How to handle those excessive Can You projects.

Do you work for free?

I think we all do ‘favors’ for a friend every so often, without too much frustration, but what happens when your ‘friends’ ask for friendly favors that is actually work you get paid to do by others, and it becomes habitual? You know, the work you do every day hoping to build your business.

Can you print this for me? Can you fax this for me? Can you find out this information for me? Can you type this for me? Can you edit this for me? Can you help me with this? Can you give me your opinion on this or that? Can you do this for me for a discount? Do you have a Friend Rate? Can you wait to be paid?

Like I said, occasionally, it is nice to help others out, whether they are friends or just someone we know in need, but beware that relationship doesn’t turn into a Can You debacle, especially when you find you are helping so many and finding nothing in return but a Thank You and more Can You projects that don’t really pay the bills OR help your company grow?

Now that you have allowed the Can You mentality to build steam, how do you now explain to your ‘friends’ that “Hey. I don’t have spare time outside of my job, to handle that for you.”

Well, that’s hard for many of us, because we will find the first time we are no longer available to ‘help out’ a Can You, we usually also lose that relationship at the same time.

So here are my tips, and you don’t have to take too much stock in it – I am not so good at following my own advice:

  1. Allow yourself the level of Can You moments that you can handle, but let them know in subtle, or not so subtle ways, that this is what you do for a living. It isn’t a hobby, and although their Thank You is nice, if they can find a way to Pay it Forward, since they are not paying you, that is even better, and if they can share their experience with your professional work, that would be AMAZING! As most of us in this situation realize, Can Yous have a hard time with this part, so offer some suggestions as to how they can actually help you as well – but beware they don’t send other Can Yous your way.
  2. Remind your Can You that you do work, even if it is from a home office or other unconventional space, and the Can You project takes away from that, so they will have to wait until you actually have time to help them out. We all know the Can You project is usually a last-minute, need in a hurry thing for them, and you cannot put off paying work for a Can You Thank You, when you have bills to pay.
  3. Offer them assistance on where they can find that Can You information on their own or how to handle that Can You project themselves. Encourage them to figure it out, rather than rely on you to be Free to provide it – but careful here, too. You could find yourself spending more time ‘showing’ them and ending up doing it anyway.
  4. Here is the big one: If you have a Can You that is actually paying, but wants a discount or needs more time to pay, remind them that your bills are the same as theirs. If they pay the electric bill late, what happens? If they pay less on a credit card, what happens? Do they give discounts for the work they do? Don’t put your personal or professional finances at risk over a Can You project or favor.

If all else fails and you have finally had enough, just say NO. For most of us, that is the hardest part. We don’t want to offend, no matter how often we are offended that we are asked to help a Can You for free. After a while it feels like they don’t think our work is worth paying for. We take pride in our professional experience. We just absolutely love what we do. Any chance we get to help we tend to take.

We all get it, BUT again, remember, bills don’t pay themselves. In the end, saying NO could end up saving your business and your relationship.

www.clktranscription.com

 

 

 

 

10 Years of CLK Transcription, and Counting!

It has been a wonderful ride, and I ain’t ready to get off it yet!

So many doubted I could do this. Grow a successful business as a single woman here in the Poconos. But here I am, this spoiled and determined want-to-know-it-all, standing with the best US transcriptionists across the country, doing exactly that.

October is Celebrate ‘I’m Me Just Because’ Month, and I am kicking it off early, just  because that’s who I am!

I began CLK Transcription on a challenge from a former employer, and well, challenge accepted! I could and did build a business on the premise you can treat your team right, provide quality service to clients, apologize for any failures, and kick ass along the way!

The name CLK Transcription is now seen in books, television and motion picture credits, and our clients are published all over the world in multiple outlets and media mediums. We are also a strong force in the medical transcription area as well.

Here we are, celebrating the anniversary with the wonderful men and women who make up #TeamCLK. We are single moms, housewives, college students, disabled persons, veterans or spouses of veterans, LGBT, caregivers, pet rescuers, young, older, and everything in between, and advocates of equality for all. We support each other every step of the way so that we all succeed in everything we face – personally and professionally. We are #TeamCLK

I can’t say it enough. I love what I do and I love and appreciate every member of the CLK team. It is an awesome job we have, and we are all honored every day that we get to do what we enjoy.

