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Original poster

Pay with Dict8 continued

992 replies

Chrissols · 07/06/2021 18:07

Hi all........

OP posts:
Gally123 · 30/06/2021 15:38

since my last post I have been without internet or phone (and no mobile, so feeling a bit isolated), hopefully things have been fixed, they seem better though perhaps not 100%.

@Meha5a - yes, my sister changed to BT about a year ago and has had no problems since (she has previously been with both Sky and Virgin).

Gally123 · 03/07/2021 15:56

@Chrissols - I was looking to buy a new laptop, I've looked at a couple but one my niece said was not an improvement on what I have now in terms of speed and memory/storage etc, and the one I looked at this morning in JL had awful keyboard and not enough ports to plug in keyboard and mouse and foot peddle. The man in JL suggested I look at an all in one, or a tower plus monitor, so I have come home to think about it. However, looking online the separate monitors say they have no speakers and the all in one that the man suggested has customer review saying the sound is awful! I just wondered what you used as you have a tower and monitor I think. (My old computer with tower has speakers at the side.) Thanks

Original poster
Chrissols · 03/07/2021 16:09

@Gally123 I use a Lenova all in one from Curry's. It's great, no tower as it is all in one so very space saving and minimalistic. It has speakers and 8g storage, and 6 ports at the back. It hardly takes any desk space as on a metal stand, the most space is for the keyboard. They still have them in Curry's/PC world, maybe just take a look on-line and see what you think. The screen is 22". It really is the best desktop for use and looks that I have had so far.

OP posts:
Gally123 · 03/07/2021 16:24

@Chrissols - Thanks, however I have a Lenovo tablet and it would not switch on about three months after I got it, my niece sorted it so that I could use it but it put me off the brand esp as their customer service was useless and suggested I did something which wiped off all my holiday photos (whereas my niece said I could have linked it to my laptop and transferred them even though the tablet would not switch on). The one I looked at in JL was HP and it had 4 ports at the back and a nice screen but now since readers the reviews I am worried about the sound. (since Freeview changed their channels or something my TV does not work so I use my laptop to watch BBC/ITV etc). Also reviews mention a noisy fan.

By the way - my holiday to Guernsey has been deferred to next year now as there was not enough numbers for the trip to operate this year, a shame, however there should be no problem next year as my first choice date was fully booked already for 2022. I have now booked 5 days in the Cotswalds for this year instead.

Original poster
Chrissols · 03/07/2021 16:43

@Gally123, yes I understand if you have had a bad experience with a brand you stay away. I can only say good things about Lenovo as 'touch wood' it hasn't let me down in the 20 months I've had it. Shame about your holiday, but it will be lovely in the Cotswalds, when do you go?

OP posts:
Gally123 · 03/07/2021 16:55

@Chrissols - I go to the Cotswalds mid September. As it is only 5 days (incl one day travel each way) I might try for another short break in October - I looked at one to Hastings but I would need to get to the town centre pick up by 6.30am and not back until 10.20pm so not sure (it would be easier if the pick ups were from home and having to get buses in and out with luggage, but just considering).

Considering the weather is rather wet and windy and at the moment and not very summery, I hope it will be better later in the year!

Original poster
Chrissols · 03/07/2021 18:37

@Gally123 we often get an Indian summer in September so fingers crossed for you. Nonetheless, a break is a break and just lovely to get away for a few days isn't it. It's also nice to have a break to look forward to. We are still booked for Turkey in October, but if it stays red we have no idea where we will be going......anywhere that's green, or even amber - so it's all a bit of a mystery at the moment....

OP posts:
Gally123 · 03/07/2021 18:45

@Chrissols, yes not knowing if the Guernsey trip was going ahead was beginning to stress me, as every time I emailed in to ask I was told "decision next week" and then after no contact I would email again and told "decision next few days," after last year I was cancelled at the last minute and only found out via the hotel as the (different) company did not tell me, so I am pleased to have something definite planned. 5 days are better than 0 days and the hotel looks nice. And I have my trip next year to look forward to!

I liked Turkey, lots to see.

Gally123 · 04/07/2021 14:04

Has anyone filled in their self-assessment tax form yet? I think @danblack87 mentioned something earlier, I am wondering about the question on "services under contract" - it does not mention zero hours contracts in the explanation - but I often the explanations are more confusing that the questions! I suppose if I get it wrong I can change it!
It does say it is a new question and the layout does look different to previous years.....

danblack87 · 04/07/2021 14:33

@Gally123: My accounts ready for my tax advisor - he does all that for me. He was supposed to collect on 29th June but he got 'lost' on the way ... Don't know how he managed that as he has been coming here for over 8 years!! LOL

Gally123 · 04/07/2021 14:38

@danblack87 - it is a nightmare! Have no idea what I am doing!!!

danblack87 · 04/07/2021 14:42

@gally123 - I am glad I leave it to the Tax Advisor ... I would just not have the patience, time or no-how Blush

Gally123 · 04/07/2021 17:26

I did my usual query and asked on Twitter and received the reply "Are you self- employed?" Um - that's why I am doing the self - assessment form? So replied "yes, under zero hours contract" and then got the reply "Have you completed your form now?" so if the HMRC employees don't know what the questions relate to and how to fill the form in what chance is there for the rest of us?

