One more thing the "Ideal MTSO" should have: - Job Seeker

Dictation recordings that do NOT sound like crackling, hissing 8-track tapes from the 1970s.

C'mon - this is the 21st Century.  It's been 50 years since we put a man on the moon.  And we still have to leave blanks because of POOR SOUND QUALITY?

MTSOs are always quick to tout their state-of-the-art software, talented MTs, and yada-yada.   It was bad enough in the 70s, but now, with all-digital recordings and fancy gizmos up the whazoo, there is NO LONGER ANY EXCUSE for bad sound quality. 

I've wasted most of my time today on files that were nearly 50% impossible to hear.  That's a helluva lotta blanks.  Obviously these reports did not go to India nor to SR because they were impossible to hear.  And yet they want us to waste our precious, underpaid time trying to figure these disasters out.  They will all ultimately have to go through QA, and will undoubtedly STILL go out filled with holes.  Not to mention out of TAT because they took the better part of a day (and probably attempts by more than one transcriptionist) to complete. 

Why do you guys accept GARBAGE to transcribe?  I realize you want to be a do-all company for your clients, but have you listened to any of these bottom-of-the-barrel dictations you give your US MTs?  I mean, REALLY!  If it's YOUR equipment that's causing this scratchy, unintellible mess, than please FIX THE PROBLEM.  Sometimes you have to SPEND a little money in order to MAKE money.  FIX YOUR SOUND! 

If the sound problem is at the client's end (and I think a large portion of it is), then please tell them that their recording equipment isn't up to par.  Back that up by charging more for, (or preferably REFUSING), substandard dictation quality. 

Most of us MTs are more than happy to jump in there and plug away at ESL dictations - it's part of the business nowadays, unfortunately, and it can't be remedied.  But the quality of the sound files we work with CAN be remedied.  If you're going to take on accounts with heavy ESL dictation, there should absolutely be a REQUIREMENT that their sound equipment is top-notch and up-to-date.  Especially since they're supposedly saving so much money by sending you their work instead of housing an MT department.

SOUND IS YOUR BUSINESS.  SOUND IS OUR LIVELIHOOD.  By continually accepting poor-quality sound files, you make everyone look bad:  You, your MTs, and the clients who now have medical charts full of swiss cheeses instead of complete medical reports. 

So PLEASE!  Do something about all the inaudible dictation.  It's one of the banes of our existence, and it's costing us and YOU money.