Transcriptions – are The Costs Too Low!

As Virtual Assistants there are many areas of work that our duties cover, one such area that seems to get overlooked or abused is providing transcription services.  Are the cost of transcription services  low that VAs are giving away their services.

I personally do a  lot of transcriptions and enjoy doing them. Some of the topics can be very informative and interesting and at times quite fun to just listen to. I have transcribed for meetings, Ebooks, seminars, and teleconferences. However not all jobs come from my current client list so I have to go out in search of work, which brings me to the topic of this post.

Very recently while going through a freelance sites, which is one of the many places or ways that VAs get their projects, I came upon a startling trend, buyers requesting VAs to transcribe 60 minutes of audio for $5.  Another I saw stated “a premium of $10″.  Now as an experienced transcriber of more than 5 years this rate is unacceptable. Do prospective clients or buyers really know what goes into creating their transcripts? The time, research, and skill that an experienced transcriber brings to the table to ensure that their files are created as required.  Clients who request the services of a transcriber should be made aware that although this service can be found for those prices in some places, to have an experienced english speaking, experienced transcriber will require more of an incentive than $10 per hour.

In addition to the low service cost they seek, they also want a VA to provide the files within a certain time frame, which was unrealistic.  VAs please when using freelance sites try your best to vet your prospective clients and check out if they have used the site before, or worked with other provides and read the comments left, they are always good indicators to show if  you can or are willing to work with that client.

Remember transcriptions come in many forms and grades and if you can provide your service for $5 or $10 then that’s great for you but be realistic about the resources you used to provide that transcript and weigh the costs then.