There are many reasons PR teams may require the services of transcription professionals at various times. For instance, if speeches or addresses are delivered and recorded at PR events, it may be necessary to hire someone to transcribe them, so the text can be repurposed for other content, such as press releases.
It’s unlikely for a PR firm to have its own in-house transcription team. This is work you’d probably outsource.
Look for certain essential qualities when doing so. To choose the right transcription service for your needs, seek out the following key traits:
Native language
The goal of hiring someone to transcribe content is to receive a document that requires little to no editing. Unfortunately, if the people transcribing your recordings don’t share the same language as the speaker, they’ll likely make mistakes, forcing you to waste time editing the work they deliver.
That’s not ideal for obvious reasons. To avoid it, hire a service that staffs transcription professionals who share your language.
Industry knowledge
As a PR professional, you may work with clients across a range of industries. Odds are good they have their own jargon that many outside of their fields may be unfamiliar with.
Keep that in mind when choosing a transcription service. Your goal is to find transcriptionists who specialize in a range of industries and niches.
Formatting
Don’t overlook this important detail! Even if the person transcribing your recordings speaks your language, they may nevertheless still deliver content that requires significant editing if the formatting of the content is poor. When reviewing your options, consider requesting samples to see how the work will be formatted.
Perhaps more ideally, you should find a transcription service that will deliver finished work using your own templates. This simplifies the process.
Compliance
Depending on the circumstances, you may need recordings transcribed that involve some degree of confidential information. To protect yourself legally, it’s important to choose a transcription service that prioritizes compliance with HIPAA, CJIS, and any other applicable regulations.
Efficiency
You don’t want a transcriptionist to rush through their work and deliver a document that’s filled with errors. However, you also don’t want to spend an unreasonable amount of time waiting for them to complete a task. You need to find a transcription service that strikes the ideal balance between efficiency and accuracy. If you’re currently working with a transcription service that forces you to wait too long for the work to be complete or delivers work that’s riddled with errors, it may be time to switch to another one.
Past customers
Quality transcription services will attract reputable clients and customers. Thus, it’s wise to consider who a transcription service has worked with in the past when deciding whether to hire them. If they’ve worked with big name companies and organizations, and if their past customers have had plenty of good things to say about their services, you naturally would consider them a strong candidate.
Seamless integration
Your transcriptionists may not work for your company or in your offices, but to a reasonable degree, they should be able to integrate with your workflow.
Ask about the ways they send files and maintain communication with you. It’s best when they take a range of steps to ensure their work aligns with your schedule and processes. Although the way in which a transcription service may achieve this goal can vary on a case-by-case basis, in general, if they can discuss this topic and provide examples of how they integrate with workflows, you can safely assume it’s something they prioritize.
Be aware that taking the time to choose the right transcription service now will actually save you a lot of time in the future. Again, receiving transcriptions that are packed with errors will force you to devote your precious time to editing them. That’s less likely to happen if you keep these essential tips in mind.
