Remember the popular phrase “well begun is half done”?  This is also true for getting the best out of your transcriptionist. As a client you would only want error free transcripts from your transcriptionist.
For a transcriptionist to provide their clients with error free transcript much depends on the quality of the dictation. I’d go as far as to say that 40% of the quality of transcript depends on the quality of dictation.

But what can be done while recording the dictation to help increase accuracy.

Here are some tips for recording a good dictation:

1. Check that your recorder is working: See that there is no technical snag that can compromise your recording.
2. Organize your data before you start recording:  Ensure you have all the necessary notes and in order.  Its quite a tiresome process when a dictation jumps all over the place.
3. Dictate in a quiet area, with no distractions and background noise. So that you voice is the only sound in the audio.
4. Speak clearly. Not too fast not too slow.  Pace yourself.  Don’t dictate too fast just to save time and money as the transcriptionist will take more time to transcribe.  And, you are compromising on quality too.
5. Speak from 6 inches away from the recorder.
6. Don’t rush. Dictate at an even pace and speak clearly.
7. Don’t use abbreviations unless stating what it stands for at least once in the report.

These are just a few tips, there are many more depending on the industry you are working in.

The most important tip would be to work with your transcriptionists so that there is a clear understanding of what is expected so that your documents/transcript will be completed to the highest of standards.

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2. 2 Simple Steps to a Better Transcriptionist
3. What is Transcription – The Idiot’s Definition