy wind can drown out your dictation - consider using a specialist dictation machine with a microphone facility that removes this (contact BackupTyping for advice on this). Or turn your back to the wind. 

13. Consider background noise so you get the best-typed document back. A professional typist can handle a lot though - you definitely don't have to sit in silence.

14. Please do not eat while dictating. Just no, it’s not nice.

15. Do not dictate while driving. It's dangerous and the sound quality is usually poor.

Practice on your own in a quiet room until you feel confident with your recording machine.  Don’t feel like you have to whisper, just talk as if you were on the telephone.

While you get comfortable with dictating consider before you start talking about what you would like to cover in your document.  It’s nice and easy to start by dictating the name and address of the recipient and “Dear Whoever”, “subject line”, “thank you for your letter of…” and then you are on your way.

Whether you have an in-house typist or work with a company like BackupTyping providing a transcription service, remember there is a real person who will be doing your typing, so it’s kind of nice to start your dictation with ‘Hello, Mark here, dictating on Monday’.  It is easier to imagine you are talking to ‘somebody’ rather than a machine.

BackupTyping provides a fast, accurate and experienced transcription for property professionals - saving time and money. Call us on 020 7096 1663 to find out how we can help you.

At BackupTyping, as a nationwide property specialist transcription service provider, we often speak to potential clients about why a company should use a transcription service.

Some are already familiar with the concept and are aware of the benefits of outsourcing typing but others would really like to know why it would work for them.

Outsourcing your typing using a transcription service works quite differently from taking on a member of staff – no space required, no employment costs and no training.

Why?

• A transcription service can work alongside existing arrangements to provide that extra resource to help your business take the next step without the risk of further overheads including employment costs, or it can provide a wholesale typing solution.
• It can also relieve pressure by providing assistance every day, during exceptionally busy peak times or when in-house staff are unwell or on holiday.
• It is a cost-effective solution for the peaks and troughs of business as you only pay for the time typing is carried out. If you don’t need any typing there is no cost!
• You can also release skills by freeing up in-house staff from mundane and repetitive tasks to support your business in new ways, increasing motivation and retention.
• Let secretaries be secretaries and release professional staff from preparing documents to use their time more profitably for your business.

Vested Interest An outsource transcription company is going to be invested in your business, as your success allows their success.

Confidentiality Remember to check the confidentiality agreement of your transcription service as this is vital and means that HR documents can also be outsourced to retain confidentiality in-house.

Specialist We recommend using a specialist transcription service for your market sector as it means you will be plugging into a provider who knows your business, understands your terminology and doesn’t need any training.

We are market specialists for all areas of the property from chartered surveyors and architects to building construction organisations.

There probably isn’t much you could say that we would have to think twice about.

There are many transcription providers for other industries, however, at BackupTyping we are property focused, and familiar with the terminology and the types of documents property professionals produce.

Whichever company you choose, outsourcing your audio typing will support growth for your organisation in a cost-effective manner.

Overall, using an outsource transcription service can save you money, increase productivity and staff motivation, and an out of hours service will enable you to never miss a deadline.

Transcription companies just type, make sure your service is carried out by real human beings with a knowledge of your sector to get the best possible service – you should be getting accurately typed documents in a timeframe that suits you, in your branded style from a flexible and experienced company where no job is ever too big or too small!

BackupTyping provides a fast, accurate and experienced transcription for property professionals - saving you time and money. Call us on 020 7096 1663 to find out how we can help you.