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10 myths about digital dictation

By Ian Garratt, Technical Project Lead & Employee Director, Voice Technologies

Posted on October 30, 2023

The capabilities of digital dictation are advancing every year. Such tech can be daunting to newcomers- or for the sake of the season, downright scary.

But when it comes to digital dictation, there’s nothing to be afraid of. In today’s blog, we hope to put your mind at ease by debunking 10 of the most common myths regarding this technology. And, in the process, we’ll be outlining just how much digital dictation could boost your organisation’s productivity.

Myth #1: digital dictation can be complex and overwhelming

If your understanding of specific tech is limited, it’s only natural to assume said tech is complex, and will require hours of training. But these platforms are designed to be as user-friendly as possible.

This means that entire organisations can benefit from the technology- not just IT experts. If you feel like you would benefit from automated transcriptions, very little prior knowledge is required.

Myth #2: digital dictation is too expensive

It’s true that there will typically be initial costs associated with purchasing this technology, from the software to the physical equipment. But it’s far from prohibitively expensive; in fact, the tech actually serves to save you money in the long run, as well as time.

The systems on offer can massively boost the efficiency of your organisation, far outweighing your initial investment.

Myth #3: limited applications

While there are a number of digital dictation programmes designed for specific industries, like healthcare and law firms, the technology can be beneficial for many different types of organisations. There are a wide range of tasks that can be expedited, including note-taking, content creation, and the input of data.

Myth #4: incompatible with existing tech

Few would invest in new software unless they knew, for a fact, that said software would be compatible with the programmes they already use. Luckily, modern solutions are designed to work seamlessly with every common operating system and application- but you should still double check before making any purchases.

Myth #5: voice recognition isn’t accurate enough

For most people, the extent of their experience with voice recognition technology is asking Alexa for a song to play. If you’ve ever made such a request and your speaker has played an entirely different song, then you may wonder how you can trust this technology with your organisation’s daily operations.

The truth is very simple: the tech used by digital dictation software is far superior. The accuracy of speech recognition has improved significantly over the years, and will only continue to do so. Thanks to AI, these programs can even learn local accents.

Myth #6: mobility is limited

Most programmes feature mobile applications, allowing users to dictate and transcribe on the go. This is particularly handy for organisations that allow their staff to work outwith the office- and, since the pandemic, that’s been quite a lot of companies.

Myth #7: digital dictation could be more secure

All organisations must be on the ball when it comes to sensitive information. Reputable providers of this software offer encryption, and a number of other security measures that help protect user data.

Myth #8: lack of control

Some also fear that by allowing their work to be automated, they’re losing control of that work as a result. In reality, users have complete control over the dictation process. And, if there are any mistakes, these can be swiftly corrected.

Myth #9: limited options

When it comes to daily operations, not every company works in the same way. These systems offer a number of settings and features, each of which can be tailored to the preferences and requirements of your organisation.

Myth #10: outdated technology

Some might assume that because their company has never utilised this technology in the past, that means the tech is outdated, even obsolete. But these programmes are constantly evolving, adapting to the fluctuating needs of organisations, and can be integrated with most modern tools and services.

Conclusion

An understanding of these common misconceptions can help organisations, and individuals, to make more informed decisions when considering digital dictation as a productivity tool. By exploring all available options and staying up to date with advancements in this tech, you can leverage the benefits of digital dictation to boost the productivity, and efficiency, of your organisation.

We help organisations reduce the time and cost of producing correspondence via information workflow apps, speech recognition software, and digital dictation hardware & software. If you think we could help your business, book a consultation today.

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