Transcription Software vs. Human Transcriber: Which One to Choose?

Successful audio transcription requires workers with a niche skill set. The skillset is expensive when you consider the overheads, benefits and wages of a dedicated transcription team. This is why many companies use transcription software or outsource their needs to a third party company.

Using transcription software and hiring a human transcriber each have their own place. But which one is the best?

Why Use Transcription Software

Transcription software can be used to transcribe audio files quickly. The software programs have human-speech recognition intelligence that allows them to automatically convert speech to text. There are different types of transcription software on the Internet. The programs differ on their level of accuracy and ease of use. You should do some research to find the right software to use.

However, using transcription software has some downfalls. These include:

• Inability to format the transcribed content correctly like a human would
• Problems transcribing diction correctly
• Failure to recognize where punctuation should be included in sentences

Therefore, while using transcription software can seem easier, the reality is actually the opposite. The punctuation errors that the software makes means a human will have to go through the transcribed content to correct it. Without commas, apostrophes and other punctuation marks, the meaning of sentences can be distorted.

The problem of diction also has to be addressed. Depending on the speakers in an audio file, the software cannot differentiate between words such as “sell” and “sale” or “principle” and “principle” since it doesn’t have meaning-differentiation intelligence algorithms. Using incorrect vocabulary in different sentences will distort the message of the speaker.

Finally, formatting will have to be done by a human. A human can format the content in well-organized paragraphs to make it easier to read, something that transcription software cannot accurately do.

Hire a Human Transcriber

Companies can save on business costs by hiring humans to transcribe their audio and video content. Well trained employees of transcription companies are a virtual asset for businesses looking to stay competitive in the market.