More on Transcripts

This post follows on from previous threads on transcription (here, here and here).

Antija Allen, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Bethel University of Tennessee, posted a question earlier this year on LinkedIn's Higher Education and Learning group. She asked "Can anyone suggest a quick, accurate, and affordable transcription service OR a tool I can use myself to transcribe interviews?" (11 June 2016).

A number of academics came back with a range of suggestions, which I decided to list here, in order to keep track of them, in order of overall cost.

• VoiceBase: This is a machine/human interface looking for call leads and sales trends, so the analysis is quite good. Apple & Google aps. The first 50 hours free if you are a student or an individual, thereafter prices are from USD$0.02/minute. It supports the following files: *.mp3, *.mp4, *.flv, *.wmv, *.avi, *.mpeg, *.aac, *.aiff, *.au, *.ogg, *.3gp, *.flac, *.ra, *.m4a, *.wma, *.m4v, *.caf, *.cf, *.mov, *.mpg, *.webm, *.wav, *.asf, *.amr. This seems the cheapest option, but I have yet to trial the fifty free hours. I will do a trial (and report back), as it almost seems to good to be true.
• http://www.nch.com.au/scribe/: This is a DIY piece of transcription kit, like Dragon. You install it on your PC and play back audio using a transcription foot pedal or keyboard (with 'hot' keys). You can get the 'free' version (without bells & whistles) for USD$20 once the licence runs out or can the pro version for USD$25.
• http://nonotes.com/: NoNotes.com provides an unlimited call recording service with apps, with in-house professional transcriptionists/editors, starting at a cost of $8/month. Apple & Android aps.
• https://gotranscript.com/: A 5 day service for a 1 on 1 interview is USD$0.90/minute; a group discussion on the same plan is USD$1.10/minute.
• http://protranscript.com/: This company is bound by a non-disclosure agreement to ensure confidentiality (important for research!). Basic is USD$1/minute cost, at a low priority turnaround of 3-5 days, of .pdf, Word, .html format files.
• https://www.rev.com/: Rev also costs USD$1/minute (plus USD$0.25/minute for a verbatim transcript OR for a timestamped transcript). They can handle many file types including meeting notes, normal documents and MP3, MP4, WMV, AIF, M4A, MOV, AVI, VOB, AMR, WMA, OGG or WAV.
• http://www.speakertext.com/: SpeakerText processes high quality video transcription quickly by splitting video files into 10-second clips and sending them to thousands of transcribers. Costlier though: USD$1.50/minute with a two day wait.
• https://verbalink.com/transcription-services: Pricier. USD$1.50/minute

All of these transcription services were rated by those who posted them. I think we are waiting for a Siri that will hear other people's voices.

Still holding out for a Siri, but it is possible that VoiceBase might do it. Will let you know!


Sam

• Reference: Allen, Antija (11 June 2016). Can anyone suggest a quick, accurate, and affordable transcription service OR a tool I can use myself to transcribe interviews? Retrieved 15 June 2016 from https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2774663/2774663-6146847490760077313.

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Serving is the New Selling

According to Trendwatching, it has "never been more important to turn your brand into a service". Their impression of consumers is that we are tired, don't have enough time to make good decisions, and really want some TLC. Trendwatching call it "Brand Butlers"

Well, that does sound like many of us after a long week at the salt-mines, doesn't it! Trendwatching feel that the time is right, now that web technology makes it possible to offer tailored and relevant services to consumers anywhere in the world, in any time zone - 24 hours a day, to offer a really FANTASTIC service to your clients.

The aspects of buyer behaviour that add up to the "Brand Butler" trend is that consumers feel they don't have enough time, control or independence, and they want more convenience. Customers also want the businesses they chose to deal with to truly care about them, and to show that care in every transaction.

For businesses, this means you need to change the focus behind many of your customer interactions into a service-oriented one. As Trendwatching put it, "from 'broadcasting' to assisting". It is a big shift, but, if done well, can reap huge rewards.

To read more, go to http://trendwatching.com/trends/brandbutlers/ 

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