If you’re looking for accurate, polished transcription services, you’ve arrived at your destination: We’re the #1-reviewed transcription service in Calgary, with five stars on Google. Reviewers recommend us for our accuracy, competitive pricing, fast turnaround, and professional customer service. Click here to view client testimonials, work samples, and press mentions.
We transcribe interviews, focus groups, qualitative research, podcasts, conference calls, business meetings, panels, seminars, lectures, sermons, motivational speeches, coaching calls, webinars, and films.
Some subject areas we’re especially well practiced in are qualitative research in healthcare and the social sciences, Alberta politics, digital marketing, and tech.
In addition to audio typing, we provide typing services for Calgary clients who need PDF or JPEG files converted to an editable text format.
If you need help editing video before getting it transcribed or captioned, check out our posts about top-recommended video software:
Canadian and Calgary transcription clients
Some past and current Calgary-area and Canadian clients we’ve provided transcription services for include:
- City of Calgary
- University of Calgary
- Mount Royal University
- Government of Alberta
- Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC)
- Sprawlcast
- University of British Columbia
- Nova Scotia Business Inc.
- Allstate Insurance
Accurate audio transcription services for Calgary organizations
Because of the prevalence of offshore outsourcing and auto-transcription software, subpar transcription services are a dime a dozen.
Some of our clients have sought us out after hiring one of these transcription companies and receiving transcripts with erratic punctuation, sloppy formatting, and flagrant errors. One such client described our transcripts as “infinitely better” in comparison.
Here’s what sets us apart from most modern-day transcription services:
We don’t outsource to overseas workers or use auto-transcription software. Many transcription companies advertise themselves as North America based because they have administrative offices in the U.S. or Canada, but their remote workforce is located overseas.
Our transcriptionists are all based in North America and are not only fluent, but proficient, in English. Additionally, we don’t generate our transcripts using speech recognition engines: More often than not, these tools produce inaccurate transcripts, creating more work instead of saving time.
Our transcriptionists have education and experience in language-focused careers. In our experience, bookish types make the best transcriptionists. In addition to years of transcription experience, our remote team members have backgrounds in language-related fields, such as editing and proofreading, business writing, and teaching. For many transcription agencies, correct punctuation is an afterthought – for us, it’s a priority.
We go the extra mile to make our transcripts “pretty.” We take time to research the correct spelling and capitalization of proper nouns, such as names, places, brands, and businesses. We also follow an internal style guide for consistent styling of elements like timestamps, numerals, dates, addresses, dimensions, quotations, and titles of works. For some of our clients, presentation matters just as much as accuracy – for example, some of the material we transcribe goes on to supplement podcast show notes, online courses, or news articles, which can help boost a website’s SEO by attracting links from other websites. With our meticulous attention to detail, our service is ideal for clients who intend to publish their transcripts online or in print.
Why work with us?
Secure and confidential. We have encrypted services available for file storage and transfer. At your request, we’ll review and sign your confidentiality agreement or NDA before receiving your audio. If you don’t have a confidentiality agreement prepared, we’ll supply a standard agreement for you.
Fast and friendly service. Because we’re a small business, we’re able to offer our clients attentive customer service with a single point of contact.
Competitive flat-rate pricing. We typically charge per minute or hour of recorded audio, rather than per hour of our time, so that you know the cost up front. Rates vary based on audio quality and number of speakers. Our pricing is comparable to other agencies that use professional North American transcriptionists.
Prompt turnaround. We work with clients to accommodate their need for expediency. Often, we’re able to turn transcripts around early.
Frequently asked questions about our Calgary transcription services
How do I receive a quote or request additional info?
Send us a message, and we’ll get back to you shortly. To receive a quote as soon as possible, email us a link to your audio, or request a link to a secure, encrypted upload folder where you can upload your media. (If your project contains sensitive data, let us know and we’ll sign a confidentiality agreement first.)
How do I get my audio files to you? How will my transcripts be returned to me?
There are a couple of ways you can share your audio with us:
- You can send them to us using your preferred file-sharing program, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or SharePoint.
