Transcription is the conversion of a recorded conversation, such as a Teams or Zoom meeting, or even a simple audio file from a smartphone, into an electronic text document. It’s easy to think that only legal firms would require this service, yet it’s also very popular with companies in a wide range of sectors.
From doctors’ surgeries and marketing agencies to property surveyors and sole traders, all kinds of businesses and organisations can benefit from professional transcription, as it ensures that ideas and actions are collated into an official document that’s clear and concise.
The common problem is that transcription takes a lot of time and can prove a rather complex and stressful undertaking, which is where a virtual personal assistant comes in.
Faster turnaround
The task of transcribing audio to text can take a very long time, especially if you’re not accustomed to doing it. On average, transcription will take a skilled virtual PA approximately three hours for every one hour of audio, whereas it will take someone who is new to the task considerably longer.
Aside from saving you and your team members time in general, the outsourcing of transcription will mean that the meeting or conference is converted into a neat and tidy document in a fraction of the time. This ensures that you have the document available to distribute to attendees, delegates, stakeholders and/or key personnel whilst its contents are still relevant and actionable.
Maximum accuracy
Transcribing audio may sound like a straightforward task but it actually requires a lot of patience, attention to detail and dedication to accuracy. It can be very easy to mishear words, make typos or grammatical errors, accidentally omit nuggets of core information or even type the wrong thing entirely. This can lead to all kinds of problems, some of them potentially very serious, which is why hiring a skilled transcriptionist brings such a strong return on investment.
Greater flexibility
The volume of transcription required within a business can vary enormously throughout the year. One month there may be nothing that requires transcribing, which is then followed by a sudden influx of audio or video files that need turning into official documents right away. Luckily for businesses of all shapes and sizes, a virtual PA can pick up these transcription jobs as and when they arise without any fuss, complaints or delays.
Reduce your costs
Each minute that your team members spend at work costs your business money. Though a virtual PA isn’t free, they can help you to cut your costs significantly through speedy delivery, autonomous working, and only charging for the time spent carrying out the task. Additional savings can be made due to the very nature of outsourcing – your virtual PA works remotely, so they have their own hardware, software, office equipment and other relevant resources, plus you don’t even have to worry about paying for the electricity and cups of tea required whilst the transcription is being carried out.
Invest your time into more important tasks
Needless to say (yet always worth mentioning), when you outsource transcription to a virtual PA, you’re removing a laborious task from your list. The time that’s freed up can instead be spent on more pressing and profitable matters, such as sales campaigns, service delivery and client satisfaction.
Confidentiality is guaranteed
The conversations being recorded may very well include confidential information or sensitive data that can only be made available to certain members of staff or the senior leadership team. As a result, it may not be appropriate for the transcription to be carried out by in-house employees. When this is the case, a virtual PA can transcribe and return your document using a secure system, guaranteeing confidentiality and data security from start to finish.
Find out more about virtual PA services
To explore what a virtual personal assistant can do for your business, get in touch with Niki Bardsley at nicola.bardsley@smartpasupport.com or call 07707 830394.