please share your experiences on either platforms

• Medware Merit or Voice Recognition platform..help me decide please. - samantha
  • please share your experiences on either platforms - samantha
    • Why not ask them if they have Extext openings? - That's the best platform. NM
      • Not the OP, but some of us are losing our ExText account and - have to switch to something else. NM :( Love my Ex

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*Does anyone knows if any of the transcription companies actually gives their MTs yearly reviews,*

I don't know about all companies, but I've been an MT from home for 10 years, in-house 5 years (prior).  When in-house, yes, I got yearly reviews.  Since working from home, I've never had a yearly review.  I think I got a 90-day review once at one company.  I've worked for several companies, small-to-mid size to mid-size nationals, no large nationals, some for short periods of time, one for almost 6 years. (see last paragraph below).

*feedback on their performance,*

With the more organized and mid-size nationals, I've gotten informal feedback (you're doing a great job! kind of comments) on productivity - but that is something that it concrete and visible and able to be scored against the company expectation.  QA feedback has ranged from nonexistent to daily emails on blanks, being able to review the work I submitted the day before and compare pre and post completed reports, to just being told you're one of our best MTs! kind of comments.  (see last paragraph)

*and/or raises.*

At the company where I stayed for almost 6 years, I got raises maybe 2-3 times.  They were always related to the company needing more production from me or needing me to set up new accounts, help with setting up templates, etc.  I have gotten several 90-day raises at different companies, earlier if they released me from review early.

There were 2 exceptions to the above for me.  Both were small-to-mid size nationals.  One (as an employee) gave me monthly reports on my QA scores.  They later developed quarterly reports that included QA, performance, and team spirit (for lack of better term).  One (as an IC) gave me charts for monthly QA and meeting my production versus my committment.

Because mine does not match yours does not mean what I said is a lie. 

Everyone has to find their own niche in this business and what makes one person like a company will be the reason why another one dislike the same company.

company #1 - VR up to 300-315 lines per hour, straight 150-175. VR pay is 70% of base rate, so this is not bad.   Do not use highlighter, but use editing and navigation shortcuts.  Use foot pedal but not usually the mouse. This is an account I'm very familiar with and I find the platform easy to use. I have done VR with this company since day 1 so I can't compare my paycheck with pre-VR.

company #2 - working here for 7 years, VR started last year, and a new platform started last year too. I find the platform pretty cumbersome - lots of switching back and forth to different panels to check demographics, add cc, etc. And uses drop-down menus to pick headings - for this company I find VR to be a money loser. Used to make 10 cpl to cover all team accounts, income dropped with new platform, then dropped some more with VR... then my position was eliminated and changed to new account for less money for both straight and regular.  VR rate is about 3 cents lower than base rate. New account has more than 50% difficult dictators, ESL and non-ESL. Fussing around with the headings and subheadings, which have to be fixed in VR as well as the text of the report  - not getting more than 700 to 1100 lines in 8 hours. Even using hot keys.  Need to pay bills so found another job. 

#3.  This is only my 3rd day. Using Escription. Much better quality of VR than I have ever seen before except for numbered lists -- the numbers are usually all off. Not too many panels to switch around to and no drop down headings.   Using the editing and navigation keys and also finally getting the hang of the highlighter thing - except it's a red box, less distracting than the highlighter.  And not using foot pedal.   Approaching 200 lines per hour on VR and improving.  Can take fingers off keyboard at times and drink something, stretch, etc. But this one only pays half of baseline rate. Only a few straight reports have come through.  Love the account.

So  - I have mixed feelings about VR and it really does depend on account, platform, etc. I do correct everything and still up names, etc.

Sometimes doing VR with all the function keys and highlighter reminds of trying to play my son's video games - uncoordinated.

Basically the pros, cons, experiences with either. 

However, here is my take on things:

YOG -- Loved it there!  I made great money, good benefits, and was left alone to do my job.  Unfortunately, the owner sold out to MQ.

MQ -- Never worked there full time as I quit the day they bought YOG.  However, at one point I had worked there part time and I ran out of work 3 days in a row while training and no one cared.  Didn't take long for me to say goodbye, plus I was put off by their attitude at the time that people inhouse got more benefits than those working at home as they said working at home was a benefit. 

WestTran -- great owner, uses Iscriptor (easy to use).  A few bad dictators, but generally not bad.  Only downside was not having direct deposit, but checks were always mailed on time.

Webmedx -- not a good experience for me, but it did look like they had a nice benefit package for FT employees.  I found the Enterprise system to be slow and cumbersome.  I used to type 300-350 lph, but typing as fast and furious as I could, never made it past 240 on their system.  Sound quality was awful, ran out of work, and supervisor was indifferent. 

DTS in Oklahoma -- great people, but was working on an overflow account that used MedRite.  What an awful platform!  I would type and sit and watch it try to catch up with me.  Slow and cumbersome.  And no direct deposit. 

TransTech -- great people, nice benefits at the time, pay so-so but good incentive tier. 

MDI-MD -- great pay at the time because they were compensating for the MT having to pay for LD.  Ran out of work at times, but eventually got up to 5 accounts and was able to bounce back and forth and got my lines.   Direct deposit, always on time.  Down side is statutory employee and have to mess with the taxes thing.

CardioScribes -- great people, all cardiology clinics.  Direct deposit, but uncertain pay days, although you always do get paid.  Work for me has been slow, although I see ads advertising for more help, so that is frustrating.  Also IC work, which is a down side for me anymore.

Encompass -- I am just starting there part-time, but everyone I have encountered has been friendly and helpful.  The dictation so far has been easy.  They offer direct deposit and even some benefits for those working part-time. 

eTransPlus -- I will be starting there full time.  I have not done any actual work so far, so cannot comment on that, but the benefit package seems nice and the incentive tier seems easy to achieve.  They offer direct deposit.  Right now, they are offering a sign-on bonus, so that is a nice plus.

I have been around for 100 years or so, so I probably have forgotten some, but that is my experience that I can remember.  Of course, everyone's experience is personal.  As I have said before, one person's hell is another man's heaven. 

Good luck to us all in finding a place we want to call home. 

Hello all. I am the owner of a small (but very busy) transcription service here in the U.S. and am considering purchasing my own transcription platform. I currently lease the platform that my MT's are using. I would appreciate some info from anyone that is working on a web-based, non-FTP, MT friendly platform. I know that most larger transcription companies have proprietary platforms, so I am looking for one that I can purchase ready made. Any help is appreciated!!  Thanks!

Are there platforms that consistently:

1)  record a line count that matches what you show your line count to be

and

2)  function with minimal technical issues.

Anyone willing to provide specific and honest input on SoftScript's platform?