| When you think of the word "dictation" what | | | | tapes. That solution is digital dictation. |
| comes to mind? For many people, the word | | | | Going digital frees you to dictate from a wide |
| "dictation" conjures up nostalgic imagery that could | | | | array of devices including digital handheld devices |
| be the subject of a Norman Rockwell painting. | | | | that are very similar to microcassette recorders, |
| People tend to think back to a time when | | | | speech microphones that plug in to your PC, and |
| businesses were run by men with dedicated | | | | mobile devices such as Windows Mobile, |
| secretaries who prepared documents for them, | | | | BlackBerry and Nokia smartphones. You may be |
| usually by taking shorthand and recreating text on | | | | using a basic form of digital dictation today |
| a typewriter. | | | | leveraging, perhaps, a digital handheld recorder to |
| The world has changed tremendously since those | | | | capture dictation and email to transmit it directly |
| days. Today, men and women tend to support | | | | to your support staff. Although a step forward |
| themselves and often do not have a personal | | | | from analog capture, today's digital dictation |
| assistant at arm's reach. There has been a shift | | | | platforms offer much more than what a basic |
| among new generations to cease dictation in lieu | | | | digital dictation system can provide. |
| of preparing one's own documentation. Most | | | | Advanced digital dictation systems of today have |
| colleges today do not teach dictation as part of | | | | automatic routing capabilities. Regardless of the |
| their curriculum. The result is a lack of emphasis | | | | manner you choose to capture your work, that |
| on one of the most effective ways to improve | | | | work can be automatically routed to your |
| productivity - via dictation. | | | | transcriptionists or transcription pool based on |
| Tremendous efficiency gains can be made by | | | | criteria that you define (such as job type, due |
| utilizing dictation over self-composition. The | | | | date, client matter number, etc.). |
| average computer user types at 33 words per | | | | These systems help you overcoming issues |
| minute, 19 words per minute for composition | | | | associated with: |
| tasks. The average person speaks at a rate of | | | | - The inability to monitor productivity, track down |
| 200 words per minute for standard conversation | | | | job status and reallocate to available resource |
| although trained dictators can speak significantly | | | | - The inconvenience of manual allocation of tapes |
| faster. If the average person dictates information | | | | and files throughout the organization |
| instead of composing it themselves, production is | | | | - The high costs for tape and unit replacement, |
| nearly 10x faster than preparing the | | | | and |
| documentation oneself. Think about the impact | | | | - The need for remote dictation and transcription |
| this could have on a firm's bottom line. | | | | and improved document turnaround time. |
| It is simply inefficient for attorneys to be so | | | | Imagine having the ability to instantly know how |
| heavily involved in administrative tasks. You have | | | | many dictations are pending for completion. |
| billable hours to think about. Those hours pay you | | | | Imagine having the ability to know who is working |
| to think, apply law and work with directly with | | | | on what. Imagine having the ability to configure a |
| your clients. Those hours do not pay you to | | | | system that can identify and remedy bottlenecks |
| shuffle paperwork and be immersed in back-end | | | | in the production process. With an advanced digital |
| documentation. When attorneys are alleviated | | | | dictation workflow management system it is all |
| from the hassle of completing this documentation, | | | | possible. |
| they have more time. Time for themselves or | | | | If you are a member of a small firm, you may |
| time that can be used to acquire new work, | | | | be wondering, "is this attainable for a firm like |
| increase their billable time and serve their clients | | | | mine?" It is true that in not too distant times past |
| better. | | | | that the more sophisticated digital dictations |
| The technology behind dictation has come a long | | | | workflow management systems required |
| way. Historically, attorneys used analog tapes to | | | | investments beyond what a small or mid-size firm |
| capture their dictations. This method has worked | | | | could handle. Fortunately today, the cost of these |
| for decades, but using analog tapes does have its | | | | systems is much more affordable and accessible |
| limits. Tapes get lost and break - resulting not only | | | | by firms of all sizes. |
| in re-work, but also loss of secure, client | | | | There are many providers of DDS solutions and |
| information. Tapes also hold up the document | | | | many consultants who can help you review your |
| turnaround process as often a single tape contains | | | | unique situation and select the platform that is |
| multiple client matters, none of which can be | | | | right for you. When working for a vendor, ask |
| transcribed until the tape is full and given to the | | | | questions. Discuss your needs and challenges. |
| transcriptionist who then has the challenge of | | | | Evaluate their offerings. Be mindful of not only the |
| trying to identify how much work is on that tape, | | | | financial ROI (which is tough to measure with |
| what jobs are there and which ones need priority | | | | these sorts of technologies) but the soft return |
| attention. | | | | such as improved security, better service delivery |
| Fortunately technology has evolved, and we now | | | | to your clients, improved visibility of documents in |
| have a solution to the challenges posed by analog | | | | production and overall improved staff efficiency. |