I have talked to 3 companies that I really like and seem to have a lot of good posts here. sm

Once I sorted through the nasty and bitter posters and then the cheerleaders, for lack of a better word, a few companies seem to be truly good companies to work for.  All I am looking for are a few specifics that will tilt the balance for me.  I do want to say that all 3 know that I am talking to the other 2 and I was surprised at the reactions.  ALL 3 of them only had nice things to say about the other 2.  They did not bash those companies or try to sell me on theirs, just gave me facts. I was impressed by that.  There were 4 that I originally had narrowed it down to, but one of them went on and on about how the others were horrible and I would be better going to them.

Here's what I need to know about MDI Maryland, Keystrokes and TT.  I just want the facts, not the bitterness.  I would really like answers from MTs who have been at one or more of them for more than 6 months.  I think that 6 months is a good evaluation period.

Do they pay on time?
Is the pay correct?  If not, do they fix it right away?
Do they run out of work on a regular basis, not just during slow periods?
Can you reach a manager when you need one?
Does IS return your calls?
Do they give feedback if you ask for it?
Do they send work offshore that you know of (worked for a company that said no but really did)?
Do you get a good feeling from them/gut instinct?
Would you refer your friends or family to them if qualified?

Thank you in advance.  I am trying to decide by Monday and these are things that current and past employees can answer.  Please do not give me vague answers like don't go there or they're great.  I really am having a hard time choosing.

• I have talked to 3 companies that I really like and seem to have a lot of good posts here. sm - JobSeeker
  • Been at Keystrokes for 8 months - KSMT2
  • For TT and MDI-MD, the answer is yes to all of your questions, sm - LTMT
    • I've been with TT for about 9 months. - Me
  • Forget them all, check with Webmedx, only fair, right? nm - ME
    • You are trying a little too hard. Give it - a rest.
    • I have narrowed it to those 3 companies. I am not interested in Webmedx - BTDT. nm - JobSeeker
      • Do yourself a favor - rethink Webmedx. sm - now at WMX
        • What is the cpl rate w/experience? I was... - NY MT
          • You won't get any better with Webmedx, at least that was my sm - LTMT
        • Webmedx is the company I am leaving, so that won't work. sm - Job Seeker
          • I also am leaving Webmedx - jl
          • why specifically are you leaving? - good luck whereever you go. N/M

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turn the whole thread ugly.  Then the posts are all removed, and the company looks bad because the good was removed with the bad.  Yes, Keystrokes pays to have an ad on this forum but it is just an advertisement like the ones we have on other medical sites, in magazines, at trade shows and in other publications. 

I am going to set the record straight for those who are intersted.  If you are not, ignore the post. 

Keystrokes has grown from 5 to over 200 transcriptionists, from $50,000 in revenue to over $5 million dollars in revenue in 8 years, with the majority of the increase in the past 3 years.  This is public knowledge, available on the website, Inc Magazine site, Aspatore books, etc. so there is no reason to delete this. 

We have 100% account retention.  We recently declined meeting the price of an offshore company when a few of our radiology accounts went to voice recognition in the same health system.  We chose not to do voice recognition with them by not meeting an outragiously low price.  We do not outsource and stand firm on that regardless of what other do.

Keystrokes has been changing over the past three years, not disputed, but the changes benefit the MTs more than anyone.  Our rates are higher than many (not all) companies, our schedules have some flexibility, our managers are all MTs. 

We have caught a lot of grief on this board for various reasons, and a lot of it seems to be from the same few people.  Or from those who talk nonsense.  I truly hope that people reading these negative posts see sour grapes when they read them and understand.  Yes, there are some bitter people out there but they are ones that either did not make it through the initial period, have poor quality, have zero reliability, have made gross patient care errors or have breached HIPAA regulations.  Yes, there has been a turnover, but we have a great team in place and those who work at Keystrokes like/love working there.

We have heard that only a very small percentage of transcriptionists actually visit the MT websites for anything other than the job openings.  A big reason is the pettiness and ugliness that the posts seem to bring out.  Another is time.  A lot of MTs work on computers all day long and want to spend off work time off their computer. 

If you have questions about Keystrokes, go to the company for answers. 

I defend the company that I work for but have made a promise to myself to stop visiting here and two other sites because they really just take up time that should be spent on other things.  I hate that the bashers will still be bashers and that no one can defend a company (any company) without being attacked.  So the bashers are the only ones that post.  I wish you all the best and rest assured, Keystrokes will continue to grow as a national presence, and will continue to attract customers and MTs and will continue to make both very happy.

but all I could find, in addition to the other complaints already listed, were complaints about being in the "middle of an 11-minute job when it was pulled and given to someone else," "There has to be a better way NOT to make a living," "I know I am going to end up on food stamps," complaints of no compensation for down time and BTXT being down and MTs not being notified.

If there were one or two positive comments about it on there somewhere, they are certainly overshadowed by all the justified negativity, outrage and frustration that's there.

