Carolyn Bodley - Legal Verbatim Transcriptionist of Audio, Video & Digital Files

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blog entries are strictly the opinion of Carolyn Bodley and may not reflect the opinion of others

(to see archived blog entries, click on the links to the right of the top blog)
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Some photos are compressed or removed in archived blog postings, leaving only a description of the photo. The blog postings remain complete and unchanged.

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Monday, September 28, 2009

BLOG - The duty to protect privacy and confidentiality
pie.jpgPrivacy and confidentiality are pretty sore subjects with me -- actually the boil comes to a head with the people that don't care anything about someone else's privacy and confidentiality.

In the business world (at least when it comes to the need for transcription services), some of the blame for the problem needs to be directed to the "client" desiring to contact with vendors at the lowest possible cost.

How many "clients" are aware of the fact that once they hand audio/video files off to a vendor, that the majority of the time, the files will be handed off to someone else -- possibly even a third or fourth "someone." I'm referring to a medical transcriptionist vendor that passed medical reports to a transcriptionist in Florida that passed the reports to a man in Texas that passed the reports to someone in Pakistan. The person in Pakistan that transcribed the information never got paid from the man in Texas. The Pakistani transcriptionist threatened to post the personal and confidential medical information/transcript to the Internet.

The original vendor claims "unbeknowest to her" that the information was passed on twice after she gave it to the Florida transcriptionist. A supporter of this woman claims that this happened as to "no fault of her own" (the vendor) and she went belly-up.

In my personal and business opinion, the original vendor entrusted with personal, private and confidential information owed a duty to her client, the medical center, and dropped the chain-of-command -- having absolutely no idea who had access to the medical center's personal, private and confidential information.

This is just one instance of "who will have access to my work product once it leaves my sight?" Even if the work is never passed on or passed on again and possibly again, will it remain on the transcriptionist's hard drive? Will hard (printed) copies end up sitting at the curb "unshredded" waiting for the trash truck to end up who knows where?

Once I am entrusted with your work, it is NEVER EVER given to a subcontractor or a sub-subcontactor. Your work never leaves my sight because I work with it from start to end. No other eyes or ears will ever have access to your work. The only thing that sits at the curb will be the remnants of "cross-shredded" paper. Nothing is left on my computer hard drive.

How does the security of other vendors stand up to my own security? Make sure you ask before you entrust them with your personal and confidential work.
[end of blog]
10:43 am mdt 

Saturday, September 26, 2009

BLOG - Disposable Society
Noway.jpgMy biggest business expense is my equipment -- it exceeds that of most of my clients.

Not one of my computers cost less than $2,000 and my color laser printer was over $3,000. Many of my clients purchase equipment on what I refer to as the "throw away" plan. Computers for somewhere in the neighborhood of $500 and printers in the range of $250-$500 -- not made to withstand any high volume usage, when it breaks in a year or so, they just turn around and buy another "cheapie" model.

My equipment is my business and I buy my equipment to last. My newest laser printer is two years old. It replaced my last laser printer that lasted roughly 13 years. Each of the printers cost $3,000. The old one was an HPIII -- my workhorse. I cried when it finally broke after hundreds of thousands of copies. My new laser probably didn't have to be color, but that's what I wanted and I felt both I and my business worthy  -- it takes five separate toner cartridges that average $150/each, but print 10,000 pages each. Yesterday I sent a document to print and was shocked to hear these crunchy sounds coming from it. I opened the printer up and found a rotating roller with this film on it. The film was all scrunched up.

I called HP to be informed that even though the printer is only two years old, they have discontinued the model. He went on to say that they no longer sell parts and I need to call another number. I know that one or more of HPs call centers are now located in India -- one of the reasons I love my Dell computers, but refuse to deal with them on the phone. I asked if this parts center was in India and he told me that it was in Costa Rica -- well, yeah, that's so much better! NOT. He told me to tell them what I needed. I asked for the part number and he said to just say it was such and such roller.

You have to understand that it is Friday afternoon and I'm swamped with projects that need to get out the door. The woman looks it up and says, quite matter of factly, that the part is back ordered and that she has no idea when the back order will be filled. This is when I found myself losing it. I spend good money on quality name-brand products and the part is on back order through HP. I explained to her that this is my business -- I mean it's not like I'm a dutiful little housewife that simply sits at the computer playing solitaire. She explained that she didn't know what to tell me, and the best she could do is give me a reseller's phone number. Yeah, here's the rub I thought -- now I'll get to deal with India.

I called the third number and found it to be a company in the UNITED STATES that didn't have any problem with my English nor me with their speech -- even though they were in Texas. The company has a branch in Denver and are growing into several other states. She looked up the part and told me that they didn't have one -- and my headache is really beginning to pound, but she told me to give her five minutes and she would find me one. Within three minutes, she called me back and said she found one in Minnesota and it would be shipped next business day -- I would get it on Monday and didn't even have to pay shipping !!! Besides that, HP wanted close to $300 for the roller and they wanted a little over $100. The part is brand new HP and not reconditioned.

Good-bye HP. I will continue purchasing HP products because I do think the quality is worthy of having your name on it -- however, you've lost getting any more of my money ordering through you directly -- ImageOne, this brand new wonderful company, that bent over backwards to find the part that God only knows how long will be on back order through you, will now be getting ALL of my money on parts and supplies.

