The transcription industry has been around for a long time and it has been changing with times and technology and so are the transcription companies .
Technology plays an important role in this industry and is influencing its trends. Today better equipment is enabling transcribers to deliver more accurate work at a faster speed. What used to be a long and tiring process is becoming easier as our gadgets improve. We now have better sound quality, more user friendly interfaces and the speed of the internet at our disposal. This technological advancement is helping the transcriber and the customer alike. The internet plays a key role in today’s transcription industry. No longer are files transported through mail or via floppy disks or even CDs. Today a lot of customers choose to upload a digital version of their files on the internet for the transcriber to download. This saves time, energy and resources.
Although voice recognition softwares are threatening to eradicate the transcriptionist positions , the actual need to worry about it, if at all, is a distant one. Soon these softwares may be used to aid the transcriber in his job, but they would be unlikely to take over the role of the transcriber due to their inability to check efficiency.
The increasing need for accuracy and attention to details is working in favour of efficient transcribers for their transcription jobs . Increase in outsourcing is causing a rise in the number of service providers, however quality is still king. Earlier, a relatively lower number of transcribers created something of a monopoly. Customers were forced to go to those few and had a limited choice. Due of the rise in number, transcribers are forced to deliver better quality at lower rates. In this game the customer is the winner. He gets to choose from a large variety, gets lower prices and better accuracy.
Certainly, much has changed in the transcription industry, and a lot of change is yet to come. In terms of accuracy, speed and convenience the old trends do not compare to the new ones. However, these changes are working in favour of both customer and transcriber thus making it a win-win situation.