Prime Admin Solutions

There was a discussion this morning on the radio about recording family memories. The show’s host commented on recording events on one medium and then that was out of date and it was converted to a new format and then a newer format when the second format became obsolete. Family memories are precious things. I for one wish I had gotten my grandparents to dictate their memories before they passed away.

Technology changes, but one medium that doesn’t change is paper. Sure paper can get old and fragile, but at that point, copies can be made. If you want to preserve family memories, why not have your parents, grandparents, great grandparents, etc. dictate their memories on tape or digital? Of course you can keep the recording to listen to and remember their voice, but at a certain point, that technology may not work. But, you can also hire a virtual assistant to transcribe the text so the words will last after the technology is obsolete.

A little about transcription. Many people think if a recording is 60 minutes long, it takes 60 minutes to transcribe, right? Wrong. Transcription can take four to eight times the length of the recorded time to transcribe. The time taken is based on several factors:

• The quality of the recording – is the audio clear? Was the recording device on a table and were cups and glasses set down on the table while the recording was happening – that noise can be picked up. Was the recording done in a quiet room or a food court in a mall?
• The number of speakers – more than one speaker makes the recording take longer to transcribe – especially if you get people speaking together. Did one of the people get up and walk around the room – away from the recording device – this affects the quality as well.

Here is a link that provides some very good tips on dictation