I am here to remind you, don’t ever tell a woman she can’t. There isn’t a challenge you can give a woman that that woman won’t stand up and charge at. We never back down and we always give it our best – and giving our best is a win every time. Ladies, Am I right?
I’d say I did pretty well for a local gal starting a business in the Poconos. #NoBizzyAwards2017 #LookForUsNextYear! #CelebrateWhatYouLove #ProudoftheTeam

My Shout out to Harry Williams, and the entire team of transcriptionists at CLK here in PA and across the country. Hardest working individuals you will ever meet with the wildest personalities that make every day interesting. There isn’t a deadline they won’t face, a challenging word or phrase they won’t work together to capture, or a topic they won’t research like a scientist looking for a cure for cancer.

And my boys, Matthew and Mark, and my precious grand babies. This has always been for you. When you do what you love, and do it well, every day is a joy!

I may not have won a Pocono #BizzyAwards2017, but I win every day being able to work with each of you!! #TeamCLKRocks !!!  We hope that you see the love and dedication that #TeamCLK puts into every character on our pages.

www.clktranscription.com

A CLK Independent Contractor’s Story

I think I always knew deep down I was going to be a transcriptionist. Every time I saw one of those commercials (“Train and earn your degree in 9 months! Medical billing and coding, accounting, etc.”) when I saw transcription, I always kind of gave it a double-take. Probably a lot of those things were scams, but it’s happened a lot in my life, that something gives me a kind of internal “Ping!” and then turns out to be relevant later on.

I spent my late teens and about all of my 20s housebound. I was diagnosed agoraphobic after high school and put on disability. I was my niece’s nanny, until I became so drained by the job that I attempted suicide. After that, I just sort of existed. I hated myself, my endless days of doing nothing. When I saw my 30s approaching, something snapped in me. I applied to and was accepted by an online school that has since become disgraced, I think, but I got a medical transcription degree out of it (though they refused to give me my diploma until I paid off my debt to them, which I have not done). I somehow put together a resume, sent it to a million places, and began to lose hope. I will be autistic until I die, but I didn’t want to be disabled forever.

CarolLee Kidd, the CLK of CLK Transcription, responded to me, seemingly uninterested in my resume, and simply asked me why I wanted to do transcription. I don’t remember what I said, but I expect it was that I couldn’t do much else, that I needed to work from home and had some training in the kind of work her company does. I found medical transcription daunting and stressful, and here was a chance to try general. She took me on, which I will be eternally grateful for, and gave me a chance, and I hope, really hope, that she’s found me nearly as valuable as I find her. I made a million mistakes, and started out really slowly, but found such a welcoming environment at CLK. I feel about my colleagues there just as a neurotypical might bond with people in an office.

Transcription means so much to me. I think most people don’t realize how hard and intellectually-challenging it is. My grammar and spelling was always excellent, but I had to become an expert Googler, a short-term expert in whatever the topic of each file is. And I think people don’t realize how important it is. Our work helps create entertainment articles that people read to escape their stresses, books that educate people on everything from fly-fishing to astrophysics. I’ve typed about celebrity scandals, Common Core, medical drug trials, the Kuiper Belt, politics, and the sniping that goes on between “Real Housewives.” I get to help produce, in my little way, a TV show in which people explore their ancestry. Some of it means nothing to me. All of it put together means everything.

I’m a very busy person. I work full-time, attend college (a real one now) part-time, help run a household, and help care for my young nephew. The most stressful days I have are better than any day in my past when I had nothing to do and nothing was expected of me. When people ask me what I do for work, yes, I have to explain what a transcriptionist is EVERY SINGLE TIME, but it beats saying I’m disabled. I’m now empowered. And it was largely my much-loved job that made me who I now am.

Amber G. IC for CLK 4 years and counting!

Why do we do what we do?! Part 1

I always say, “We love what we do!” And it is true, and for a variety of reasons. Whether flexibility with being an independent contractor, the camaraderie of a team, or other reason that makes the job a right fit overall – it is always the work we do for others that keeps us here.

 

Here are just a few testimonials from some great CLK Teammates!

