Regardless of the type of business you run, there are several common questions you must ask a potential transcription service you intend to hire. Businesses in the legal industry may have particular demands for their transcriptionist in addition to the general specifications required for a service provider. The legal profession frequently receives special requests that fairly alter the planned workflow. Even while you still want to choose a contractor who can provide high-quality work and accuracy, there are some additional questions you should consider asking before selecting a long-term transcription partner. The following inquiries must be at the forefront when searching for a new transcription provider, even though reliability and service quality are unavoidable requirements:
1. How Long Do You Typically Take to Respond?
The necessity for rapid services in the legal industry does not just require compliance. The delivery time is very crucial as it can significantly impact how your case turns out; whether it takes a few hours or a few days. Watch out for companies that offer turnaround times that are left open-ended, as this may indicate delays in your operation.
2. Which Prices Apply?
It is crucial to learn the costs associated with the transcription service. Before hiring the company, you must discuss in detail and understand all the costs involved. Ensure you know if the company will charge you more for a project due immediately or if there are any undisclosed charges. If your audio is poor quality, find out if the company will charge more. Always ensure an amicable agreement before the payment date to avoid surprises and disagreements.
3. What Are Your Security and Confidentiality Policies?
If your case involves confidential files such as medical records, request a formal description of their HIPAA compliance. Due to the critical nature of this information, it is crucial to choose a transcription service that allows the signing of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). To prevent a single transcriber from accessing several documents from the same case, you should also urge the company to divide up various projects linked to your case among several transcribers. Furthermore, before delivering any materials, it is advisable to inquire about the technological security requirements, such as VPN, SSL and encryption standards.
4. What If I Have to Scale Up Quickly?
It is crucial to have a transcribing partner who can rapidly and effectively scale up to meet a flood of new assignments should your firm quickly get several new clients. Ask upfront about the anticipated number of projects they can generate over a specific time frame, their bandwidth for phone calls, and how relatively large file delivery is handled.
5. Who Will Transcribe The Audio?
You must be aware of the person who will translate. If you are considering working with a company, find out where and who will be doing the transcription. Will they manually transcribe the documents, or will they use software? You must find out from the company if they will assign the work to a single transcriber or if they will distribute it among several. The company must assign the project to several transcribers if you require the transcripts urgently.
6. Are Your Transcriptionists Legally Experienced?
Ask for references from former clients if the firm has prior experience working in the legal industry. The transcribing business must hire typists who are familiar and at ease with the sensitive nature of the work, as well as those with previous experience dealing with legal jargon and formatting.
7. How Does the Setup Work?
Before hiring or switching to a new transcription service provider, be sure they have a straightforward strategy for handling the tasks assigned to your legal company. Ask about contracts, setup procedures, start-up schedules, and any additional costs you might face while switching to the new provider. While most transcribing services do not charge setup costs, it is best to find out upfront to avoid being caught off guard when sending out invoices.
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Conclusion
Choose a competent and qualified transcription provider to ensure your legal transcriptions are completed accurately and on time. Working with a proficient transcriber who is knowledgeable in the field is crucial, considering legal transcriptions are challenging. Always remember that hiring an inexperienced transcriber could get you into trouble as they may fail to deliver quality content.