CLK Transcription’s clients say we ROCK! Yes we do, and here is why!

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I am always praising my team, and many may think it is just to tout my company.

Many others know nothing could be farther from the truth.

I could easily just continually send accolades about the work my company does, or that I oversee – but I know without my team – nothing is possible.

I have team leaders, team players, and those that sit the bench until called upon.  They all have their responsibility and they always give their best.  And that is exactly what I ask for.

No one is perfect – but we give our best and work hard to be as close to perfect as possible. That is why each team member backs up the other, to assist, critique, backup and advise.

That includes our clients. We want them to advise us on their special likes and dislikes, whether for every file, or for a particular file.  Without that information, we can’t possibly give them what they want.  We also appreciate the positive and negative feedback on our work, so that we can be that much closer to perfect for them the next time.

So when CLK’s clients say “You rock!” – I agree – CLK Rocks because we have one hell of a team – and they give their best everyday.

  • PDF / hard copy conversion to Word Doc
  • Audio transcription
  • Medical transcription
  • audio conversion (tapes, DVD, CD to electronic copy)
  • Audio conversion (electronic format to alternative electronic format)
  • Electronic signature
  • Brochure and flyer development
  • Voice mail transcription…and more

 

We would love to assist you with your transcription needs, and we WILL save you time and money.

 

Check out our recommendations on LinkedIn.  http://www.linkedin.com/in/clktranscription

 

Feel free to follow us on FB ( http://www.facebook.com/CLKTranscription and http://www.facebook.com/pages/CLK-Transcription-Inc/100158850050342) or Twitter (Twitter = @CLK_Shortcake) – we love to share a good story, article, post, link.

www.clktranscription.com

 

A crusade for the American medical transcriptionist – what has to be done to keep our jobs?

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I have been doing what I do for a very long time now, and over the past ten years have seen more and more of the work I, and so many others, could be doing being sent overseas.

Why?

At first, and still some now, I and many others in my profession thought it was for cheap labor.   I am beginning to wonder.  Sure, many think it is cheaper for the medical professionals and health providers to send the dictation overseas for transcription, but when you factor in the amount of money for proofing and editing the work once it is returned, there is no real savings.  As a matter of opinion, I would claim that it is probably more costly when you total up those figures.

So why?

It certainly isn’t because of lack of experienced and talented transcriptionists.  There are tens of thousands of transcriptionists right here that paid tens of thousands of dollars for the education and equipment to handle dictation transcription.  In addition, some of these very same transcriptionist are the ones healthcare providers hire to edit the reports returned by off-shore transcription companies.

So, again, I ask why?

In my opinion, the opportunity to bring transcription back to the US, is a fight I am taking on and work everyday to see a piece of it return.  For me, to think that my entire history, family, health, social, and all identifying information about me, being sent to a faraway place is just horrifying.  For me, thinking of how so many people spend time and money to learn a trade, want to work, only to find that the majority of the work is going overseas is dreadful.   (I could and will say this about ANY work sent offshore, but am holding this particular blog post to transcription.)

What makes this whole topic even more irritating to me is that when someone searches the word ‘transcription’, or ‘transcription news’, or even ‘American transcription’ – 90 percent, if not more, that shows up in that search are articles about off-shoring transcription, offshore transcription companies.  The biggest part of the remaining 10 percent of those same results are US MTs complaining about their work.  (Rest assured, this blog post is not going to do that.  This one tries to answer the question why and at the same time show why you shouldn’t.)

After working so hard to fight the occurrence of off-shoring medical transcription, and doing a little research of my own, opening my own transcription company and dealing with 100s of transcriptionists here in the United States, I think I may have part of the answer – and it won’t be liked by those in my profession – but it is my opinion, and I never hold back when I see a fight worth fighting.  Hell, I am not known to hold back on anything – so why start now.

I think a large part of the reason is the arrogance many seasoned transcriptionist have come to have about their abilities and how they spread that around to the newbies just entering the business.   So much arrogance that they make it difficult themselves for someone to want to consider utilizing them.