 

I have worked as a transcriptionist for CLK Transcription for almost three years now. When I began, I was a stay at home mom looking for something to do while my kids were in school. What began as just a job quickly turned into a passion. Learning is passion of mine, and transcribing for CLK Transcription fulfills that passion every single day. The flexibility of working for CLK has allowed me to go to school full-time, graduating with honors, have the time to plan a wedding and get married, and take care of my family and home.

Through my time with CLK, I’ve also grown as a person. CarolLee’s dedication to her family, her company, her team, her clients, and her community is amazing and something to be admired. I’ve learned so much from her over the years and those lessons have helped shape me as a woman and a professional.

I’ve also learned from my team. We may never have met face to face, but our virtual group connects us. We help each other, laugh and cry together, and have formed a bond like no other working environment I’ve experienced.

  • Miller

 

Doing transcription at home is ideal for me. You can’t beat the flexibility. After owning my own business for almost ten years, to sit by myself and do what I want when I want is perfect. I don’t think I could work for someone who would be breathing down my neck. I absolutely love my job at CLK and feel very fortunate to be a team member. It’s great that we’re such a cohesive team, too. We encourage each other and are there to help one another if needed. Rather than sit in front of the TV, I love that I’m able to work at night and on the weekends if I want to as well. Not only am I continually learning new things with the jobs at CLK, but the variety of work is interesting and sometimes very entertaining.

  • Sharon C.

 

http://www.clktranscription.com

Repost because nothing has changed: Why I am not a journalist!

Originally posted 4/13/2010:

I love to write. I love to do research. I love to read. So, why am I not a journalist?

 

Because your job is harder than mine.

 

You are given or come up with a topic. You work hard to find the right resources and work out a schedule to interview those resources and gather all the necessary information and make a powerful, informative article that people will want to read. Sounds easy to some, but I know better.

 

The topic must be something that you are familiar with, interested in, or can at least relate to. Or for those who just have wonderful skills, be able to KNOW how to sponge the information from various research for use in a fabulous paper for print.

 

Resource can be anyone. Can ramble so badly that you want to shout – GET TO THE POINT, or worse, could answer your questions without really answering your questions. Occasionally the smooth, precise, clear speaker is found, but it is a rarity. (trust me, this I do know.)

 

Scheduling the interviews – Resources can schedule the interview and change ten minutes before it was to begin, as if their time is the only time to consider, or can start the interview and have to go due to some conflicting appointment after just 5 minutes, or even want to do the interview so early in the morning or middle of the night – just because they can. Others just want to talk to hear themselves talk and can go on and on and on. For these however, many of you have your interview stopping statement to bring it to a close, and are so charming when you use it.

 

Those items can be tough enough, but what’s worse is when you are interviewing someone who is so arrogant, uninteresting, incoherent, or a double talker. Someone who assumes you know nothing at all, questions your abilities and knowledge and lets you know it. Or someone who said they could help you in your mission for a really good story and you find out they really have nothing at all. For example, you asked about really great marble to use in a bathroom remodel and they talk about port-a-potties. You know what I mean. And many of you are so diplomatic that you find something – anything – this person has talked about in order to say it was not a wasted appointment.

 

And then there are times the interview goes well. You have what you need and you find that you did the entire 50 minute interview and forgot to turn on your recorder, or it malfunctions during the interview (or after), or your computer crashes and you lose the entire kit and caboodle.

 

All of this is just the items I can decipher from transcribing your interviews. All of this is what amazes me when I see your final product after publication and am amazed how wonderful it is. Your job is much harder than mine.

 

I just transcribe the interviews and other material. If I had to deal with just that kind of “stuff” I would probably be unemployed from saying something like “hey, Buddy, do me a favor and just answer the damn question. And while you’re at it, can you pay attention to what you are responding to and stop eating or calling out to your friends who are walking by as you talk to me, and hey buddy – the phone works better when you talk into it. Can you get any closer to the man yelling in the background, I am not hearing what he is so mad about. I was ready yesterday for our 10 a.m. appointment and you changed it to 3 a.m. so how about pay attention to the questions so I can go back to bed.”

 

Me, I can sit here, transcribe your audio, and smile…better you than me. I will just wait for you to go to print and see how amazing you made the information into something that others can understand and draw from.

 

That is why I am not a journalist. I am just a transcriptionist, here to type your audio, help you meet your deadlines and watch you take all that hard work you do and make an article worth reading, sharing, and discussing for months and months.