- We can create a secure, encrypted folder where you can upload your audio.
To receive your transcripts, choose from the following options:
- We can email them to you (for non-confidential projects).
- We can send them via a secure, encrypted email service. You’ll need to verify your credentials on receipt of the files.
- We can create an encrypted, password-protected downloads folder where you can retrieve your data.
How does pricing work?
For most projects, we price our transcription services by the audio minute so that you know the cost up front. Per-minute rates vary based on audio quality, number of speakers, accents, and “extras” like true verbatim transcription or timestamps.
Our rates are in line with other transcription services that only use North America-based professional transcriptionists.
What methods of payment do you accept?
We accept payment securely online via debit or credit. Depending on your location, we may also accept checks and Interac e-Transfers. For clients in good standing, we offer a convenient monthly billing cycle for ongoing transcription work.
How fast is your turnaround time?
We strive to accommodate clients’ requested turnaround times. Often, we turn transcripts around early.
I’d like to get a quote, but my audio contains sensitive data. Will you sign a confidentiality agreement first?
Yes, we can review and sign your confidentiality agreement or NDA before receiving your audio. If you don’t have a confidentiality agreement on hand, we can provide one if your project requires it.
In addition, all our transcription staff sign a confidentiality agreement when they start working with us.
I tried using XYZ Transcription Service, and I wasn’t happy with the results. How do I know your service will be any better?
Many modern-day transcription services use auto-transcription software or outsource to overseas workers to cut costs, which results in inaccurate transcripts. We don’t do this. We are a Calgary-based service, and all our transcriptionists are based in Canada and the U.S. Not only that, but our team has education and experience in a variety of language-related careers, such as proofreading and editing, business writing, and teaching. We’re rated five stars on Google for accuracy, and we have work samples available. Our example transcript is currently ranked #1 on Google in Canada and the United States and is linked to by universities as a recommended resource.
Will my documents be transcribed by a real human?
Yes. We don’t produce auto-generated transcripts.
Do you service areas outside of Calgary, Alberta?
Yes! We work with universities and businesses across North America.
Do you provide other virtual assistant services?
Yes. We also provide copy typing and proofreading services.
What kinds of audio and video file formats can you work with?
For faster upload times, we recommend sending MP3s for audio files and MP4s for video files; however, we can work with most common audio and video file formats. Click here for a list of acceptable file formats.
Do you accept drop-offs? Can I send my audio to you via postal mail?
We don’t accept drop-offs at this time; however, you can mail your audio to us on a USB drive. Please ensure you have a backup copy of your media first, as we can’t be held responsible for lost or damaged items.
What’s the difference between clean verbatim and true verbatim transcription?
Clean verbatim is a lightly edited style of transcription, where um’s, uh’s, stutters, and meaningless filler speech (such as the repetitive use of “like” and “you know”) are omitted from the transcript. Most of our clients choose this option because the transcripts cost less and are easier to read.
True verbatim style captures every utterance in the dictation, including um’s, uh’s, stutters, partial words, and filler speech. Like most transcription services, we charge a fee for true verbatim transcription because these transcripts take longer to produce.
How do you handle difficult audio?
When we can’t make out a word or phrase in the dictation, we insert a timecoded tag, i.e., [unclear XX:XX:XX], so you can quickly find the location in the audio later on.
I’m a master’s student, and I’ve already recorded a number of interviews for a qualitative research project. Can you work with me?
Yes, we regularly work with Calgary master’s and PhD students to help fulfill requirements for a thesis or dissertation. We’ll do our best to accommodate your required timeframe for the project. If your research coordinator has a confidentiality agreement they prefer to use, we’ll review and sign it before receiving your audio. If you don’t have a confidentiality agreement for qualitative research on hand, we can provide one for you.
I’m applying for a research grant. Can you send me a quote?
Yes! We can send a quote that’s good for six months.
Do you offer medical transcription services?
No, we’re a general transcription company providing transcription for businesses and academic institutions, and we don’t transcribe patient data at this time.