Why 100% Human Transcription Still Reigns Supreme in the Age of Technology
Although technology is advancing in leaps and bounds every year, speech recognition software still can’t rival transcription done by qualified, skilled human beings.
While medical professionals and businesses may get some use out of voice-recognition and dictation software, these automatically-generated transcripts still require review by a human being to ensure their accuracy.
Hybrid companies (those that combine speech-recognition software with human editors) might be making use of new technological advances, but are they really the best option when it comes to transcription services?
Human Transcription vs. Hybrid Transcription Companies
Because speech recognition has certainly come a long way since its inception, many individual transcribers and leading transcription companies now implement a hybrid approach: combining computer-generated “drafts” with human editing and review. While this may seem like a great idea on its face, 100% human transcription still leads in quality, speed, and versatility.
Unskilled Staff vs. Talented Language Pros
Because their job is limited to fixing the errors made by computers, transcribers hired by hybrid transcription companies are often less skilled and may not have the grammar or vocabulary necessary to create and finalize fully-usable transcripts.
All of our transcribers are not only native English speakers—your transcriber likely holds a college degree, often in writing. Because of this depth of skill, we pick up on the important details, accents, variances and nuances that make up human speech.
Pricey Software vs. Cutting Out the Middle Man
Even though you’re not buying the software yourself, if you’re working with a hybrid transcription company, you’re being charged for the use of expensive, unnecessary equipment every time you order.
100% human transcription means our prices aren’t impacted by an expensive middle man. Skilled transcribers create and proofread documents quickly and carefully.
Long Wait Times vs. Speedy and Accurate Transcripts
Because of their two-step process, customers using a hybrid transcription company must wait for each process to take place.
Editing a document that has already been prepared incorrectly, like those created by voice-to-text software, often takes just as long as it takes for a skilled transcriber to transcribe and proofread audio from scratch.
Because all audio and video files go straight into the hands of skilled transcribers and editors, we cut out all of that wasted time that would be spent producing an unusable “draft” transcript. That means that you can expect a finished, polished transcript within 36 hours instead of 2-5 days.
Overseas Outsourcing vs. Conscious Hiring Practices
In an attempt to reduce costs, hybrid transcription companies and other large transcription providers look for transcribers and editors who will work for less. Because some of the work is done by computers, editing and review work can be outsourced to countries of lower economic standing, where wages are much lower. While this sometimes lowers the price, it also drastically lowers the quality of the transcriptions you can expect to receive.
Hansa Scribe is dedicated to fair wages that support employees and ensure higher-quality work. All transcription, writing, editing, and other work is done by native English speakers who are paid above the average minimum wage in the United States. Because your writer, editor, or transcriber is an expert in English and paid to take his or her time to do excellent work, you can expect much better results than you would get from a large corporation or hybrid company.
One-Size-Fits-All vs. Unlimited Customization
With hybrid transcription companies and large transcription corporations, your ability to determine what your transcript looks like and includes is extremely limited. With Hansa Scribe, you have the opportunity to talk to your transcriber directly and give instructions that aren’t limited to drop-down menus.
Most hybrid transcription companies are one-size-fits-all. You can choose whether you want a less polished draft or a more expensive, fully-completed transcript, but you still have to accept the company’s pre-made format and edit those details yourself later on. With 100% human transcription, you can customize any part of your transcript, from leaving out certain names to only transcribing one speaker. This can save you time and, often, money.
Hidden Fees vs. Transparency and Communication
Hybrid transcription companies may offer services “starting at” a low price, but when you go to purchase the service, you find that this reasonable price is only for “first-draft” transcription—in other words, only for a document prepared by voice recognition software and not edited by a human at all. Finalized, ready-to-use transcripts that won’t require hours of work on your end typically cost more than an average human-produced transcript.
While hybrid companies have a complex pricing system to include unfinished drafts, Hansa Scribe’s 100% human transcription has just one simple per-minute price, with added services like summation and notation available at transparent, easy-to-understand rates.
Human Transcription Beats Voice-to-Text Software
Even though the idea of combining intelligent software with human editors to check for accuracy might seem like a great idea at first, it won’t necessarily benefit you or your business. Voice-to-text software just isn’t yet to the point where we can truly trust it to save time and energy when it comes to transcription, which means 100% human transcripts are still king in the world of accuracy, usability, and affordability.
