After you’ve read the application form, you really do need to check the skills
January 22, 2010
I feel I must share with you some of the results of the tests we receive back from “transcriptionists” looking to work with us.
I have already posted on our website details of the lengths we go to to make sure that we recruit only the best people who have the characteristics we feel are best suited to working autonomously for our clients. If you haven’t yet read the case study, a link is here.
Our online application form acts as a filtering system for the “wrong” type of person applying to work with us. Before we take any application further we also make sure that they can read, write and spell business English. Occasionally I am appalled and shocked at the standard of some of the documents returned back to me. Firstly, because it is obvious they don’t understand what an apostrophe is and, secondly, they don’t have the commonsense to figure out a way of cheating on my document.
Here’s a completed test which was received by me today. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD WORD DOCUMENT. If you’re involved in recruitment you might find this test document useful too.
It’s snow joke
January 5, 2010
This picture was taken whilst trying to drive into work this week. As you can see the weather conditions have made driving quite treacherous.
This reminds me of what happened to one of our clients last year, in February 2009, when London came to a standstill because of the snow.
Our law firm client thought they had everything sorted and business was as usual because their solicitors could dictate from their blackberrys from home and had no need to travel. The upset came when they realised that their secretaries couldn’t get into the office and it caused them a huge backlog of work and tremendous pressure to meet deadlines.
We had an outsource module added to the client’s digital dictation system so that the dictation from the solicitors could be sent to our service with a click of a button, by-passing employed secretaries and resulting in documents being produced more cost effectively and timely.
So far in 2010 we’ve already broken a record of having one of the longest cold snaps for decades. The local authories have ran out of grit to keep our roads safe. It looks like things will be getting worse.
What contingency plans do you have in place for your staff not being able to make it into work?
Now is the time to take full advantage of technology available. Using remote secretaries who are home-based means you don’t have to worry about getting into the office to have your work done. Access online is straight forward and our remote services can fully integrate into your in-house digital dictation system.
If you don’t have any digital dictation yet, then what are you waiting for? Use our free software and work from home instead. Call us now on 0151 227 9150 to set up your free account and don’t let the severe weather conditions interrupt your business.
Online directories. I’ve had enough.
June 30, 2009
Online directories. Over the years I’ve paid for a few. I should have learnt my lesson by now. I’ve just received another telephone call from yet another legal directory asking me to “upgrade my listing” to a banner advert. I didn’t even know I had a listing with them. Apparently it’s been there for a while. I did point out that I’d not received a single solitary lead from it, but thanks anyway.
Given the fact that I’ve not received a single solitary lead from a free listing, why would I want to pay a “special price” of just £200 to have a flashing banner on a webpage?
The salesperson couldn’t event tell me how many hits “transcription services” receives each month, let alone what hits their current customers receive. Then I was told that there are no guarantees with any marketing. So no thanks. I’ll refuse your offer of a “special price”.
Now, if I was asked to buy something that would give me something tangible and I could have guaranteed results, I might be interested.
I offer a “try before you buy” freebie so clients can see for themselves how outsourced typing services can impact on their business. Do you think online directories will use the same tactic?
Braille transcription, do you need it?
June 3, 2009
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) of 1995, legally obliges companies to provide auxiliary aids or services to make it easier for people with a disability to make use of any services that it offers to the public.Through the work of charity, Vision Support, VST has had contact with a number of individuals who have been unclear as to their rights and been unsure as to the process of obtaining alternative formats.
VST’s services assist companies in making alternative formats more available to the Visually Impaired. This is not just a legal requirement but is of a real help to the end user who may have to go to unreasonable or uncomfortable lengths to be able to access the information that is sent to them. It provides a barrier to accepting and using new services. If a Visually Impaired person feels wrongly excluded from provision of goods or services they have recourse to the courts and can claim damages, not only for financial loss, but also for injury to feelings, and there is no limit to damages that can be awarded for the latter.
David Scott, Managing Director of VST says:
In our work with companies two of the more common questions are:
”What are the limits on the materials that we have to produce?” and
“What is a reasonable adjustment?”
The answer to the first is that service providers are required, by the DDA, to be proactive rather than reactive. There is a duty to consider all the ways in which you provide information and make sure that is accessible to everyone. In short any materials that you produce and send out to customers existing or potential must include those with a Visual Impairment. Special offers, adverts, or general update materials must be available and sent out in the format of the customer’s choice. The Act does not limit the communication spectrum.
In terms of reasonable adjustment there are no hard and fast rules, no single solution. However, the production and availability of materials in the format selected by the customer and available across all communications is a good start.
