Listen, type, done?

Did you know that behind every polished transcript, there’s a surprisingly chaotic workflow?

Most people think transcription is a straightforward business:

🎧 Listen

⌨️ Type

✅ Done

Gosh, if only! In reality, the process looks more like this:

1️⃣ Slow down the audio and rewind 10 times to catch that one mumbled acronym because you know it might be important to the client and you also just can’t let it go.

2️⃣ Double-check industry jargon (yes, Google now thinks I’m a qualified cardiologist, criminal lawyer and alchemical botanist).

3️⃣ Cross-reference names, dates, and technical terms so that you aren’t referring to a haemorrhoid cream when it should be an antibody drug conjugate.

4️⃣ Proofread every line until it reads as smoothly as it was spoken (or, in some cases, smoother).

5️⃣ Format for clarity, so clients can use it instantly.

Transcription is equal parts precision, patience, and detective work. It’s about turning messy, human conversations into documents that are accurate, clear, and professional – ready to support research, decisions, and insights.

So if you ever wonder why your transcriber’s search history is so bizarre, now you know – it’s all in the name of accuracy.