 

Better you than me. I will stick to reading your articles thus remaining employed.

 

 

 

http://www.clktranscription.com

As a journalist, do you ever have enough time?

As a journalist/writer, when you have a project that has been assigned, there are so many steps to get through to be able to develop the perfect article, the perfect end-product, that it’s a wonder you have enough time in the day to even think about them all.

There are phone calls to make. Interviews to set up and then to hold. Outlines to write, and even the final article/chapter/paper to complete. Possibly even photos to choose. Editors to deal with. The list goes on and on. All the while, juggling the business of life that is always there, and quite frankly more important that any article, book, paper you will ever write – your family.

So when you can, it’s nice to know it’s okay to ask for help. Help that will give you that hour, hours, or even days to handle the other aspects of your project and the important parts of your life. And when you can find that help, and it’s within your budget, that is all the more reason to consider asking for it.

CLK Transcription understands the needs of the journalist. We understand their deadlines and we understand their budgets. We have been fortunate to be able to assist many with their audio/video transcription and we have grown to understand that their audio is a valuable tool in their work, but that the transcription of it is time-consuming and cumbersome for them to handle on their own. It, quite frankly, can interfere with the completing the project itself and absolutely interrupts the family time they could have if they just didn’t have to do it themselves.

 

The good news is THEY DON’T!

CLK Transcription can handle their audio/video transcription and develop a quality document, and return it to them in most cases within 36 hours or less. Now they can get on with the project and get on with their enjoyment of a little bit of family time. We even transcribe voice mail. Yes, many can get that service for free, but are the messages usable, understandable, or delivered timely? If it’s free, do you get what you pay for?

We are able to work with any downloadable audio, and yes, we work with cassettes, DVDs and CDs. We even convert white paper to an electronic document. And if you have an audio you want to transcribe yourself, but just need it converted to a different medium – we can do that, too! We even offer a FTP site for those who need the transferability of their files to others. All at a cost that fits within your budget.

So, when you have a project and you need a little or a lot of help with the transcription, why not find out how we can assist? You may just find the time and money you have been looking for.

We are an email away from starting your project today and having it back to you with a day or so. We are US owned and operated and never send anything off shore. We offer a confidentiality agreement to every client. We never use speech recognition, and every project is proofread before delivery.

www.clktranscription.com

Consider the format you save your audio/video files when forwarding to your transcriptionist.

Although we here at CLK Transcription can handle all downloadable formats, some formats need converting before transcription, and others are so large they take time to download, log, and upload.

For example:

  • If you don’t need embedded time code, consider saving in mp3 format. Transfer speeds for video formats vary, and some can take a considerable amount of time just to reach us.
  • If recording on Apple product, be sure to save in format that plays on other devices. An Apple m4a format will only play one side of the conversation unless converted in iTunes to a m4a version playable on other devices.
  • Files such as WebEx files that require their own player/program to be downloaded also take a great amount of time to transfer – it is just the nature of the beast. We can download and convert, but again, additional processing time is needed.

Currently CLK Transcription has 150 files to download in mov format from one client. At the 1 hour to transfer for every 5 files due to size, this could be interesting since the client wants them back in 24 hours. Yes, the client had the same issue uploading to us.

Yeah, that expected TAT is not something the rock star CLK Team can handle right now. Even though they only total about an hour of audio to transcribe, download time is a factor. We could say, “yes”, but why blow a deadline for a client? We are moving them ASAP, but at least they have a  realistic time frame to work with, and having great communication with our clients allows us to better serve their needs, and allows them to expedite their future projects as well.

Many other transcriptionists/transcription companies do not have the ability to convert due to cost of or knowledge/experience with programs, and some may not have the bandwidth to handle a load like this, along with other work arriving during any given day.

Again, CLK Transcription can handle any downloadable format and has no bandwidth issues to consider, but keep in mind, additional processing time is needed in cases like this, making a priority status not always realistic.

 

WWW.CLKTranscription.com

Are you a communicator? How do you communicate?

