What Are the Qualities of a Professional Transcriber?

by | Dec 3, 2020 | Business

 

Transcription is where somebody converts spoken language into the written word. It is designed predominately to make content and conversations more accessible to those with disabilities or hearing impairments, plus people with a different native language to the one being spoken.  Transcription is considered professional work, completed either by human translators or computer software which is powered by artificial intelligence. Most large organizations, like universities and media broadcasters, need transcription for their services, and so seek out professional transcribers. But what exactly makes a good transcriber? That’s what we will be talking about in our article today – so, keep reading to find out more.

1.) Fast Turnaround

Professional transcribers should be able to quickly produce transcriptions. Ideally, they will keep up with the pace of the conversation – only having a short delay between the sentence being spoken and the translation appearing on the screen. A fast turnaround time is essential because, otherwise, the subtitles might misalign and become confusing. This sets people who rely on captions at a disadvantage, so it’s critical to make sure the professional transcriber is going to be fast enough to keep up with a live conversation.

2.) High Level of Accuracy

A professional transcription service will also need to produce captions that are highly accurate, despite the fast turnaround time. This is important because organizations want to ensure they are delivering a high-quality service to everyone, including those with deafness and disabilities. For instance, if a lecturer uses an inaccurate transcriber for their lessons, this will impact the quality of education these students receive. So, organizations should prioritize investing in a highly accurate transcriber, such as the AI software offered at www.verbit.ai, which is applauded for its precise translations.

3.) Diverse Applications

Transcribers also need to have a diverse set of applications. This means they should be able to translate live videos and pre-recorded audio, plus understand jargon from different business industries. If the transcription service only works under very specific conditions, it becomes obsolete. As such, when looking for a professional transcriber, make sure to check that the software is versatile.

4.) Implementable

The best transcription services can be fully integrated with other software and platforms to create a more cohesive service overall. For instance, if your company is a business enterprise hosting a web conference, then you will want your transcription service to be compatible with the video conferencing software you are using to host the meeting.

5.) Speaker Identification

It’s important to differentiate between speakers in conversation. Otherwise, what’s being said won’t make very much sense at all. Professional transcribers will be able to tell the difference between a multitude of speakers, and then adjust their captions accordingly. This prevents overlap, helps with cohesion, and ensures a high standard of transcription is being delivered.

These are some of the main qualities that a professional transcription service should have. If your organization is looking to invest in one today, you should keep these things in mind before hiring one.

Downtown Magazine