Arrogance?  What do I mean?

I certainly do not want to imply we are not absolutely the best people to hire, or that we do not absolutely deserve everything we want.  Doesn’t everyone who spends most of their adult life learning their trade and taking pride in their abilities?

So what do I mean?

I mean that so many US transcriptionists have multiple expectations and demands in order for YOU to hire US.  We want steady work, even if you are slow.  We want higher rates, even if you don’t get it back in your fee workup.  We want to do the reports the way we have always done them, regardless of whether you have your own way of dictating.  We want to decide that what you dictate and how you dictate is food for fodder, and may even change it without understanding your desires and thoughts during the process.  We want to correct those words you “make up”, even if to you and the patient, they are critical.  We want to be considered independent contractors, but want employment benefits.

I mean if the only part of that original search results for American transcription mentioned above shows up with actual US transcriptionist results yet with them complaining about their work – why on earth would anyone want to hire them?  They certainly wouldn’t be considered in any other profession if they were found to be this difficult to work with.

No, it is not all the fault of the US transcriptionist.

No, I don’t think that is the whole picture. I think that many of the medical professionals and hospital systems, even insurance companies, feel that by sending the work off-shore they can (& are) bypassing some of the strict privacy laws and regulations set up here in the US making it easier for them to save a buck – not so much in the actual dictation/transcription/editing process –  but in other administrative areas.

I don’t claim to know the ins and outs of hospital administration and financial burdens they have, but I do have a background in various areas of the medical profession, including medical records, billing, and coding (another profession going overseas), and of course, transcription and do know many of the state and federal laws regarding these areas and HIPAA.  I can see where the money would be saved when regulations can be “ignored” or ‘side-stepped’ when using an off-shore transcription company.

 

Another problem is that those medical professionals who do not want to off-shore their dictations but are in fact unaware that that is exactly what is happening.  They made contact with an American Transcription Company and thought their work would be done here, but in fact, many of the larger transcription companies send their files overseas so they, too, can save a buck.   Simply checking their website for contact information would provide this information, but some don’t even mention that.  Unless you work or worked there, you would never know.  Unless you do your research, you may never know – unless you’re the editor of the reports or the administrator of the company.

 

Bringing the transcription work back to the US is going to take much effort.  I know this – I live it everyday.  Others seem to think it’s a matter of just demanding it be done and forcing the government to demand it be done. To some extent this is true.  I would add that it is going to take the patients, whose information is being sent offshore, to push buttons and demand the information stay here.  It is going to take hospital administrators, insurance company executives, and physicians to not only want to have their dictations transcribed here, but incentives be given to them if they do.  You know, those same incentives given to other companies to offshore their work. 

 

And most importantly, it is going to take the US transcriptionist to understand that either we change the way we think about our own careers, and change the way we think about our potential clients and their responsibilities, and either love what we do enough to do a great job with a little bit more flexibility in our own demands and expectations, and going the extra step to research while completing our work, and continuing our education, to allow others to see that having a US transcriptionist do the job is the best practice for everyone.

 

Transcription is one, if not the, fastest growing, most in-demand work product of the new millennium.  Imagine the jobs generated if we just kept it here.  Imagine the economic growth for thousands of individuals in the US.  Imagine the ability to add a piece of safety to our personal identity. 

 

www.clktranscription.com – We love what we do enough to help you save time and money.

What’s new at CLK? I found some time and money!

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After many years of handling the website of CLK myself, I finally realized the best route to go this time was to bring on a professional to review, work with me, and clean up and update everything.

I am not sorry I did it.

They say you have to spend a little to make a little.  They are right.

Yes, I am upgrading my website, and yes, I decided to let the professionals handle it so I had time to do what makes my clients happiest – transcribe, re-record, convert, and develop the best transcription, audio/video, and Excel projects ever.

 

I followed my own advice.

 

I say it all the time – let us save you time and money and allow you to have that extra time to handle your other important aspects of your project or your life.

