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Original poster

Pay with Dict8

999 replies

juju1507 · 09/03/2015 09:19

I have been working s/e with Dict8 for 3 years now and my payment by cheques are arriving later and later. My last cheque arrived 8 days after it was issued and I noticed they are now sending cheques second class. Does anyone else work for Dict8 on here and, if so, are you finding that your cheque is arriving much later than it used to? I have direct debits set up deliberately for the middle of the month in order that my cheque would have cleared in time but now I am worrying that even by 15th of each month the cheque will not have cleared. Sorry for the ramble but just curious if others have noticed this.

OP posts:
Chrissols · 20/04/2020 11:35

Oh that sounds terrible. What would you say is the safe amount to refresh? did they give you any idea?

Gardeninggirl56 · 20/04/2020 13:37

I think she said around 40 to 50 refreshes per minute was okay, but I am now just being extra careful about the whole thing.

Original poster
juju1507 · 20/04/2020 14:53

Has anyone had any work today? I've managed two tasks, I thought things were supposedly going to get better with virtual clinics? Wishful thinking perhaps.
I didn't know about this refresh thing either. How can refreshing be a security risk?? I think Dict8 are telling more porkies again. They are a strange company when it comes to relations with their transcribers, they don't really care do they. I have found T-Pro to be the exact opposite and really helpful and they have an online chat system if you have a problem with a letter, they have been nothing but professional and friendly - shame they have next to no work at the moment though...

Stay safe all.

OP posts:
smiffypeabrain · 20/04/2020 15:16

On gosh IamVictoria, I do hope I haven't posted anything that might have offended, and please continue to post. My frustrations are purely with the work available at the moment - the boat we are now all in and the concern for how long we all might be here. I think the uncertainty is getting to everyone. I have found it really helpful having your voice particularly as someone can give both a proof-reading point of view and typist.

I was happy to see that the thread had re-ignited as it has taken away that feeling of invisibility that I had with WFH.

Also, it has been really helpful to see the responses received from DICT8 when they are Emailed.

I did smile a little though about the refreshes though. Not about having accounts frozen, obviously, but I thought I was overdoing it when I refresh about once or twice every 30 seconds. Wow, am I a small fry refresher - I need to up my clicks!

smiffypeabrain · 20/04/2020 15:18

same here JuJu, 2 today, £2.20. Advances on 2, anyone?

Gally123 · 20/04/2020 15:24

I have had a few tasks today, but as I commented before, every day seems to be less and less. I am not going to earn enough to cover my bills this month.

Also I agree that DICT8 tell porkies and treat their typists as if we are all idiots. I did not know about refreshing problems, however I can see that they may view it as a hacking issue if there is software available that refreshes for you (whatever next?). They don't care about their typists as there are plenty of others out there wanting/needing work.

Just a final suggestion/reminder, not sure if it was previously on this thread or a similar one, but someone posted to advise people to be careful what they post with regard to disclosing information about themselves that DICT8 (or other people/employers etc) may be able to use to identify them, as there is nothing to stop anyone registering with this service.

JanSil · 20/04/2020 17:39

@Gally123, I agree about DICT8. They are definitely reading this thread and reacting to it and also trying to decipher who is posting. You cannot use other software on their site. How many people do you suppose they singled out and approached about 'pretend click-gate' hoping they would then post on here about it just so they could find out who they are

Gally123 · 20/04/2020 17:52

@JanSil that is why I never disclose what my specialties are, or exactly how many.

There was one company, I forget who, who brazenly posted on these threads saying 'come and work for us, we're better' or words to that effect, but Mumsnet management deleted the posts every time for breaking rules.

heather128 · 21/04/2020 21:54

Click-gate is very strange. I could imagine their servers crashing but surely that would affect the entire site for everyone?

Yes, be careful about giving personal information out, the email from James shows they are reading this thread.

But I do agree there is some paranoia on here. I don't think they farm out tasks to certain transcribers only. It would be more hassle than it's worth. If they don't like you they'd just close your account.

I have experienced the system glitching a couple of times in the past, where suddenly you see over 1000 tasks (probably the filter failing) but it goes within seconds.

