As transcription technology continues to evolve, many surveying professionals are exploring speech to text alternatives. On the surface, AI-driven dictation tools seem like a quick and cost-effective solution.
However, when it comes to property-specific terminology, context matters - and this is where AI often falls short.
We tested several speech to text systems ourselves.
The results were … interesting.
Words like:
In more serious cases, entire phrases or paragraphs were missed entirely.
Speech recognition tools are built to process general language, not specialist surveying terminology.
They often:
Even simple instructions like “full stop paragraph” are often typed exactly as spoken - something no experienced typist would do.
While speech to text can be useful in controlled environments, survey reports are rarely simple.
By the time you:
Any time saved is often lost.
A professional transcription service understands:
More importantly, they allow you to:
Focus on your work - not the mechanics of typing.
Speech to text technology is improving - but it still has limitations, especially for chartered surveyors producing professional reports.
When accuracy, structure and reliability matter, human transcription remains the superior choice.
If you are a chartered surveyor and need accurate, professionally structured documents quickly, BackupTyping is here to help.
BackupTyping is a chartered surveying specialist audio transcription and document production company working with a variety of clients from large corporations to small niche companies, all receiving the same high quality and fast service from a team of audio typists who worked at senior levels in chartered surveying organisations. Contact - Call: 020 7096 1663 or Email us.
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