 

There have been blogs written about it.  There have been posts about it.  There have been Tweets about it.  Many others have found how hiring a transcription company can free up much-needed time, which in the long run, allows more money to be generated when you can promote your business, continue with the current project, or market for a new one.  It can also find you the time to cook that special meal, attend a soccer game, all the really important things – spending time with family and friends.

Now I can be sincere and say I know this firsthand by practicing what I preach.  Now I know even better, how important that time is.  You should too!

 

Whether it is…

  • voice mail transcription so you can shop, meet, or just enjoy a day out,or
  • audio transcription of your interviews, webinars, radio shows for your article, book, or other project, or
  • development of electronic copy of your white paper, or even conversion of your cassettes and DVDs to electronic audio…

… in order to save or share with others, having someone else handle it at a fair price in a reasonable time while maintaining quality, can save you time and money too.

 

CLK Transcription is a US owned and operated transcription company that handles all types of projects; medical and non- medical.  We have a full staff of independent contractors with specialization in areas of banking, brokerage, health, family, education, sex, history, science, relationships – you name it.

We are transcriptionists, not just medical transcriptionists.  We love what we do and we have the experience to do it right, no matter the topic.

We do not use speech recognition and we never off-shore your work. From mere seconds to hours of audio, partial page or pages and pages of white paper – your work is done by professional transcriptionists using their experienced ear…not a machine.

 

If you want to find that time and money everyone is looking for, check us out.  We are just an email away from starting your project and our services will help to increase your productivity.

 

Stay tuned for our new website.  It should be up and completely overhauled shortly.  Until then, I am back to work doing what I love to do now that I have time to do it – transcribing.

 

www.clktranscription.com

 

 

 

At least once in your life you could have used a great transcriptionist! Did you find it at the grocery store?

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I get asked all the time, “who needs transcription services besides doctors and lawyers?’

I am always amazed at the amount of “wow, I hadn’t thought of that” responses that I get when I tell them.

At one time or another everyone needs transcription so they can have an electronic copy to edit, share and save.  Having a transcribed version of their audio or hard copy material allows them to do all of that, plus having someone else handle that part of their project, allows them time to complete the other pressing aspects of their project or life.

I am equally amazed at how many send their work to a medical transcription company when their project is not medically related. 

CLK Transcription is a TRANSCRIPTION company, specializing in medical and non-medical projects of all topics and specialties.   You wouldn’t take your transmission concern to a quick lube joint, or your horse to a pediatrician, or shop for a contractor at a grocery store would you?

Parents:

  • IEPs held for their special needs kids.
  • Their grandma’s diary, recipes, and old love letters to be shared with others.
  • Their grandpa’s stories that made them sit in wonder on his lap while he told them.

 Students:

  • Interviews for your Masters / Doctorate projects
  • Student’s senior projects
  • Reports and presentations

Freelancers / Authors / Ghost Writers:

  • Interviews
  • Hard copy of older articles
  • Notes for the book being written
  • Telephone communications

Physicians:

  • Medical notes / exams, Op reports. H&P, IMEs, procedure notes
  • Telephone communications
  • Letters of medical necessity

Lawyers:

  • IMEs
  • Depositions
  • Telephone communications
  • Meetings

Corporations:

  • Meetings
  • Roundtables
  • Brainstorming sessions
  • Material for office in-services / training / employee handbooks
  • Material for mailers
  • Correspondence
  • Seminars
  • Telephone communications
  • Multi-day events and ceremonies

Trainers / Educators / Mentors

  • Webinars
  • Radio shows
  • Seminars
  • Meetings
  • Telephone communications

Elderly / Physically handicapped

  • Correspondence to our loved ones
  • Things to remember / lists / important items.

Everyone:

  • Voice mail
  • Poetry written on napkins
  • Recipes only found in our memories
  • Thoughts to be saved for future sharing with loved ones
  • Master Lists for chores, receipts, shopping, auto repairs, home repairs, important insurance inventory lists, etc.
  • Electronic Signatures developed – Go Green and Save a tree

We also proofread items already transcribed. 