Chrissols · 22/04/2020 09:11

@heather128 how lovely would it be to see 1000 tasks and know it was correct.......Yesterday was the slowest day yet for me, really hope things start improving soon

Gally123 · 22/04/2020 10:00

Monday was the worse day for me, yesterday slightly better and I had thought that maybe last couple of weeks some doctors had taken an Easter holiday as usual and were now back at work. Still only earning about half what I would normally do but Monday was down to a third.

Still only seeing one task at a time even though dictators talk about doing a "clinic" so I really cannot believe that typists get to see all the tasks available, they must be being filtered somehow with a clinic of 20-30 patients spread over 20-30 typists hence we only get one each and which task we get allocated is a lottery, otherwise we would see more available tasks, even if only briefly.

Chrissols · 22/04/2020 18:16

Today was even less for me than yesterday

heather128 · 24/04/2020 12:40

That's true, but keep in mind that hospital secretaries may be doing the bulk of the typing themselves and only uploading what they couldn't get through to DICT8.

DICT8 just want to get letters returned to doctors as soon as possible. Might be wrong, but I can't see them going to the trouble of maintaining a list of their favourite typists who may or may not be available to do work. This is a company who can't even get the spell checker to work properly.

homeworkmum · 24/04/2020 14:39

Well I have to say I am speechless. When I first found this post a few months ago I was delighted. However, that didn't last long and until about two weeks ago I stayed away. What a shock I got on my return. The personal attacks, the paranoia, the accusations OMG. Ladies (and possibly gents) yes we all need somewhere to vent but this is getting ridiculous. I have even found a post commenting that I am not really a transcriber because I made reference to putting applicants off. Before you attack me, please read the posts just before my last - they were specifically from people interested in applying that decided not to after reading the thread. Well done! Oh and just to clarify I am a transcriber and I am struggling for work like everybody else. Please ladies (and gents) stop the nonsense - can we not just be nice :)

Meha5 · 24/04/2020 17:24

I think things maybe took a turn in the wrong direction when a blurred image of the typing speed appeared to justify the amount of tasks acquired this month - IMO it was a bit high-handed.

Chrissols · 27/04/2020 09:17

Does anyone know how many transcribers there actually are? Would be interesting to know.

Gally123 · 27/04/2020 09:52

@Chrissols - do you mean those working full time? Or including those who just work now and again, at the weekends or in the evenings after they have done their day jobs and/or child care etc?

Chrissols · 27/04/2020 09:55

@Gally123 I was just curious as to how many of us there are scrabbling for work at the moment.

Gally123 · 27/04/2020 10:08

@Chrissols - I think it varies, probably more than usual with other avenues such as T-Pro and Accuro not having any work. I can never decide whether school holidays affects available typists as much as doctors taking holidays - do other Mums work less when their children are home? Take holidays away elsewhere (when they can).

Also I think it varies as to specialty - some specialties have more typists and some typists type for multiple specialties.

But I think it must be a lot as if there were not the volume of people working full time DICT8 would not be able to function on a normal day to day basis.

Chrissols · 27/04/2020 14:37

Is anyone else not seeing any tasks today? Just checking my machine is working ok as haven't seen a task for hours, not even one that gets grabbed like lightening?

Gally123 · 27/04/2020 15:08

I have done a few, but I have found the last couple of weeks that Monday is the worst day of the week, and generally in the afternoons there is nothing after lunch until about 4 pmish, then only a few and it stops about 5.30 pm whereas previously I could easily type until 6pm or longer.

Chrissols · 27/04/2020 15:30

I haven't seen any this afternoon and wondered if there was a problem at my end, although I don't think there is.

Gardeninggirl56 · 28/04/2020 10:19

Apparently, 4500 workers, as told to me recently

Chrissols · 28/04/2020 10:46

Good grief, that's a huge amount!!

Gally123 · 28/04/2020 10:59

Just had a quick look at the specialty list, just over 50 in the list so that makes about 90 typists per specialty, although if the 4500 workers includes proofreaders and office staff in London that would make it less than 90, but then some typists have more than one specialty. However, quite a few are casual typists, I know one lady who only types a few times month (she works in the local hospital by day and also works as a private secretary in the evenings). So possibly nearer 50-60 people per specialty during the day by my rough guess.