Forget words for a minute – and we know they’re the foundation of our transcription service, of course – but there are so many facts and figures in transcription we see mentioned… it’s enough to make your head spin!
The numbers involved in the world of transcription are often misunderstood. While many don’t believe that transcribing is a like-for-like activity – by that we mean reproducing a 5 minute audio recording in 5 minutes – but what are the figures involved… ?!
Crunching the numbers…
Some of the headlines make interesting reading:
- 140 – 150 words per minute – the average word count for an average English speaker in full flow
- 180 words per minute – the likely average number the fastest speaker would achieve
- 40 words per minute – the speed an average typist tends to achieve
- 80 words per minute – experienced professional typists may be able to achieve this speed
- 1,250 words in 15 minutes – what a professional typist would be able to transcribe at 80 words per minute
- three to eight times the length of the recording – the estimated standard transcription time according to the Office Business Center Association International (OBCAI) Industry Production Standards Guide
More than numbers
The time it takes to produce a transcript is down to a number of different factors aside from typing speed.
Throw in the mix of how many people are speaking, how fast they are speaking, being able to understand accents, not to mention the quality of the recording itself – all of these come into play when listening to the audio and processing what’s being said as you type. When you take all of these into account you realise what an incredible skill it is to transcribe accurately and to a high-quality standard.
At FSTL we know exactly what we can deliver, and within what time, and we firmly believe that our highly experienced typists are some of the best in the business. Our clients know what to expect from us: transcription services that are timely and accurate. And when clients need their meetings transcribed quickly, we move quickly, getting our best people on the case, so that we can deliver accurate transcripts quickly and efficiently.
It’s all part of the exceptional FSTL service.