COMMUNICATION:

By and large, communication (from Latin commūnicāre, meaning “to share”) is a purposeful activity of exchanging information and meaning across space and time using various technical or natural means, whichever is available or preferred. (Excerpted from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication)

Let me begin by saying, I am the same communicator, whether it be with family, friends, or business / professional contacts. Some have called me Wordy, Email Annie, and even Boring when I communicate with them. I embrace all those titles, because they come following a lack of interaction by those very same people.

My feeling on the flow of great communication is that there is a topic broached, questions are asked, information is given, and a discussion / debate over opinions and information is held until an understanding is met. Notice I did not say an agreement. You can communicate ideas and have lively debate and still be a great communicator and agree to disagree. However you cannot have discussion without good information and good interactions, and you cannot communicate without also hearing the words of others.

The purpose of good communication is to foster lively debate, disseminate / gather accurate information, and to listen. Yes, listen. To consider the points of view of others and all of the information given and received.

It is also crucial to consider the end result as it relates to the decisions considered based on the communications held. Some decisions we make in our life affect not only ourselves but so many others around us. Is it fair to make those decisions without proper communication? Is it fair to those affected by our decisions to improperly or inadequately disseminate information to them? To halfheartedly communicate with them?

An uninformed discussion is only allowed when you do not allow or do not embrace proper communication.

You can learn a lot from someone’s ability to communicate. Do they have input? Do they understand the information that is flowing? Are they open to a lively discussion? Are they always attempting to tell you what you meant, rather than ask for clarity? Do they base their decisions on what they thought you meant, rather than attempting to gain a better understanding?

You cannot…I repeat, absolutely, positively cannot, have any personal or professional growth without being a good communicator. Ask questions. Search for information. Seek discussion. And listen.

You need to choose to give as much information as possible and to ask for as much input from others as they care to give. Their desire to share or lack thereof, should not be allowed to stall your personal growth.

To be a great communicator, you must participate and you must be informed, not just blowing words to the wind hoping they make sense somewhere in the conversation. Stalling discussion because you don’t try to understand, don’t ask questions, are disinterested or have no desire to learn, is not fair to those who are in the conversation with purpose.

Yes, I use my words. If I communicate anything that is not understood, I expect a great communicator to ask for directness. If I communicate something that is felt to reap of sarcasm, I expect a great communicator to ask for a clarity.

You cannot expect everyone to be great communicators. You will meet people who are great speakers, great arbitrators, and great followers, but not great communicators. They do not relish a back and forth, lively discussion on various topics. They say their piece and expect you to listen and understand with limited interaction. Rules, rules, rules. Others will listen long enough to be a conduit for information, but that doesn’t mean they understand the information that is flowing. Still, others will go with the flow of the majority or the loudest, or the strongest in the discussion, rather than have the passion to have their own opinions understood, or worse yet, don’t have the drive to become knowledgeable and contribute to the discussion.

Choose to use your words and listen to others because words are how we grow, personally and professionally. Communicate. Never use a personal disinterest in any topic as a way of trying to silence another great communicator. One day, you may just have something to discuss.

I know a lot of great communicators. I learn from them every day. I hope I offer that to many as well.

How do you communicate?

Allow your transcriptionist to save you time and money by following these simple tips.

Got audio you need transcribed?

When sending audio to your transcriptionist, is it always good to give them as much information as you can about your needs, such as:

 

  • How long is the file? This is important so we can confirm we received the entire file. Although transfer programs are great, sometimes our own connections when uploading or downloading can cut off a file leaving us to believe the entire file was sent or received. Having the length, or approximate length, allows us to verify receipt of the entire file.

 

  • What is your drop dead turn around needed. Most transcription companies work a 24-72 hour TAT depending on length of audio and difficulty. Giving us what your drop dead turn around time expected allows us to be sure to meet your needs, or be honest and let you know it can’t be done. Most cases, if an extremely large file is received – 3 hours or more, we may be able to send you what is complete in parcels, so you can begin your work while we finish the audio project.

 

  • Is there a portion of the audio that you don’t need transcribed? Is there a start time or end here time that you do not need transcribed which can save you money? If we do not know about dead air or conversations you do not need, we will transcribe everything, and dead air will be calculated because we do have to listen to make sure we don’t miss something. Giving us exact time to start or stop will save you money if you had dead space in the audio.