All of these things and more can be easily transcribed and saved electronically for editing, burning to disc, sharing, and prep for that very important project.  When you think about the time saved when someone else does the transcribing, and you can get on with every other aspect of your project, or just spend time with loved ones  – you find how very important you time is.

So when you think you don’t need a transcription company, or feel you can do it yourself – I just have to ask “how much is your time worth?  How long does it take you to transcribe those notes, memos, audios – and what else could you be doing?”

CLK Transcription can help you find the time you need and help you meet your deadline and get on with other personal concerns.  Whether it is recorded audio or hard copy (scrap paper, receipts, hand written or old print), we can develop it into an easy to read and edit document for you.

Our rates are competitive, reasonable, and below the national norm – and we work with you on your budgetary concerns.  We offer an easy to read invoice as well as yearly invoice recaps for your tax filing.  Most importantly, every client receives a confidentiality agreement signed by us, and if you have other documentation needed, we have no problem supplying it for your records.  We never off-shore our projects and we do not use speech recognition – have you seen the errors made by use of this program?

Throughout the year we offer savings programs so that tax season and the holidays don’t take a bite of your work, or vice versa, and we offer payment plans for those who may need it.  We truly understand how your project is important to you even when the economy can slow us all down.

Contact us today to find out how we can save you time and money.

www.clktranscription.com

The holidays are coming, the holidays are coming! Do you need more time?

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Just when you think you have it all figured out and get into that groove of starting and completing your projects, the holidays sneak up on you, not to mention the end of the year, preparing for taxes and possibly new marketing of your own.  There just isn’t enough hours in the day, days in the week, or weeks in the month to finish everything you need to accomplish.

 

Whether you are a journalist, author, or ghost writer with interviews, student or parent with educational projects or IEPs, business professional with round tables and meetings, speaker or presenter with webinars, conferences, or audio blogs – this is the time of year where time to complete all of your projects AND meet family and personal demands is so difficult to find.

 

You clients, editors, and educators want and demand more and more of your attention, because they too know the end of the year is coming and there is so much to do to prepare for that and the coming holidays.  And your family – they just want you and your attention so you can celebrate with them.

 

Some may be able to juggle their projects and personal demands, but why juggle?

 

The team at CLK Transcription works through the holiday and allows you the gift of time to do those things that in the minds of your family and friends can be more important than your project .  We also offer gift certificates for that important person in your life that may be hesitant to let go of some of the workload.

 

Yes we do voice mail, so you can be on the road and still not miss that important call. It can be transcribed and sent right to your cell phone.

 

Yes, we do medical transcription of office notes, Op reports, narratives, etcetera – so even if you have in-house staff to transcribe, when your staff is on vacation, we can cover for them.

 

Yes, we convert DVDs, CDs, Cassettes, to MP3s.  Yes, we convert hard copy media to electronic Word documents.

 

And for those that want to save a few trees, yes we can develop electronic signatures for you so you do not need to print every document for a signature.

We offer a confidentiality agreement to all of our clients, and have handled project files from 12 seconds to 80 hours. We never use speech recognition.

 

So, if  you need to find some time to take on additional work, spend with family, or celebrate a holiday and get your project done all at the same time – and could use some money saved in the process – check out CLK Transcription.  We would love to assist you with your transcription needs.

 

We have a team of transcriptionists that can handle your audio transcription on a wide range of topics, utilizing our knowledge base and research abilities to offer you quality transcripts at a cost that is well below the national average.

 

We are owned and operated here in the US.  ESLs are welcome however we do not off shore our work, ever.   Many of our team are Veterans or family members of Active Duty Servicemen and women. We support our troops.

 

We want to save you time and money and allow you to enjoy the season and prepare for the New Year.  So come on, check us out and find out why we come so highly recommended.

 

We are an e-mail away from assisting you with your next project.

