I have a number of clients who have contacted me following an unsuccessful relationship with their chosen voice recognition software. It seems that although there are some very advanced software packages out there, they don’t always work in the same way as their “living” alternative, the human typist. I’m sure there are many things that computers are better at than their flesh and blood counterparts, but transcription may not be one of them.
It seems you have to spend a huge amount of time initially teaching your software your voice while it learns all the different tones and accents for each individual speaker. Even when it is proficient in the standard phrases, it doesn’t know how to spell the many property specific terms required in dictating surveys.
The voice recognition software can’t make out your voice over the sound of a dog barking or when the wind is distorting the microphone. The voice recognition software can’t learn what you usually say about cavity walls without you needing to dictate it. It doesn’t know how to second guess you when you accidentally say rear elevation, although you are actually dictating about the gable elevation.
The main benefit I suppose is the cost aspect.. although if, like in my experience of the feedback, you spend so much time teaching your software what to transcribe, that you may as well have typed it yourself, then perhaps it’s time to consider a human typist!
Property Typing is the only transcription service catering exclusively for building surveyors and property professionals. If you are tearing your hair out trying to make your voice recognition software work and wasting valuable time that you could be spending carrying out more surveys, then you would probably benefit from getting in touch!