I wouldn't wish this company on my worst enemy, and you should be ashamed of yourself if you recommend that anyone apply there for employment these days.  It used to be a good company, and like the song says, "Used-to-be's don't count any more."  Although I don't expect them to "bring me flowers" I do expect to be able to earn a living wage, and those days are quickly disappearing.

I can understand the employees who want everything and give very little back.  Very frustrating.

But then you have the situation described for the employee where there is no job satisfaction, no family/personal life allowed or frowned upon by management and no chance for promotion.   And then being compared to an Indian who has a completely different social environment. 

I know mothers who are IC and while they do take time off during the day for their kids (how dare they make dinner for those kids and hubby) but then they work long into the night after kids and hubby have gone to bed.  There are no weekends with their family either.  And the work reward is the pay will be lowered because the client wants to pay a lower rate.  It is not exactly incentive to work hard without any breaks and ignore the family in favor of what the company needs.

I remember years ago working for a start up company and the manager did not want the single girls to date at night and instead work late.  She thought they should be devoting their time to their career in transcription.  Well a Transcriptionist could do that but whether she worked harder or not the pay would be the same and she would always be a transcriptionist.  The manager on the other hand if the company did well would receive promotions and raises I am sure.  So that is the difference....management perks vs worker bee perks.  It was easy for her to give up a social and personal life because the rewards but the transcriptionist typing straight for hours and hours would see the same pay day in day out, no advancement or recognition for working harder other than not having a manager angry. 

However after reading that post I will be aware  and really give it my all. I do understand the need for a better work ethic.   I see what the management wants and needs.  Especially when managers are spending Thanksgiving with their families and the transcriptionist is working for 7 cpl with no break.  It is the American way of doing business.

All I see is negative!  Where is the positive or are they the ones that keep quiet to keep their great jobs to themselves (believe me, I'd do the same thing! ) ..... but THROW US A BONE, willya??

thanks!! 

Okay guys call me an idiot for not knowing that Medware has an India division!  Now, I'll risk the flaming yet again.....Can you recommend companies who offer employee status without outsourcing to India?

Good health insurance coverage at a reasonable rate for single person, nice organized people to deal with, paid on time, and the sooner they could put me to work, the better!

Please feel free to email me privately.  My address should be somewhere on this page!

Cindy

hire people that aren't exactly newbies anymore, but don't have the 3, 5, or 10 years most companies are looking for?  I have been working for about 16 months (SE) as an at home MT for a big national company, but would really like to go elsewhere, either as an SE or an IC.  Any info would be appreciated!

I am looking for a part-time position with a great company, large or small, that does clinic work...specifically ortho and family practice.  Can you either post or send an e-mail w/the name of the company? 

Thanks so much!!!!

I job hopped until I found a great fit.  I knew within 2 weeks at each company what would give me what I wanted.  It took a long time to get past the hype from recruiters, supervisors, etc., but these are my conclusions.

Pay per line is very important, but how is that line determined?  No spaces but pay same as companies who count spaces?  Dump the company.

A smooth platform to work on.  It does no good to have great tech support if you have to use tech support a lot.  It takes a minimum of 10-15 minutes for each call you have to make. That cuts your production by 1/6 to 1/4 during the hour you have the problem.  If you call tech support 4 times a day, that's almost an hour of nonproductive time.  Dump the company.

Mouse clicking.  Learn the keyboard commands and if they do not work, dump the company.  Every time your hands leave the key board to reach for that mouse you have cost yourself a few lines. 

Absolute verbatim -  you will never make enough macros or shortcuts to get a line count.  Dump the company.

Two weeks free work - don't even give them 1 day without pay. Run.

Benefits - good, but not the end of the world. You can get insurance at reasonable rates most of the time, or at least comparable to what you would have to pay at the companies.  Give insurance minimal consideration.  Paid time off?  Same thing.  Paid downtime because of company problems - consider this company- they care about you and are willing to accept responsibility for the problems.

Big Brother watching you all the time?  Run fast. 

E-mails half answered or you get an inappropriate answere?  Run away, you are not important and no one in management will ever listen to you.

No raises?  Forget it unless they offer incentive pay.

No incentive pay?  If no raises forget it.

Have to buy a lot of expensive equipment from them every time they make a change?  Absolutely not!

No direct deposit?  Depends on reliability and how fast a check is replaced, but direct deposit is cheap for employer now, and they should offer overnight delivery if no direct deposit.

It is far cheaper for a company to hire an IC than an employee (self employment tax is one of the big differences) so as an IC you should make more.

Fancy parties and a lot of travel by management to show how much they care?  Why don't they take that money and put it in payroll and pay the MTs a little more per line?

My $0.03 for the day. 

Basing your lack of success in finding a good company over Nov and Dec is starting with your back against the wall.  You probably will hear from some of those companies in the coming months as the work once again flows.

Have someone check over your resume.  There may be something you can do on that end to stand out better with prospective companies.

You have to do your research on your own.  Asking on these boards is inviting thousands to look at the same companies with you.  Look at local area (2 hour radius) first.  Go to yahoo yellow pages and look up transcription companies in your area.  Make phone calls.  My best paying sub account was not something I found online. 

Good luck.