Carollee@clktranscription.com

Twitter = @CLK_Shortcake
Facebook = http://www.facebook.com/CLKTranscription
and
http://www.facebook.com/pages/CLK-Transcription-Inc/100158850050342

LinkedIn = http://www.linkedin.com/in/clktranscription

 

 

 

Getting the most out of your child’s IEP evaluation

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IEP: Individualized Education Program.

 

An IEP is meant to help meet the educational needs of children with disabilities.  An IEP is supposed to help children reach educational goals.  What happens when parent and educators do not agree on what those goals should be or the process in which they are being achieved (or not achieved)?

 

If you find yourself wondering if the program your child is enrolled in is right for him/her, and you don’t seem to be satisfied after the IEP evaluation process, maybe you or a service provider is not hearing the same information provided at these sessions.

 

Consider recording the sessions and having them transcribed so that you, the educators and other service providers have a record of the conversation.

 

No more I said / they said when it comes to your child’s educational development.  No more wondering if you understand what exactly is being done.  No more being told “you misunderstood”.  Not when it comes to your child’s future.

 

Many times, the transcription of your IEP evaluation is helpful to any legal team working with you as well.

 

CLK Transcription has been involved with developing quality transcripts of IEP evaluations, and we are available to help with yours.

 

We offer a discounted rate for IEP Evaluation transcription projects, because we know and understand our youth are our future.

 

Contact us today and find out how we can help.

 

CarolLee@clktranscription.com / www.clktranscription.com

That time of year again…are you ready for the ‘hard to buy for’ freelancer in your life?

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Every year there is that one, or two or five people on your list and you just have no idea what to get them.  They seem to have everything or not to need anything.

Why not give them the gift of time and money? 

CLK Transcription offers Gift Certificates for the freelancer in your life that may just need a little time and money this year.  There is never a contract.  No project is too big or too small.  And we offer the same quality to all of our clients, whether they are a one-time only or a frequent submitter.

You can purchase any denomination gift certificate up to $1000.00 to give to that special freelancer and save them time and money.  CLK Transcription will handle the transcription of their audio, or other services they require, while they take that time for the special things they have to do.

And here is a little secret, you can get something for yourself too, free!  When you purchase a $100.00 certificate and get $10.00 certificate for yourself. Purchase a $500.00 certificate and get a $25.00 certificate for yourself.  Certificates of $100.00 or more do not expire and available balances are tracked with the invoices generated. 

CLK Transcription offers more than just transcription of your audio, too. 

We do WORD to PDF conversions and vice verse, hard copy to WORD document, conversion of your tapes or other audio to MP3, voice mail transcription, and electronic signature development, FTP hosting, email services – just to name a few.

Contact carollee@CLKTranscription.com for additional details or visit our website, www.clktranscription.com, for additional information about our company and services offered.

Find out why we come highly recommended.  Our recommendations can be viewed on LinkedIn = http://www.linkedin.com/in/clktranscription

Join us on social media networks – we love to share a good read.

Twitter = @CLK_Shortcake

Facebook = http://www.facebook.com/CLKTranscription
and
http://www.facebook.com/pages/CLK-Transcription-Inc/100158850050342

Unused gift certificate balances are not refundable.  Certificates good for CLK Transcription services only.

Yes! I Said it. Not everyone is cut out for transcription, but…

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Being able to do transcription, for me, is a joy.  I look forward to work every day.  I enjoy what I do and love the idea that I can continue to expand my skills every day.  I do not know everything, but this is the job that can teach me every day.

I believe honesty is always best.  I don’t pull punches when it comes to my job and the assistance I offer my clients, or what I expect from my team.  I expect their best.  Whatever their best is.  I expect that if they do this job, they want to continue to learn how to do it better.

Not everyone is cut out for transcription.  This may not be a surprise to many, but it is  a surprise to many of those who spent countless hours and unimaginable amounts of money to attend ‘schools’ for training, graduate ‘with honors’, and then find that what they learned in school is not even half the battle.  They may last a day, a week, or a month, but then they realize it isn’t for them.

