Audio transcription is a highly versatile job. It has applications in every aspect of business, from the legal sector, the medical sector, and all the way to the entertainment industry. Yet, it is rather challenging to find well-experienced transcription professionals who can tackle big, sensitive projects efficiently and on time. On another note, audio transcription has several challenges that make it the difficult and sensitive profession that it is. In this article, we will shed light on 4 of these challenges.
The most comment audio transcription problems
In the transcription process, there are 4 major challenges to consider.
1. Audio quality
Audio quality is the most essential element in audio transcription. The higher the quality, the easier and faster it is for the transcriptionist to work with the audio material and produce it in writing as accurately as possible.
There are many factors that can hinder audio quality.
Background noise:
Background noise is one of the most factors that impede the audio transcription process. It usually happens because the audio material was recorded in an un- isolated place.
Malfunctioning/low quality recording tools:
The quality of audio recording tools plays an essential role in determining the quality of the produced audio material. Any malfunctioning in the microphones or their being of low quality can result in lower quality recording.
Scripted/unscripted content:
Whether the people speaking in the audio material were reading from a pre-written script, such as in marketing content, or if they were talking randomly, this plays a key role in determining the nature and quality of the audio material.
Overlapping speech:
If the audio material features people speaking at the same time, this can make it harder to make sense of what is being said.
These challenges, however, cannot be controlled by the transcription service provider, be they an agency or a self-employed individual. The quality of the audio material is solely determined by the people who produced it in the first place.
However, a seasoned transcription service provider can usually manage their way through low-quality materials thanks to their long professional experience in the field. Moreover, these challenges can also be resolved through transparent communication between the client and transcription service provider to explain and clarify any discrepancies found in the audio recordings.
2. Language and accent barriers
Another challenging factor in audio transcription is language. When audio material is spoken in a foreign language that is not familiar to that transcription service provider, this may limit their ability to understand what is being said, let alone reproduce it in written form. Things get even more challenging if the audio material featured local dialects, accents, or uncommon business jargon. All these factors often make it harder for the amateur transcriptionist to work with the recorded material, thus hindering their ability to provide accurate, error-free transcription.
However, choosing a well-experienced transcription service provider for your project would reduce the likelihood of facing problems related to linguistic barriers.
3. Information confidentiality and security
If your audio recordings are related to sensitive topics such as legal transcription matters, intellectual property, or medical transcription information, then information security would be an extremely critical factor. The transcription service provider you work with should have a strict policy for information security during reception, processing, and delivery of the final product. This can often involve signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to make sure the process is fully secured and protected under the law.
4. Finding and retaining a reliable transcription service provider
Due to the sensitive nature of audio transcription, it is essential to choose a transcription service provider that is fully qualified and experienced. What makes this more challenging, however, is that most transcription experts work on a freelance basis. This makes them a bit difficult to retain throughout the duration of the project. Moreover, it can also be difficult to always sustain the same standard of quality throughout.
Solution?
The best way to avoid these challenges is to work with a fully-fledged transcription agency. These agencies are comprised of teams with transcription skills working in a systematic fashion to serve you around the clock.
To make sure of this, look for an agency that has a global presence with experts located across different parts of the world. This way, you can rest assured that there is always someone available to serve you regardless of any timezone differences, and there would be very little room for missing a deadline.
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