Upload files

Once you’ve obtained your quote and are happy to proceed we will send you a link to our upload facility, provided by WeTransfer, or via your own preferred secure method. We password protect file transfers and can send encrypted, if required.

Format

It helps us greatly if your files are given names as opposed to recording file numbers, for ease of identification and use.

Files sent as MP3s are our preferred format and are easiest to upload and download. However we are happy to accept all types of files from iPhone files to .Wav files.

Files are transcribed as standard as  ‘intelligent verbatim’ : this is also known as a cleaned transcript, written for readability; omitting repeated words, stutters, incomplete sentences etc. Please ask for a verbatim transcript if you need a word-for-word transcription.

Details of files

Please email us with any specific details or notes on your recordings. It is always helpful if there is background information you can supply to provide context and a point of reference.

Payment and turnaround

We will invoice you on completion of work via BACs.

For academic institutions, we will need to be registered on your university system and be supplied with a  purchase order before we begin the contract. We will invoice on completion of work and we prefer payment via BACS within 15 days.

We’ll have agreed a turnaround time to suit your needs and we will then return your files as Word documents using this template example, unless agreed otherwise.

Confidentiality & Data Protection

We take confidentiality very seriously and have a confidentiality policy which can be signed and returned on request. Equally, we are happy to sign and adhere to a policy drafted by the client specific to your requirements. We also have IT security policies in accordance with the GDPR data protection act which detail all our protocols and handling of data procedures. Please ask for a copy.

Recording your interviews

Whilst we realise that it’s not always possible to interview people in optimum recording conditions,  it makes for a better quality transcript if you are able to conduct interviews in a quiet indoor location.

Busy cafes with background music and coffee machines etc. are the least desirable places to record. A noisy location results in poorer transcripts which also take longer to complete and therefore cost more.  If recording outside then please remember that wind will distort the recordings and a foam windshield may help. Mobile phone frequencies can interfere with the recordings and are best switched off.

Use the highest quality recorder you can and ensure it’s set to the optimum setting. If possible, use a separate mic.

For focus groups, please ask everyone to identify themselves and, if appropriate, ask them if they could deliver an introductory paragraph to enable the transcriber to tune into their voices and distinguish who is speaking.