Stop and Listen!

It’s 10:00 o’clock in the morning, and you get a phone call from a new client that he needs a transcription that is an hour long and he needs it tonight. Like any organized virtual assistant, I look at my calendar and see that I don’t have any projects due today. I say okay, sure. But...

There are some important things that need to be done before a transcriptionist agrees to do a transcription job for a new client. First of all, I recommend you ask your client if they have listened to all or part of the audio. They all believe they have a good quality tape. If the client says yes and then you listen to it and it’s not, then you have some options that you can follow regarding your price.

If you listen to the audio and the voices are too low, there is a lot of static, there are excessive echoes, etc., this will take you longer to transcribe. If you have an opportunity to listen to parts of the audio prior to giving a quote, that’s great; however, reality is that the audios are not usually as “good” as the client leads you to believe. Unfortunately, we found this out the hard way after losing money and time having to struggle to catch all the words. There were many times that we almost ended up working for free, and that is not what you should have to do.

After much trial and error, we implemented the process of providing a new client with terms of agreement that stipulate, “If the audios are poor quality due to heavy accents, voices too soft to be heard clearly, or slurring of words to the point that there are excessive inaudibles overall per tape, the Buyer will be contacted immediately and asked to try and enhance the quality. If the Buyer is unable to do so, the audio will be returned to the Buyer, and the fee to the Buyer will only be for the completed portion.”

If you are a freelancer and bidding for projects on some of the freelance sites, go ahead and accept the bid. In the acceptance I would recommend you always include terms of agreement along with your acceptance. They will let you know right away if it’s not acceptable. We have not had one client that found that to be unreasonable. If it’s a new client that someone referred to you, we recommend you provide the terms prior to accepting the project.

Now, you do not have to use this exact wording; however, something similar will at least lessen the possibility of your receiving a bad audio. Our goal is to make money. Set reasonable prices, plan for road blocks, and stop and listen.
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Pam Lokker is a master writer and a virtual assistant professional. While we are not currently taking on new clients, Borlok Virtual Assistants has been the place to get global expert VA services with quality and on-time delivery for many years.

Completing business transcription as a virtual assistant is only one choice for bringing in an income. Click Here! (affiliate link)

I've Got a Secret

You know what? Buyers are not always right. What?! I can't believe you're saying this. Well, it's true. Buyers have a tendency to believe that their virtual assistant is just sitting on his or her laurels with baited breath waiting for that one call indicating that something has to be done right now.

You see, buyers tend to forget that virtual assistants have more than one client to take care of. Depending on the client, they have needs that need to be prioritized too.

So Buyer, beware! You may not get your project done right away. Give your virtual assistant some advance notice. Work with them by giving clear details about your project. You mean the world to us; however, we are not afraid to tell you no, I can't do that right now. I can have it for you in 2-3 days, though. Will that work all right?

Virtual assistants get hungry too, and one client just doesn't put food on the table.

What is the Big Thrill of Bull Fighting?

You know what I watched on TV today? I watched a program about two brothers who were bullfighters. What is it that will cause thousands to watch this blood sport?

Bullfighting originated way back in Rome where the Romans practiced prehistoric bull worship and sacrifice. This sport is common in Spain, Portugal, some Latin American countries, and even some cities in France. It's normally practiced in a huge arena. The bullfighter or toreros is pitted against the strength of the bull. What do you get when you wave a cape at a bull? An enraged bull that can inflict terrible wounds and even kill the bullfighter. In some cases horses may be present and can oftentimes be fatally gored, as well.

Spaniards and those that participate in this sport insist that the traditions of old must be continued while those individuals that abhor the cruelty of the bull during the event fight hard to have it banned altogether.

Remember the brothers I spoke of? When asked why they did it, even though both spent many years in the U.S., they returned to Spain and went into bullfighting. Why? They said it was because it was in the family; their grandfather and their father had both been famous matadors. In fact, their father was killed during just such a bullfight. They explain it as though it's just meant to be; it's in the blood they say.

Well, I say what fools. Even though both brothers were recently critically injured due to being gored by a bull, they both indicated that they would go back to bullfighting. For what? Pride? I'd say more of "macho," an attitude that makes men feel that they are superior to all and inferior to none. In my opinion, being macho is being just plain stupid. That they would risk their lives and risk leaving their families in a hearst just doesn't make sense to me.

I'm sorry I rattled on, but I just can't cotton to the senselessness exhibited.

The Benefits of Working Virtual

Why would anyone want to work virtual? Well, as I sit here and think about it, here are a few of my personal favorites. Number one benefit is that you get to see new and sometimes exciting scenery. As I sit here reflecting on the benefits of working out of your home, I gaze out the window and see the birds twittering and singing in the trees. Look! There is a grackle at the bird bath dipping his food in the water to soften it. Usually it's a piece of dog food that he has stolen from some unsuspecting dog that's catching forty winks. It's such a hard job, you know, being a watchdog.

My faithful cat, Yoda, sleeps next to me keeping me company. She's not too interested in the birds now; she appointed herself as guardian of the birds and has been watching them all morning. She's tired now.

Second benefit is that you have climate control. Brrr, it's cold in the house. Hey, Sis. Would you mind turning the air conditioner down? Can you beat that? You can adjust your own thermostat to the temperature YOU like. You don't have to wait for maintenance where you're working to say - Well, everyone else is just fine. You'll just have to put a sweater on or quit your gosh-darned complaining. Put some clothes on!