Thank you Pam. You became my angel on Friday.
[end of blog]

3:18 pm mdt 

Thursday, September 24, 2009

BLOG - Court Reporters vs. Transcriptionists
courtreporter.jpgA court reporter's role is critical. They are responsible for ensuring a complete, accurate and secure legal record.

Hmmmmm, sounds exactly like what I do as an audio/video transcriptionist.

Electronic reporting uses audio equipment to record court or audio proceedings. The court reporter monitors the process, takes notes to identify speakers and listens to the recording to ensure clarity and quality. The recording equipment may be analog tape recorders or digital equipment.

My intention is not to take away from or diminish the importance of the court reporter. However, I believe when I transcribe a verbatim transcript -- be it from a video or audio source, my importance in ensuring an exact paper copy of every sound, utterance and spoken word, is no less critical than that of the court reporter.

So why is it then, that the "electronic reporting" court reporter keeps seventy five cents of every dollar and pays the transcriptionist only a quarter? I understand all about profit and why the court reporter doesn't split it 50/50. But what's wrong with 60/40?

A three-quarter to one-quarter split just doesn't seem right to me when looking at the responsibilities of both the "electronic reporting" court reporter and the transcriptionist. With that said, I don't anticipate court reporters filling my email "in" box with transcription requests -- more than likely I will be inundated with hate mail, which is fine -- I will continue transcribing police interviews, recorded witness statements and recorded phone conversations, earning substantially more than twenty-five cents on the dollar.
[end of blog]
1:22 pm mdt 

Monday, September 14, 2009

BLOG - Cutler remains a cry baby

crybaby.jpgJay Cutler may no longer be a Bronco, but his temper tantrums, immaturity and childish whining followed him to Chicago -- as well as his throwing interceptions.

I hate sports. The only thing I hate worse is being around my husband when he watches baseball, football, hockey, NASCAR ... yesterday while watching the Broncos season opener, he quit watching even before halftime. I actually enjoyed the second half of the game by myself. I didn't scream and shout at the television -- I didn't channel surf--stopping five or 10 minutes and getting interested in a program only to begin surfing once again. The 87 yard touchdown which won the game for the Broncos wasn't bad either.

Like I said, I hate sports programs -- although, I watched wonder boy Cutler in his season opener with Chicago! Sweet justice. This morning I heard on the radio that he is not accepting any fault of his own for Chicago losing -- hmmmm, not even with his record FOUR interceptions during one game.

I personally lost all respect for him last year when after two or three interceptions, he slapped the Broncos kicker in the face -- right on camera/television.

One man does not make a football team. I was raised that I am just as good as anyone -- maybe even better than some. HOWEVER, it was instilled in me to never get my head so over-inflated thinking I was better than someone, and if I did, be prepared because someone would come around and knock me out of my ivory tower.
[end of blog]

9:18 pm mdt 

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

BLOG - Labor Day is behind us
whiteshoes.jpgJune, July and August were great times.

Memorial Day was May 25 and Labor Day was September 7 -- and why are these dates significant? For the simple fact that you don't wear white shoes before Memorial Day or after Labor Day !!!!!

Until Memorial Day 2010 comes around, remove the white shoes from your feet, put them under the bed, pack them away in the back of your closet -- put them anyplace but on your feet -- for that matter, take your white purse(s) and hide them away until Memorial Day 2010.
[end of blog]
11:05 am mdt 


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With a typing speed of 120 wpm, Carolyn Bodley began offering independent contractor/secretarial and transcription services to the Denver metro legal community in 1992.

I am not a court reporter or medical transcriptionist and I don't videotape depositions -- I'm strictly a legal transcriptionist which means putting spoken words on paper. All my transcripts contain a certification stating that to the best of my knowledge, belief and ability, the audio/video I received has not been altered in any way, and the transcript is true, accurate and complete. I have never been advised that a court rejected one of my audio or video transcripts. If my transcript is rejected by the court, you will be reimbursed in full for my services. Because I certify that the transcript is true and complete, the entire audio/video must be transcribed--I am unable to transcribe "just a portion" that you need. 

I guarantee that your transcripts will be typed confidentially, accurately and with attention to detail at a fair price.
 

  • Discovery is often turned over in a format other than hard copy. This discovery includes, but is not limited to, recorded telephone conversations, police interviews, depositions, investigations, witness statements, and more. The audio and video "words" need to be put to paper, and your already overworked legal staff often don't have the skills, equipment, the inclination or the time.
  • Discovery is often the deciding factor of whether a case goes to trial. Most of us hear, but do we listen? Recently I transcribed a video that had been viewed and listened to several times and by several people before I transcribed it. There was a one sentence statement that not one person caught -- this one sentence was not the only reason the case was dismissed one day before trial--however, it carried quite a bit of weight -- and I'm the only one that "heard" it. Had the video never been transcribed, how many other words would never have been heard?

Add-On Services:

  • laser color printing
  • laminating
  • spiral binding
  • proofreading/editing your work product

Your Documents are Your Reputation ...
Making Them Look Good is Mine!©1992-2016 Carolyn Bodley


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