Frequently Asked Questions

At Alphabet we will never outsource your requirements. Your project will be completed by real UK-based native transcribers. We have a ‘right first time’ ethos where we place quality at the top of our priorities. That quality comes from our relentless determination to check the details. We fully research your topic, fully proofread your documents, and present your transcripts fit for the purpose you require.

We are – and have been since 1995. We are happy to provide testimonials from past and current clients to support everything we say in this website.

You simply need to complete the booking details with your contact and project information. We’ll then assign you with a login for a private online client area where you can upload your sound files and supporting documentation. Alternatively, you can email us. From there, we will let you know when you will receive your final transcript and pass it to an experienced transcriber. Once your recording has been transcribed, it is then allocated to a proof reader. When your document is complete, it is delivered to your nominated company representative through our online portal.

All our transcribers and proof readers produce transcripts in line with our standardised in-house typing styles and templates. They are trained to present each transcript in a uniformed way, indicating where people speak over each other and highlighting if a word is inaudible. Verbatim transcription is also provided at Alphabet where we will present the transcript in a court-ready document.

All of our team at Alphabet speaks English as their mother tongue and they must complete and pass comprehensive language, transcription and typing tests before being allowed to work for us. Every member of staff must also sign a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement before work commences on a project. We also identify our transcribers’ strengths in any given sector in order to assign them with work most suited to their knowledge and skill.

Most of our clients are billed by the recorded minute of their sound/video files. All our rates are based on good quality audio without excessive specialist terminology, background noise or heavy accents. If any of these issues arise, the rate per minute may increase to take into account the extra time required to decipher the recording. Covert transcription is charged at an hourly rate, as these recordings are often unclear due to the recording devices used and their hidden locations.

All clients have access to our secure, encrypted online portal when uploading their sound files. All recordings are then scrambled as they are transmitted across the Internet for extra precaution. We maintain firewalls and use a high level of encryption for added security when clients upload material. All sound files and transcripts are deleted from our systems once payment has been made.All transcribers and proof readers are required to sign an internal confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement, and we are happy to sign our client’s NDAs if required.

We will send you the invoice by email or via the portal after we have sent you transcripts for any given project. Invoices are submitted on a rolling basis for ongoing work. Payment terms are due immediately upon completion unless account facilities have been agreed. Payment terms for clients with accounts are strictly 14 days of invoice date, unless agreed otherwise. For private individuals payment of cleared funds is required upfront before we will commence the transcription process.VAT is added to all invoice totals at the prevailing rate. Payment is accepted by BACS and PayPal.