 

  • Are there any names that may not have common spellings? Giving us speaker names will help speed up the process. Most times we will take the time to search for the correct spelling, however this is not always possible with some generic interviews, so having the correct spelling or how you want them to be noted is a help. Maybe you don’t want names. Maybe you would prefer generic we use Male or Female Speaker, Interviewee, or just use initials.

 

  • Do you want verbatim/verbatim with absolutely no clean up or verbatim with minimal cleanup – meaning false starts and stutters. Perhaps you want as much clean up as possible – making the speakers grammar correct, etc. Most cases, CLK will do verbatim with minimal cleanup (false starts and stutters only) unless otherwise instructed. We understand we are not the writers. We will transcribe what we hear and let you write the article using exactly what was said, how it was said.

 

  • Do you have a special format you want followed? Font size and type, margins, etc? CLK Transcription has a “standard” easy to cut and paste format we use for our projects, however if you have something specific for every file or just one file, let us know. We will be happy to use it for your work.

 

  • Are there technical terms or places mentioned that may be difficult to research. CLK Transcription does research work when transcribing, and tries to verify what was said is what was transcribed, but sometimes terms and phrases are just too difficult to locate quickly and takes some time. Sending as much of this information as you can when you send your audio file, hot words, will save time when you need your project quickly.

 

  • Let us know if you feel the audio is difficult and we will attempt to enhance the audio to make it clearer, louder, or less static which will save time on the transcription end.

 

  • Is there a specific way you want the files named when we are complete? CLK Transcription usually names the completed reports exactly the same as the audio file, unless otherwise instructed. Doing this allows you to match the audio with the report when working on your project. If you would like them named a different way, let us know. we will be happy to oblige.

 

  • Do you need files invoiced separately? CLK Transcription understands the needs of the journalists and writer. Many need separate invoices for each project, and we are happy to do this for you. Just let us know as you send the audio.

 

Remembering some of these tips will allow us to better handle your project files and be certain we are giving you what you need to do your work more efficiently – and that’s part of our job.

 

www.clktranscription.com – We love what we do and it shows!

Why should you care about your medical dictation being sent off shore?

 

Your medical information dictated by medical professionals includes: Social history – including how many alcoholic beverages you drink and where you work and live; family history – including how many siblings, health of your family; past medical history – including surgeries, illnesses; medication history – including every medication you have taken and are currently taking; allergies; and personal statistics including height, weight, eye color, and birth date.

Is there anything else you need to give to someone who wants to steal your identity? They don’t need your social security number anymore. They get your insurance information and everything else listed above. They just need to become you and your medical provider may be giving them exactly what they need to do that, and HIPAA regulations don’t mean squat overseas.

Let’s not forget your credit history and direct personal information sent to collection agencies who use off shore call centers to follow-up on past due accounts. Many of these call centers are intertwined with the off shore transcription companies and data storage facilities…they call it multitasking.

Ask your provider, insurance carrier, hospital, and anyone you give personal information to if they have their transcription done here in the US. Demand that they do.

Insurance companies are selling your information to drug companies and equipment providers. Example: How many diabetics receive calls from equipment providers asking them if they want a new glucose monitor? They already know who your insurance carrier is…how? Because they got your contact information from them. Pretty scary, huh? How many of these call centers do you think are actually in the US? Very, very few. No one appreciates having to push 1 for English, so why do you allow calls from off shore call centers regarding your personal information.

Even unemployment and worker’s compensation providers are using off shore companies to handle their claim dictations. Some car and home insurance providers also send your information off shore when they have their reports transcribed.

Think speech recognition and EMR are safer? Think again. Many larger MTSOs (Medical Transcription Service Organizations) and other suppliers send this work off shore either for processing or for ‘storage’ and have US transcription editors review and edit the information, and they never tell their clients that it is being done.

Now think about your company’s information, and all of the trade ‘secrets’ you send off shore with your audio. Do you really want to share that information with those that do not have to adhere to our rules and regulations? Does anyone remember the women who threatened to release her clients transcripts? http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/SPECIAL-REPORT-Looking-Offshore-Outsourced-2774413.php

Do you think this has changed???

When is enough, enough? Not only is it costing US jobs, it is costing many more their identities and livelihood.

Demand your personal information remain safe and any sharing of the information be secure and governed by HIPAA regulations or other US regulatory guidelines.