Happy New Year 2015 from CLK Transcription

Goodbye 2014 – Welcome 2015

     CLK Transcription has had another wonderful year. 2014 was filled with wonderful recognition for CLK Transcription’s work that can be found in books, magazines, and production credits, with many of our clients winning awards, including an EMMY – how cool is that!?! Yes, CLK Transcription was acknowledged for work on all six episodes of the project “The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross.” (We continue to work on numerous production projects and look forward to seeing those shows included in the 2015 lineup.)

I continue to be very proud of where CLK Transcription has come from, where we are going, and the work performed, and even prouder that CLK Transcription does it for wonderful clients like you, all while maintaining rates lower than the national average, and keeping every project accepted by CLK right here in the United States. Something even our international clients appreciate.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a big THANK YOU to all the wonderful people who have helped make CLK Transcription one of the fastest growing transcription companies in the US. We have a great team that allows us to continue our work in medical and general transcription with or without time-code or special formats, as well as other specialties, from maintaining calendars, to transcribing voice mail, database development, monitoring email, proofreading, copy-editing, substantive editing, and more.

CLK Transcription was excited for 2014 to begin and even more so for 2015 to get here. With a growing contractor pool, all based in the US, and all eager to grow their trade and be the best they can be – we are even better able to handle your project with the quality you demand, at a cost you can afford, and within the deadlines you need. Members of the CLK Transcription team fall into all US time zones allowing us to accept projects virtually around the clock, and we rarely close entirely except for a few hours during major holidays, and even at those times, there is always someone on call to answer your questions or process priority files.

  • To my family of friends and supporters, who put up with long days and late nights, and frequent coffee runs when making a pot at the office just won’t do, and for all the delivered dinners when client deadlines were looming. Thank You!
  • To my office staff, who put up with my expectations of organization and quality control, and for having the drive to research additional services we can offer our clients, as well as cost-saving strategies in all facets of CLK Transcription so that I can keep rates extremely competitive.  Special thanks for putting up with my taste in music and PJ Sundays! Thank You!
  • To my closest friends and acquaintances, who have to listen to me go on and on about how busy CLK Transcription is, the demanding clients, projects, and deadlines, and how much I love it! Thank You!
  • To the team of independent contractors who accept assignments through CLK Transcription – you rock! And you put up with my no-nonsense style of being your client, so we can offer no-nonsense results to my clients. Additionally, your never-ending thirst for gaining additional experience and knowledge and challenging yourselves, understanding that what we do, every day, is an education and running with the possibilities every single time. Just awesome. Thank You!
  • To the clients who trust CLK with their video and audio files, production projects, voice mail, manuscripts, webinars, meetings, proofreading / editing, hard copy conversions of your business cards, recipes, diaries, etcetera, and who know, we do truly love what we do here at CLK. We hope it continues to show. Thank You!
  • To CLK Transcription’s social media contacts who share items of interest that are useful in CLK’s team of transcriptionists gaining even more depth into what our clients do, how they do it, what they expect from us, and what we can do to assist them, and for sharing our posts so we can broaden the reach of our client’s work, you are amazing! And lest we forget, the quirky, opinionated, feline-filled everyday chit-chat that keeps us all sane – how could we enjoy our downtime without you? Thank You!

I also have to acknowledge and sincerely thank on behalf of the entire team here at CLK Transcription, those people who have made some wonderful referrals and recommendations to CLK Transcription. We look forward to assisting all of you with your transcription needs well into the future, and always have room for new clients and projects. Remember, every client receives a confidentiality agreement.

Now I’m not saying CLK Transcription is perfect, but we are perfectly happy doing what it takes to help our clients be more productive. If you haven’t tried CLK Transcription, check us out. We will save you time and money.

We are an email away from assisting you with your transcription needs.

 

images

Twitter = @CLK_Shortcake

Facebook = http://www.facebook.com/CLKTranscription
and

http://www.facebook.com/CLK-Trans

LinkedIn = http://www.linkedin.com/in/clktranscription – View comments made by our clients and find out why we come highly recommended.

http://www.clktranscription.com

Preparing for a New Year as a Small Business

Are you ready for the New Year?

It isn’t just about parties and champagne when you own a small business.

For a small business, in most cases, being ‘ready’ also means:

  • Closing out the accounting for the year,
  • Organizing and filing away the previous year’s records,
  • Developing 1099s, W2s, and final quarter tax reporting,
  • Reviewing potential ‘needs’ for growth in the New Year, and
  • Reviewing items that need attention for improvement,

all the while continuing with your daily routine of handling projects, employees, contractors, and inquiries.

As a small business owner, the party comes when those items are complete, and completed without interrupting the quality you offer your clients. If we can get that finished and still have hair and without depleting the nation’s coffee supply, then we can celebrate.

Some things we can do to make that end of the year rush go smoother:

  • Find a bookkeeping program and use it. Make sure to enter and file receipts as soon as possible. Find out from your tax person/CPA which program they use and find one compatible if possible. Closing your year and sending an accountant’s copy is faster and easier, and more complete, than trying to develop spreadsheets and sending packages of receipts.
  • If you haven’t done it yet, begin a filing system that makes sense to you.  It doesn’t matter if it makes sense to someone else. If you need something, you will be able to find it. Once you have done that, then train someone else to handle your filing using the same method you use. Now, not only do you have assistance with the mundane chores, you have backup for when you may not be available. And that filing system should be for both current and ongoing items as well as what you have in storage from previous years.
  • That bookkeeping program I mentioned, find out if it provides the data for your 1099s and w2s you need to develop. Most, like Quickbooks, have the information handy, even if you do not pay for the premium versions. You just have to play with the program and get used to where those reports are. As a bonus, Quickbooks for Dummies is a great read.
  • You’ve worked the entire year with established and new clients. You handled projects you have never worked before and may have spoken with potential clients on bidding for new projects. Whether you won new projects or had repeat clients, be sure you research what your niche’ needs, what others are offering, or what others are looking for. Reflect on those items you may need to improve or offer so the New Year allows you better opportunities for growth.
  • You may have also kept in contact with your clients over the years, but be sure to keep that connection and communication open before, during, and after a project. Ask for feedback and make note of those concerns your clients have with regard to your finished product. A complaint is not a bad thing if you can use it to improve what you offer. Just be sure to work to improve it. That one client complaint, if ignored, will soon become a complaint of many if left unchecked. It is only a plus to be able to have a client who complained, come back for a second try, and you can make them happy.

Keep in mind this preparation is not just for clients. You should be reviewing your vendor list, chart of accounts, and even your supplies are current and appropriate for the New Year.

And lastly, review the social media sites where you have profiles and update them, keep them fresh and relevant. Remember, this will be something your clients or potential clients will review, as well as others who may not need your services but are researching for others who may. Having a pretty picture and no description of what you do, how you do it, and who you do it for will just end up being a pretty picture better posted on Instagram.

So I ask again, are you ready?