As a general rule the more important the information the more vital that it is available quickly in alternative formats. For example:
- A change to an existing service which some or all customers will need to be aware of in order to take action.
- Essential information such a labeling, safety notices, evacuation procedures.
- Information from which important decisions will be made.
Contracts.- Confidential of personal information.
If the information concerns a product, offer or service that is only available for a limited period, and customers must respond quickly to take advantage of it, you will need to ensure that Visually Impaired customers are not disadvantaged by delays in the production of alternative formats.
However, since the DDA became law additional legislation and regulatory guidelines have come into effect.
In December 2007 the Disability Equality Duty became law. The main aim of the Disability Equality Duty is to get public authorities to think and act proactively on disability equality issues from the start. This will help them to identify from the beginning, where and how, unnecessary barriers are created to the equal participation of disabled users of their services as well as current and potential employees. This is not just about physical/sensory barriers but also barriers which are created by the way services, policies or practices are designed. Understanding these barriers will help ensure the public sector plays its full roll in enabling disabled people to participate in all aspects of society as equal citizens.
This duty is therefore aimed at ensuring, for the first time ever, that public authorities take responsibility for tackling institutional disability-related discrimination. This is a really exciting step-change compared to the individual rights focus of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). It is not about more individual rights; instead it is about improving public authorities’ policies and services as a whole for all disabled people.
The general duty applies to all public authorities (with a handful of specialised exceptions). This includes government departments, local authorities and schools. Voluntary and private sector organisations are also subject to the general duty where they are delivering services commissioned by public authorities.
This includes access to alternative formats.
The Financial Services Authority published guidelines under the heading “treating customers fairly.” Outcome 3 of this guidance was to ensure that “Consumers are provided with clear information and are kept appropriately informed before, during and after the point of sale.” The FSA argue the clear information is crucial to ensuring that consumers are treated fairly. In particular where consumers do not take advice and must rely on the clarity of information when making decisions. It states that “a firm must pay due regard to the information needs of its clients, and communicate information to them in a way which is clear, fair and not misleading.
This incorporates the provision of accessible formats.
When considering your current and future policies, procedures and practices, seeking merely to comply with the letter of the law is a high risk approach as the DDA is difficult to interpret. For example, working practices may be challenged in the courts and, until a body of case law is established, it would be imprudent to quibble over whether a customer is covered by the Act. Best practice is not only the most prudent option but it serves all of your customers to the best possible standard and does not discriminate between them. To work within the spirit of the Act is not only the best option for an individual company but for the end user who will remain loyal to you and recommend you to family and friends. The argument for adopting a best policy approach is not limited to the obeying the law but has its roots in commercial benefits and social responsibility.
Contact VST if you would like to know more about transcribing your documents into Braille or alternative formats.
Are you living your dream?
May 19, 2009
Marmite. Either love it or hate it. The same can be said for IT (that’s “information technology” before you get the wrong idea).
Just a few years ago I never thought I would have my dream job where I could work when I wanted (and needed) to, from wherever I was. Our technology really does help with a work/life balance. In this Computer Weekly article I share my “living the dream” experience.
Would flexible working times and places suit you? Would you like to be able to work remotely from your office, perhaps whilst mobile, and have a secretarial support service available 24 hours a day so you’re free to take the day off knowing you can ”catch up” in the evenings?
I’m interested to learn you views. Please leave a comment below.
Jayne
Widows and orphans can ruin your presentation
April 24, 2009
Widows and orphans are the terms used to describe a heading left on its own at the bottom of a page or a single line of a paragraph appearing at the top of a new page. Using widow/orphan control and Keep With Next codes ensures your documents are professional presented.
The Keep With Next code is a little known feature of Microsoft Word. The code is applied to a paragraph and used mainly for headings in a document to prevent them appearing on their own at the bottom of a page. Using the Keep With Next code means the document can flow without having to insert page breaks or empty line spaces, it will be less prone to errors in formatting and speeds up the process of producing professionally presented documents.
Word 2007: On the Home ribbon, click on the button to show the Paragraph dialogue box.
Word 2003: Click on Format-Paragraph
The option to choose Keep With Next appears on the Line and Page Breaks tab (pictured).
Increase your speed and use shortcut keys.
Press and hold the Alt key then press letters O, P, X.
If you use the show/hide feature (¶ button), you will see the small square dot at the beginning of your paragraph which means Keep With Next is applied.
If you liked this tip please leave a comment in the box at the bottom of this page.
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