They can type, yes.  They know medical terminology, yes.  They listened to hours and hours of audio recorded specifically for classes.   And they did well.

What they didn’t learn was that real doctors, or anyone for that matter, do not speak into recorders the same in real life dictation as they do when reading a script for tapes to be used in a class.  They did not learn how to utilize the programs, many, many programs, that are used by hospitals and other companies to receive, play, transcribe, and return audio recordings and reports.  They did not learn that hot keys and templates do not always save time when working on transcripts and yes, sometimes they are a waste of time.

They did not get the whole speech recognition software that they downloaded to be super fast would mean that either they train that software to each and every client or they listen and repeat each and every audio they receive if they work for themselves and not a company as either an IC or an employee.

Now, there are many transcriptionists that are great with all of the programs.  They can do their job without a worry in the world, but they didn’t start that way.  Many, if not all, learned by the seat of their pants AFTER spending time and money in school.  Others, well they are self-taught, and kept their mind open to the many possibilities and challenges that every client gave them.

I have found after working with newbies, that they wanted this so badly they put everything they had into learning the trade through a school, and then have no clue how much more there is to learn.

I can’t tell you how many times I can give a template and be told ‘that’s not how I did it in school’ when I ask why their reports do not look anything like what I asked them to look like.

I do not blame the transcriptionists.  I blame the schools who train only the very basic and make it sound as if they got it covered.

Before you put money out for ‘training’ as a transcriptionist, do your research.

  • Do they train you in different FTP or other transfer programs?
  • Do they train you in different pedal/player programs and options?
  • Do they train you how to set up your spellchecker to properly check your transcription jobs?
  • Do they train you in grammar as well as the medical language?
  • Do they train you in multiple formats and templates?
  • Do they train you to type without the use of templates?
  • Do they train you in proofing your work thoroughly?
  • Do they explain the ‘minimum 2 years experience’ that is required for most medical transcription companies?
  • Do they offer internships with transcription companies to allow you to get the minimum experience other companies require?
  • Do they explain that it is never a bread and butter career choice to start, but can be with hard work and an open mind?

Transcription is a great career if you have the patience to learn.  And when I say learn, I mean every day. I tell my team don’t limit yourself.  Take those difficult audios and do your best, eventually they come easier.  Take the time you can to research.  Blanks are okay, but what you type must be accurate.

And proof, proof, proof. 

For my newbies I suggest they transcribe and then listen and read along to catch their errors, clean up punctuation, and research those blanks to see if they can fill them in.  Give me their best, no matter how bad they think it is.  That’s what makes a great transcriptionist and that’s what gets then the increases, both in workload and in rates.

The flexibility that transcription as an IC offers is a wonderful thing for those who have young children, need extra income, have personal responsibilities and obligations that do not allow them to hold a regular full-time job.  But what many do not learn in school is that many transcription companies ‘hire’ them as an IC, but expect hours of availability, minimum daily or weekly line counts, and that flexibility they thought they would have is out the window.

Many feel that with a typing speed of 80 wpm will make them more money, but in this business speed is not an option, accuracy is.  Your availability and willingness to learn is what makes you the money – not how fast you can type a report that may need more work than it’s worth when complete and returned to the client.  Speed comes with time.  The respect you have for your work – that’s what is priceless, because your work will be respected ten-fold.

The best transcriptionists will tell you, even they reach out to others in this field for help, guidance and support.  (http://www.facebook.com/groups/mtwords/).   No school can even come close to the sisterhood/brotherhood that is transcription.

So, yes, I said it.  Not everyone is cut out for transcription, but if you think you are, know that you belong to a family that is growing and is in great demand.  It is the one career where every day is an education and that graduating with honors is achieved with every report you complete.

www.clktranscription.com  Medical and non-medical transcription services.  We love what we do!

So much work, so little willing workers? I don’t think so.

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Many have heard this and many use this as an excuse to send their work offshore.

It may be true for some industries.  In others, like transcription, it is not.  What may be true is that there are so many workers who have become accustomed to demanding rates and salaries that are no longer feasible.  Now that does not mean they don’t deserve the pay they wish to demand.  So what does it mean?

