Below are 10 ways to save money on transcription services. Apply the following guidelines to speed up transcription, avoid time delays and mistakes, and reduce transcribing fees.

1. Use a good quality microphone. Position the microphone near all speakers.

2. Check the batteries in the dictation equipment.

3. Use tapes designed for voice dictation. They filter out background noise. Demagnetize and clean tapes regularly.

4. Erase the tape before dictation and indicate the end of the transcription to avoid transcribing old materials.

5. Rewind the tape to the beginning of the dictation.

6. Dictate in a quiet environment. Turn off the TV and radio. Distance the microphone from air conditioners and fans. Avoid noise, music, and acoustics in restaurants, outdoors, and airplanes.

7. Speak clearly. Instruct people not to talk simultaneously. Identify all speakers.

8. Don't eat or drink when dictating.

9. Discuss the purpose of the transcription and style preferences with the transcriptionist. Do you want a verbatim transcript for legal purposes? Do you want to include sounds like uh, um, hmmm? Do you want to indicate laughter and long pauses?

10. Avoid delays and costly revisions by spelling unusual words and words with questionable spelling, i.e. Kathryn, Katherine, Catherine, or Caterine. Provide supporting documents and words the transcriptionist may not be familiar with such as technical terms, names, streets, and cities.

Provide the transcriptionist with a high quality recording and you'll get an accurate transcript at the lowest possible price.

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