OutSec charge on a per-minute basis. Depending on the nature and the quality of sound, speech and number of voices, the cost should be 100p per recorded minute for standard single voice dictation. Or put another way, a 10 minute dictated report should cost £10+VAT. For a more detailed costing check out our QuickQuote.

You can pay in a variety of ways. Quickest and easiest is online bank transfer. Online payment is possible through PayPal or credit card. We can also accept cheques.

You will require a digital sound recorder or a mobile phone such as a Blackberry or iPhone. Check the Equipment page out, or if you already have an iPhone then click here to see our Dictamus application which will convert your mobile into a digital recorder.

 

Any system you get should create files in a .dss, .wav, .mp3 or .wma format. Do not be fooled by cheap digital recorders - they are practically useless for transcription purposes. OutSec can give additional advice and we recommend suppliers who are familiar with OutSec FileManager - visit our Digital Explained Page for more details of digital dictation specialists.

 

No additional software is required to use OutSec FileManager other than a JavaScript program that will run as a one-time install on your local PC. This should not conflict with any other programs on your PC and should not clash with any anti-virus or firewall programs. Those users on a network may need to get permission from their administrator before installing and may need to set up OutSec as a trusted site. Access to your secure area on FileManager is by a browser such as IE 7, Mozilla FireFox or Opera. You do need internet connection, and an email account is useful for file receipt confirmations but not essential. OutSec produces completed work in Word 2002 but we can make work backwards-compatible if you have an older version installed. Contact the Technical Support Department on 0870 243 0295 for further information.

No additional software is required to use OutSec FileManager other than a JavaScript program that will run as a one-time install on your local PC. This should not conflict with any other programs on your PC and should not clash with any anti-virus or firewall programs. Those users on a network may need to get permission from their administrator before installing and may need to set up OutSec as a trusted site. Access to your secure area on FileManager is by a browser such as IE 7, Mozilla FireFox or Opera. You do need internet connection, and an email account is useful for file receipt confirmations but not essential. OutSec produces completed work in Word 2002 but we can make work backwards-compatible if you have an older version installed. Contact the Technical Support Department on 0870 243 0295 for further information.

Speech recognition works for those people with a high degree of computer literacy who are not reliant on secretarial support. It requires a large amount of patience and processor power to train the voice recognition programme. A glass of wine can alter speech patterns dramatically, as can a cold or cough. Typing skills are still essential for proofing the work and only basic templates can be used. If your own time is not better utilised elsewhere then it may be for you. If you suffer from "time-poverty! then OutSec is your solution.

A question we are asked many times! It is a combination of things that make the OutSec service unique - a personal relationship between dictator and PA secretary, the passion for excellence and eye for detail, investment in the very best technology and a warm human element all go together to make the OutSec experience a polite, professional and pleasant one. Our care enables a real relationship to develop between client and typist. OutSec becomes a natural extension of your existing office.

For further information, follow our quick link to:
Why OutSec?

OutSec has no minimum charge. There are no contracts, no fees, no monthly charges. OutSec charge on a per-minute basis, calculated on length of dictation. It is a true pay-as-you-go service with complete flexibility. The pricing model is based on length of time spoken. Imagine it just like a mobile phone bill.

For further information, follow our quick link to:
Rates and Services

You will receive an email notification as soon as work is received by FileManager and another confirmation email when work is delivered back to the same secure password-protected area. Your work will always go to the same secretary whenever possible for the sake of continuity. You can be notified at two different email addresses at the same time, for example at work and home.

If you already have the digital recorder then your account can be set up in less than 10 minutes. You will be issued with a log-in name and password to your own secure area of FileManager. If necessary our IT department will help you configure your settings over the telephone. You may then upload dictated sound files to OutSec. To view the log-in page, click here.

OutSec recommends training for all pilot projects. Digital transcription from OutSec will become a vital part of your workflow management and it is crucial that implementation is as smooth as possible. OutSec will tailor a program to suit the way you work and the type of work generated. This may take the form of on-site or remote learning. At the end you will have access to your very own transcription service.

For further information, follow our quick link to:
Corporate roll-out

No to both questions.  You can provide templates which will be stored and amended as required. OutSec can replicate all the formatting in your office. We can also integrate with case management programmes. We can also, on request, store information within templates. This avoids repetition of standard addresses, phrases, key words etc. OutSec employs sophisticated add-in programmes such as custom dictionaries and online postcode search systems as well as autotext and autocorrect which can all be added to client templates.

No. The beauty of outsourcing is that it is a facility that you use when you need it. Obviously the more you use OutSec, the better your secretary will become at understanding your special requirements.

We send invoices out at the end of the month. They are fully detailed with a per-line entry for each sound file received and the time taken for transcription. Terms are due on receipt for the first three months and then net 30 days

OutSec has teams of British secretaries and PA typists around the world, covering North America, Europe and Australasia. Head Office is in Norfolk, England and more than 80% of our staff are UK-based. You will be able to pick up a phone and speak during office hours to someone in the UK who handles your account. All our typists have English as their first language and are highly experienced and qualified former secretaries and PAs with at least 5 years experience in their chosen field. The ability to draw upon the whole world for potential secretaries means that OutSec can choose the very best.

OutSec does not use any typing facilities in the Indian sub-continent, nor is it the intention to do so. We are emphatically a British company operating under British law. OutSec secretaries will have first-hand experience of the British system, be it legal, medical, chartered surveying, estate agency or any other commercial sector. This invaluable knowledge and insight allows OutSec to maintain the high level of accuracy and quality of work required by our clients. A suitable financial compensation is paid to reward this experience. If you want cheap sweat-shop labour rates, try another website!

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Our philosophy

We are 100% British and a UK registered limited company with full UK VAT status. The head office is based in Norfolk, England. To contact us please send to 17 High Street, Downham Market, Norfolk PE38 9DA. There is also a department in America. The name comes from OUTsource SECretarial Services Limited which we felt was a little too long for the internet!

Digital transcription is a new technology but OutSec has been there from the beginning. We became a limited company in 2002. OutSec was recognised in 2004 and 2005 for its innovative approach by the DTI and won an E-Commerce Award in each year for the use of teleworking. OutSec has won many other awards over the last few years including ones from Barclays and BT.

A large number of clients use OutSec for sensitive work. All our secretaries are bound by a Confidentiality Agreement. Sensitive work is processed in-house at Head Office on non-networked PCs by prior arrangement. No data is held and all files are deleted 40 days after work is completed.

OutSec Limited complies with The Data Protection Act. No data relating to the recordings is held and all files are automatically deleted from the FileManager server 40 days after work is completed. This includes the original recording and the completed file(s).  All completed work must be collected before the 40-day period. It is not possible to recover or resend work after this date.

The FileManager page is protected by Thawte. Thawte is trusted by millions of people worldwide. An SSL certificate is issued and shown on the login page. Rigorous authentication methods and a global infrastructure to support real-time certificate look-ups ensure that you are safe when logging in to OutSec FileManager. For more information please visit www.thawte.com. Additional levels of security are available - please contact the technical department for more information.

OutSec has a strong commitment to the vitally important issue of climate change. See our Green Policy Statement for more details.

You can read them on our Terms and Conditions page.

See OutSec privacy statement page.

A number of clients use OutSec for translation work. All major and many minor languages are covered. Rates vary so please call to discuss with your head of department.

For further information, follow our quick link to:
Translation

OutSec has a business partner, Answer-4U, which provides this service at a discounted rate for our clients. See their page on this website Answer4U for more details.