It means with the economy the way it is and the ability for so many to take the easiest, cheapest way and send their work offshore – even if the American people find the results sub-par – the workers have to adjust their way of thinking about work.  Where five years ago you could charge someone $70 to 100 for an hour of audio, no one is making enough money to be able to pay that now, especially when off-shoring has become an option.

Do you want to work and earn money in one of the fastest growing industries, where you can prove your worth and work up to a level that is doable for both you and the client?  Or do you want to sit at home and be able to view word boards, transcription forums, complaining about no work, low pay, and the demands of the clients that you do have?

In an industry where the majority of the workers are independent contractors, in essence their own business, the fact that many feel they can bash, dismiss, and essentially burn bridges with those clients that are allowing them to earn any kind of income is astonishing.  In an industry where the quality of work is essential to the client, yet the IC transcriptionist will question the work requirements or ignore them totally, is simply not acceptable.  Not to the private client, and not to the small business that utilizes ICs, such as myself.

Where once an IC could charge X amount for transcription, it just isn’t possible anymore.  You are dealing with physicians who are being bled dry by their own economic drama and journalists, educators and other persons who may develop audio for transcription that are a cog in the economic wheel that turns slowly as well.

I have heard the IC blame clients for the lack of pay and lack of work, but in reality it is the idea that no matter what the economic situation on the world, some in the transcription industry feel they can demand a rate and have no understanding of what clients must do to stay within their budgets – and when I say clients, I mean the smaller transcription companies, the journalists, the educators, the students, and the doctors.  Those that have the potential to work with us to bring back and keep the transcription jobs here in the US.

No one should work for peanuts.  But when a newbie, someone just starting out, or a seasoned transcriptionist wants to keep working and earning money – taking a dip in the rate they may have asked for years ago while maintaining the quality they demand, is one way to insure you will remain working and the transcription needs of the client kept here in the US.

As a company that could easily offshore every bit of work I get and probably make more money than I do by not, I prefer to work with my clients to meet their budget demands, and as we prove ourselves, when the situation turns around, those rates will pick up – but until then, we are working, we are honing our skills, and we are growing.  Sure my rates are a bit lower than the national norm to my clients, but they are on point with the national norm to the IC – even if on the lower level of that norm, and there is work to be done.  It is the ICs that look back to even just five years ago, and think those rates are still obtainable.

I know that by being true, honest, and accommodating to the clients I have, they will be appreciative and be around a while.  I find the same can be said about the ICs I utilize.  I also know that without clients there is no work, and without the assistance of some absolutely wonderful ICs, I have no business.  Being able to juggle the needs of both can be difficult.  I do my best.

Having work today, in my opinion, is much better than having time to sit on web forum boards complaining about having no work, or the rate of pay you can garner from doing it.

Here at CLK Transcription, I would like to think that the respect I give my clients and those ICs that assist me with the workflow would come back to me two-fold – and it does.  I love what I do and helping others find their way to loving it too, is a wonderful feeling.

There is lots of work, and there are lots of wonderfully talented, capable US transcriptionists willing to handle it.

Check us out.  Find out why we come highly recommended.  You will not be disappointed.

www.clktranscription.com

Are you an IC Transcriptionist? Why it’s important to be honest. Happy Anniversary to CLK Transcription

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Working with independent contractors is tricky enough with all the regulations about what is an IC and what is not.  Utilizing ICs, I am well aware of the limitations, and still I enjoy doing so because I know it is helping someone build their business.  I am their client.

There are many pitfalls to hiring IC’s too.  My biggest pet peeve is the inability of some to be honest about what it is they want from this business, what they want for their business.

For example, when someone comes on as IC and says things like “I am available all day every day” and then they are only on to work maybe one day a week.  Or the ever familiar “I can handle difficult audio” and they can however they turn away every variation of audio except clear one-on-one interviews because it may take a bit more research or time.  They just don’t understand this limits their ability to grow.