Original poster
Chrissols · 08/07/2021 13:35

So very quiet on here......everyone is really busy these days compared to a few months ago 😊😊

OP posts:
Meha5a · 08/07/2021 13:56

Busy getting nowhere @Chrissols !!!! 🙄 the earning potential has gone downhill and am seriously thinking about something else at this point.

Original poster
Chrissols · 08/07/2021 14:36

@Meha5a do you mean the quality of the dictations?

OP posts:
danblack87 · 08/07/2021 15:05

@meha5a: sorry to hear you are having difficulties ... I have found that my earning potential has gone up over the last three or so weeks.

Meha5a · 08/07/2021 15:34

Yes, sadly it seems my week to get all the crap !!!

Gally123 · 08/07/2021 17:01

@Meha5a - my dictations with DICT8 are awful at the moment, hence I have done very little work for them recently. However, Tpro dictations are loud and clear (mostly, a few with the odd background noise), even with the lower rate for VR I am finding I am earning a decent amount at the moment and there is plenty of work.

carosel2 · 08/07/2021 18:38

@Meha5a - I totally agree with you ive lots of work over 100 tasks showing all day but they are shocking dictation and im making less than I did when it was quiet. I agree with @Gally123 - Im fortunate too to have Tpro as like you say even on the lower rate I can make more with them as the doctors are clear and easy to understand. Im doing more Tpro because I just dont get it with DICT8. I seemed to have been dumped all the same people who seem to be doing clinic after clinics day in day out who cant string a sentence together. The task numbers are going down but my account sees nothing but shite! I finish one clinic then its replaced by another disgusting iliterate doc and so on and so on. Its taking so long to fathom out any of the letters. I get odd one where they start off okay then half way through they lose the bloody plot. Im absolutely sick of it. Im not suprised the secretaries are sending the work to DICT8 to transcribe, I would too. Theres one who constantly speaks to her secretary giving instructions that has nothing to do with a letter for the patient. This doc has been on months. Surely by now she.must know the secretary doesnt type her tasks but us guys...and then the feed back starts! Honestly they really need to start giving feedback to the doctors who are producing such rubbish. But I cant get past nothing. Since the work started flowing with lots of tasks coming in im lucky to earn £10 a day. @Meha5a why dont you apply to Tpro?

Original poster
Chrissols · 09/07/2021 08:16

Interesting how specialties are so different, I am the same as @danblack87 in that my earning potential has gone up so am very lucky, though not taking it for granted as am aware how quickly things can change. @Meha5a, @carosel2 is right, why not apply to Tpro, they are recruiting at the moment and they always have loads of work

OP posts:
Gally123 · 09/07/2021 08:38

I logged onto DICT8 one morning this week to be faced with five dictations (from two dictators) where it was impossible to hear anything clearly. The next morning I logged on - the same five dictations were there. Nothing had changed in 24 hours. I am beginning to wonder why I even bother logging on. Have barely typed anything with DICT8 this week as the quality is atrocious.

Lovemydaxie · 09/07/2021 08:40

I'm the same as @carosel2. Over lockdown one of my busiest specialities all but disappeared and I was left with the other ones which usually I get less of, but that are usually beautifully clear and a pleasure to type so I was whizzing through them. Now that things are getting more back to normal, the disappeared speciality has come back with a vengeance, including horrendous, difficult to understand dictation. Like you @carosel2, sometimes there are 100 files sitting on the system, but I've got 5 horrors on my page that everyone keeps throwing back in. I am earning a lot less than I was over lockdown. I've actually had to take a part time job for the first time in 30 years of being self-employed!

carosel2 · 09/07/2021 09:47

@Lovemydaxie - I wonder if we have one of the same specialities? Why dont you try Tpro too? They are lovely to work for. Its so unfair, and like @Gally123 says they arent shifting (but we know why dont we). The many tasks eventually dissapear by morning only to be replaced by the dregs. The clinics im getting are constantly from same people so they are defo shoved in front line on my account. I dont remember when I worked in the hospital that a doctor got clinic after clinic like this day in day out so its obvious backlog dictation as some of the clinic dates are back in mid June. Ive same people too so where have my nice ones gone. Dict8 have many clients, im typing for a handful of doolallies! Grin

Lovemydaxie · 09/07/2021 10:19

@carosel - it does sound like we have similar specialities. I applied to Tpro a few months back and never heard anything back from them. The part time job I am doing is suiting me fine for the moment, but I'll probably retire from that in a couple of years and go back to transcription work from home full-time'ish again so I'll probably try Tpro again then. Like you, I can't believe, with the amount of dictation that's on there just in my specialities, why I get the same dreadful doctors over and over again. They seem to do a phenomenal amount of the work. I just wish it didn't all come my way!