Transcription Tools: When Your Words Come Back to Haunt You
Aug 22, 2024
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Picture this: You're halfway through a riveting team meeting when you realize you forgot to hit the pause button on your transcription tool.
Suddenly, your quip about how trying to get the baby boomers to understand memes is like teaching a goldfish to do calculus is now forever etched into the meeting transcript. Cringe. Just the kind of cross-generational wisdom you wanted saved for posterity!
Today, we're diving into the wild world of meeting transcription software. Enter our unheard of contestants Fathom and Taciq: they capture every word, joke, and blunder in real-time, ensuring no moment slips through the cracks. Whether you're keeping business records, ensuring compliance, or just preserving your sarcasm for future generations, these tools have you covered.
These tools can offer high accuracy, seamless integration, and customizable transcriptions. They turn your spoken words into searchable, editable text. Perfect for ensuring everyone gets the meeting's action items automatically, saving you time and energy.
Our team put these platforms through the wringer over the course of 10 meetings per platform. We tested it on different devices and at various times of the day—because who doesn’t love a midnight transcribing experiment? Basically, we did all this to give you a rock-solid list of pros and cons. Check them out below!
Fathom
Fathom was founded in 2018 by a group of tech enthusiasts who were frustrated with the inefficiencies of traditional meeting documentation. Their eureka moment came over a brainstorming session, where they envisioned a tool that could magically transcribe meetings in real-time, capturing every idea and accidental quip. Fast forward to today, and Fathom has been transforming meetings for six years.
Top 5 Pros:
Video and written transcripts: Fathom instantly transcribes meetings, capturing every moment.
High Accuracy: Advanced AI ensures high accuracy, so your "annual report" doesn’t become "animal support."
User-Friendly Interface: Easy to navigate, even for the tech-averse. It can be a bit annoying because it pops up for every meeting.
Seamless Integration: Plays nicely with popular tools like Zoom and Teams, sparing you from playing the can you hear me now game.
Searchable Transcripts: Allows you to sift through transcripts with ease, pulls out key moments and summaries, perfect for finding out when you agreed to that impossible deadline.
Top 5 Cons:
Cost: We love the free version- we haven't hit a pay wall yet. However, the team version can be pricyrange from:
Standard $19 per user, per month
Pro $29 per user, per month
Occasional Errors: May misinterpret accents or technical jargon occasionally.
Data Security Concerns: First - Fathom has not had any data breaches. We site this as a general concern with cloud-based transcription services due to risks like unauthorized access and data breaches. Despite encryption and security measures, the inherent vulnerabilities of cloud storage require ongoing vigilance.
Requires Stable Internet: If your wifi can get dicey more often this will be a concern. Fathom needs a very stable internet connection for transcription.
Limited Offline Capabilities: Requires internet connection; does not support offline transcription.
Taciq
Taciq was established in 2020. This startup team, fueled by an insatiable love for AI and a disdain for missed meeting details, set out to create the ultimate transcription tool. In just four short years, they've made waves with their cutting-edge technology, turning chaotic meeting chatter into organized, searchable gold.
Top 5 Pros:
Affordable Pricing: Generally more affordable, making it accessible for smaller budgets. Offers a great trial that lets you have 10 free meeting recordings! Click here to sign up for an account.
Customizable Transcriptions: Tailor it to your heart's content to fit your specific needs or industry jargon in real-time. The AI and the user can mark action items and record followup tasks within the transcript. This is our favorite feature, you can spice up your emails with a nice "As per the meeting transcript, your name is next to that task.."
Multi-Platform Support: Works on just about any device and top CMS platforms (Salesforce, Zapier, etc), so you can transcribe and store transcripts where they matter most whether you're on your laptop, tablet, or smart fridge.
Offline Capabilities: Transcribes meetings even without an internet connection, proving once again that the internet is optional.
Detailed Analytics: Provides thorough analytics and insights, making performance reviews and decision-making a breeze.
Top 5 Cons:
Moderate Accuracy: We noticed accuracy had a significant drop in noisy environments. Unfortunately, we recommend avoid your local coffee shop or coworking space. When multiple people are speaking at the same time the transcripts became a bit of a guessing game.
Learning Curve: The interface takes some getting used to but can be customized. Fun fact: everyone in a Taciq meeting can pause their own transcript one the meeting has started. When we tested this, it turned into a game of "Who Paused the Transcript?"—pure chaos ensued. The only way to stop Taciq from transcribing is to hit the pause button at the start before anyone starts talking... definitely an issue for organization who have strict compliance policies
Limited Integration: Cue the collective sigh from developers and product managers. We get it, it's a startup thing. They’ve got integrations with the big names like Salesforce and HubSpot, but if you’re using lesser-known tools like Monday.com or Jira, get ready to join the product roadmap waitlist with no end in sight.
Manual Transcript Editing: Prepare to roll up your sleeves for some manual editing, especially if your meeting sounds like an advanced calculus class or a philosophical debate.
Data Security Concerns: Ah, the joys of cloud-based services. Your data might be as secure as a wet paper bag, despite encryption and security measures. Stay vigilant, because unauthorized access and data breaches are always lurking
So what's the best option for me?
Well, it depends on how much you value accuracy versus entertainment. If you enjoy finding gems like “I’ll circle back” being transcribed as “I’ll circus bat,” you might want to stick with the cheaper options. For those of you needing transcripts for business records and compliance reasons, investing in AI-driven options is a smart choice.
Tips for Avoiding Transcription Mishaps
The pause/stop button is your friend: use it wisely and often.
Clear Speech: Speak clearly and avoid mumbling, unless you want your “annual report” to become “cannibal sport.”
Check with your clients about policies recording and keeping notes with audio and visual recordings.
In the end, transcription tools are here to stay, and they’re only going to get better (or worse, depending on your perspective). So, choose your tool, watch your words, and always be prepared for a little digital mischief.
Have a transcription horror story of your own? Share it in the comments below! And don’t forget to subscribe for more tech musings, insights, and the occasional meme.