There are moments when I am so busy that I can send out e-mails asking if anyone is available and there is no communication at all in response.  But send out one e-mail saying a higher rate project is available and everyone comes out of the woodwork. As an IC, it doesn’t matter when you are available or what you can handle – it’s my job to monitor my workload and the ICs I use and who has proven what t me as far as abilities.  But honesty does matter to me and when an IC is not forthcoming about availability, to me, it calls to question every aspect of their professional ethics.

When I discuss this business with newbies to CLK Transcription, I am very specific as to what the work assignments will be, what is expected, and how as an IC, I cannot guarantee workloads or how much money they make – that is up to them – their abilities and their availability, yet I find that some just don’t get it.  They don’t get that the most important part of a person’s professional reputation is honesty.  Honesty about abilities, capabilities, and every other aspect of their working relationship with their clients.

Don’t get me wrong.  I have an awesome team.  I have a team that is in constant communication with me and knows their own abilities. Whether they are on-call only or daily warriors for CLK.  But I also have those who I deal with, still peripheral teammates, who never communicate, never respond to e-mails, never available on any kind of regular basis – but when I say “more money is available for these project files” they jump on and wonder why I can’t assign them that project.  Here is why I can’t:

If I have teammates that put their best forward whether every day or once a week, communicate with me, and do their best consistently, how fair would it be for me to overlook them to assign a larger project file to someone else who never communicates and is never available during those periods where I have limited coverage and request additional assistance for my projects.  Ultimately, everyone gets work, but it is good business sense to keep those people busy who help me stay busy.

It is just common business sense that one takes care of those who take care of them. Those that communicate and those that step up all the time, not just when more money is involved.

Some ICs do not last with CLK.  Although they are not available, can’t turn around a ten minute audio in three hours, and do not communicate, they complain that there is no money or no work.   (This is especially interesting when I look at my schedule and see that we average over 200 files every two weeks, and over 500 hours of audio a month on average).

Some leave to go to “better” assignments.  I wish them well.

I know that for every two that may leave, if they stay in the business, one always comes back.  They realize other companies have expectations as to weekly line counts or just time they should be sitting at their computer waiting for work.  They realize that with CLK, they have flexibility because they are an IC, not an employee, and although other companies say they are ICs and responsible for their own taxes, they must be there ready for work, whether the work is there or not.  Some find that their family obligations are more involved than they thought it would be and a 9-5 IC job does not work for them.  Or they find they weren’t ready to move on because although CLK works with those with limited skills by utilizing a two-proofer review and offering training through an earn-while-you-learn internship, other companies do not.  They find that although I use newbies, fresh out of school, other companies want two or more years experience.

Some leave to be able to do just medical transcription, and CLK is a Transcription Company, not a Medical Transcription Company, and if they can’t handle the regular straight transcription of everyday conversations, medical is not going to be easier.

Those warriors who have been with CLK for years are transcriptionists, able to transcribe anything and everything that comes through our offices.  They have great research skills, great professionalism, great communication, and are able to work with others to get the project done right.  And we all know when one of us drops the ball, we all feel it, so we work as a team to make sure balls don’t get dropped often and when they are, we make darn sure our clients are satisfied with the “fix” offered.  We know we are not perfect 100 percent of the time, but boy do we want to be.

I guess I am on this rant because I love what I do.  I enjoy working with others who want to grow in this business and I love to know we are doing our part in making our own money, handling our personal business and taking care of our families at the same time, and we can be the best we can be assisting our clients in what they do as well, all the while being honest with ourselves and our clients about our professional abilities. We are Professional Transcriptionists

To my team I say THANK YOU for your hard work and dedication to making each and every one of our clients feel as if they are our only clients.  Without you, the IC transcriptionists, CLK could not be the highly recommended transcription company it is, averaging 5 new referrals a week.  Six years ago today CLK became incorporated and we look forward to growing and enabling even more ICs to grow into their own as well.

Happy Anniversary CLK Transcription.

www.clktranscription.com