Now I know you will all like this benefit. You get to take your break when you want to. You can decide what hours you want to work. Got to take your child to the doctor? No problem. It's up to you what you want to work, as long as you get out what you commit to to your client. Speaking of my sis, she's sitting next to me playing solitaire. She says "This is my breakfast break." Shame on her -- she should be working! She says "My job is done! You're the cog in the wheel now."

Oh, I forgot to tell you. When you work virtual, your faithful canine companion gets to lay by your side helping you work. The benefit? Your dog or cat does not have to be alone all day. If you have children, you are home when your children need you.

Oh, did I mention that the stress level is nearly, totally gone? You don't have someone breathing down your neck. You don't have scheduled annual or semi-annual reviews. Your supervisor doesn't constantly harp that you must be a team member, you must do this job this way, etc. You can even have the radio on or the TV on low.

Working virtual is rewarding. I warn you, however, when you start your business, you will undoubtedly work more hours than if you were working full-time at a company. You know what though? You will enjoy it much more because you will be doing it for yourself.

Your expenses will be lowered. Now wait until you hear this. You won't have to buy gas, commute, travel long distances, or get stuck in traffic. Doesn't that sound wonderful? With the gas prices what they are now, this is a HUGE savings. What more could you ask for as far as a benefit.

What about the clothes you wear for work? You won't have to buy an expensive wardrobe. You can work in your pajamas if you want or dress as casually as you want when you work at home. Don't feel like putting on makeup or slaving over your hair, Ladies? You got it. You can work from your home (as long as you don't have clients coming to your home) being just the way you want to be. Shed those jackets and ties, Men. Relax and wear your grungiest t-shirt if you want.

Here is the main benefit - it is just wonderful and self-satisfying.

What is Labor Day?

Today is August 30. In two days, the entire U.S. will be celebrating a holiday called Labor Day. But what is this Labor Day, really?

I bet you didn't know that it originated way back in 1882 when the Central Labor Union of New York attempted to have one day that the citizens could observe as a "day off" for the working citizens. This became official when it was declared a Federal holiday in 1894.

Now all 50 states celebrate this holiday. For many, it means that summer has come to an end. While many of us mourn the end of a carefree life, many of us also look forward to the coming fall when it is cooler, the fall leaves turn into vibrant, gorgeous colors, and new holidays are on the way.

So, my friends, enjoy this day for what it was meant to be - a day off to be with friends and family and put the stresses of work behind us, even for a short time.

Be Sure to Use Reputable Resources

It was 8:00 o’clock in the morning as I sat down to transcribe. It was a blistery, cold morning in Phoenix, Arizona (Hah!). With my cup of hot steaming coffee on my one side of my desk and my faithful live, white, feline desk ornament on my other, I prepared for the day.

Now, you have to understand that I was new at this game of transcribing; I’d only been doing it for a short time. My topic was Internet marketing, and it was very interesting. It was all about Pay per Click, and AdWords, and various other Internet-related things; and it was an interview between an interviewer and an Internet Guru.

This is going to be a piece of cake, right? I typed all about interesting Internet gurus, Napoleon Hill, and interesting subjects like Google AdWords, Overture, Google Pay Per Click, e-Books, ClickBank, Yahoo! Search, and a whole lot more. Now, be aware that I was fairly new at transcribing for clients regarding the Internet; so I had to do a lot of research. When I started out, I started with a well-known search engine; but you could choose Google, Yahoo, Ask, or a host of others that are out there. What I didn’t know is that even if you use a reputable search engine, it takes an astute transcriptionist to decipher what search results you should use.

For example, suppose you questioned the spelling of an author’s name. Correctly, you go to the Internet to Google, or Yahoo!, MSN, or whatever you use, and you type in the author’s last name Chialdiani because you were looking up Robert Cialdini because he wrote a well-known book that your client had included on the audio that your client provided you. Aha! You found as the first hit a result that one of the major online bookstores had posted. Now, I chose one that has a huge following on the Internet; they should know the correct spelling, right? Not so fast, Charlie or Jenny, or whoever you are. Take care to take it one step further.

You must actually take it one step further and GO to that bookstore online and find the book. How is the author’s name spelled? Oh, oh. It’s Cialdini. Folks, I’ve got to tell you. Internet clients can be absolutely ruthless when providing feedback to Elance, iFreelance, or Guru, or other freelance sites when a transcriptionist does not get spelling right. Do not be lackadaisical here; this is critical!

Let’s look at another example. Say you want to look up the spelling for the group of people that come from the Philippines. How would you spell Filipino? Be careful here. This could be a trick question. Okay, again, we start out on Google, Web Crawler, Ask, or any other search engine you might use. We type in Philippino because we think that because they are from the Philippines, they are probably called Philippinos, right? Hold on. Who are you going to use as a resource to verify that spelling? In many instances you have more than one spelling for a word, and clients can be very, very temperamental if you choose the wrong spelling. My recommendation is to use references that are well-known and have been around for years.

So what have we learned thus far? Be very choosy when using resources to determine spelling of words. Your clients do not want to see errors when they receive their transcription. Go the extra mile, be diligent, and be accurate. If you have to use multiple resources to get a consensus, that’s great. That is what you clients want. If you do that, you will go far in establishing a sound transcription business that clients will come to you for services over and over again.