How do you think this new pay plan will affect that rate. Any ideas.

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I hope you decide to look for your own accounts.  If you wait until you know everything there is to know about running a home business, you will never accomplish anything.  Do you think every entrepreneur—Bill Gates, Henry Ford, Martha Stewart--knew everything when they started out? 

I have had my own accounts over the years and with some, I have signed a contract.  With a few doctors in solo practice, we didn’t sign contracts and I had no problems.  I sent out flyers or letters of introduction in the area where I lived. I also called every physician office to follow up.  My first account came from the local hospital MT department.  None of the other MTs had time to do the account, so an acquaintance asked if I was interested.   So contact MT departments to see if any doctors are looking for someone. 

If you send out flyers or letters, have someone you trust who is very good at spelling and grammar proofread them before you send them out.  Remember that your language skills are what the client is buying, so be sure everything is letter perfect. 

Try to find accounts close to home if you have to pick up and deliver.  If you have clients who are far away and you have to drive there a few times a week, charge them a little extra.  Make friends with the office staff so they’ll be willing to help you out when you need them to look up patient names, referring doctor addresses, etc. 

As far as what to charge, it depends on where you live.  Remember that you have to pay taxes on what you make, and the physician will send you a 1099 form at the end of the year.  So charge anywhere from 15 cents to 20 cents per line, depending on where you live. 

I use the Microsoft word count to calculate line count, but you can buy software to do that if you like. 

Be sure to have a few backup people to help you out when you want to take time off or if you’re sick or your kids are sick. 

Make macros so you maximize your time, and always use your word Expander software, or Microsoft autocorrect, to the max while transcribing.  I include an invoice with every batch of work delivered and get paid every week.  I had one doctor in the past who was very demanding but very slow to pay.  I had to go see him and tell him I rely on that income and I need it NOW, and would not take any more work, or return any, until I received payment. I finally quit working for him because he would never pay me on time.

Good luck!

OR..if you have a company you can recommend, I would also be interested in hearing about it.  I need to start the process somewhere immediatel (have two children at home and one in college, so down time isn't really much of an option for me).

I do have 11 years experience, and if someone can recommend a really decent company, I would be happy to go on as a referral.

I know it is almost impossible to start a union to protect us against pathetic wages, but if anyone can come up with any ideas on what we can do as MTs, speak up.  I'll fund, start, do anything if the result is fair treatment and fair pay.  The organizations out there are geared for the employers to pat themselves on the back, not for us!  Paying memberships for those as an MT is just pointless.  We need these employers to come to us instead of us sending out a zillion resumes only to be told they pay 1 cpl.  I've been an MT a long time, I believe in it and I like it, but I want to love it again.   According to salary.com, the median salary for an MT is $36,000, well many MTs aren't coming close to that.  We need to do something - Thanks!

already e-mailed me today with a concern over production, as if they're surprised it is so low.  Perfect opportunity to respond with my own concerns. 

I would just love to know what people like about this new plan because the way I see it they are not paying for your internet service anymore which is essential to getting this job done and they are not offering any kind of weekend incentives which is when they are always begging people to work and also, the part that really is laughable is even if you are part time and say work 15 hours a week and want to work 20 instead one week you have to get that approved.  Now, they are always begging people to work so why do we have to get approval to work extra.  I can understand over 40 hours but if you are part time what is the big deal.  As long as you put your hours in that you are supposed to, why do we have to go through the trouble of calling our supervisors and asking to work an extra hour or so. 

I don't see much of any kind of incentives in this new plan.  I mean if you type over 1200 - you get a small increase.  Say you type 1500 well you would make an extra $1.50 that day.  What kind of incentive is that?

I just don't get it.  Maybe I am missing something and people can explain to me what they like about it.  I would LOVE to hear it. 

Thank you all for your comments...

I am still racking my brain (which is not helping my production by the way)...but I may have just brewed up a plan!!!

Since I was meeting double the LPH requirements, I am just going to slow way down and meet the required production - they require set hours...they are going to get it...they will still get quality work, but I am not going to stick my neck out anymore...

Instead, I am going to focus on the smaller company and pray it turns out good. I will take the extra time from the national and even out the line count I need with the smaller company..and hopefully, it will all fall into place and I will decide the smaller company is my answer...

In the meantime, I am keeping my foot in both doors and looking out for myself for once!!!  Staying more and more loyal to the one who actually appreciates me....yup, the smaller company

Thanks!!!

I like how you stated that the benefits SHOULD flow into our countries when companies are allowed to compete better.  Unfortunately SHOULD and ARE are two different things.  So far the only things happening is that the companies are getting huge, billion-dollar tax breaks that are benefitting other countries.  The profits that the companies are making are not benefitting the US workers, they are lining the pockets of shareholders and CEOs.  They're not creating jobs here and they're not benefitting this country. Whereas, look at India and China and all the news reports of how their economy is growing at an unprecedented rate.  This theory can only work if other countries cooperate and the American companies use profits to grow their businesses, instead of lining the pockets of their CEOs.

SE possible health insurance, or anything else that is being talked about by certain MQ MT's.

I have had the web-based email since "day 1", and did not need 800 DICTATE to set it up for me. It was simple!  Just not getting any of the emails that some are speaking of receiving. Get PLENTY from my supervisor. Guess having no problem receiving emails . . . so where are all these other emails I did not get???

I haven't gotten any information at all regarding a new pay plan. Was the first of this sent out to ME's only. It seems that only MQ ME's have mentioned anything about their pay.

I have a hard time believing that MQ HR would call EACH and EVERY MT. Do you know how many phone calls and how much time that would take to accomplish. They probably hired temporary employees again to do this calling, as they did when the new benefits package was rolling out to work on the benefits hotline!

If ANY of you receive any letter/packet/phone call about a new pay plan, PLEASE post for us. TIA