Pay with Dict8

[juju1507]

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.

[skatergirl222]

Hi Gally, It is an olympus RS27 or RS28. I have tried IE, chrome, Firefox, Edge and none of them will install the software. I have always used Chrome for my DICT8 work but recently I cant open the tasks on Chrome so I have to use IE or Firefox. I think I tried the download from Olympus and it didn't help.

[Gally123]

An Olympus will not work in Chrome with windows 10 (maybe with Windows 7). It should work in Internet Explorer but you will probably need the same software from Olympus my niece downloaded for me when I had problems. Sorry I don't know what it is called but it was from the Olympus website and was free. ( I don't suppose they have more than one footswitch software).

[skatergirl222]

Hi Gally, thanks for your help. I have had a look on the Olympus website but cannot seem to find the software tool. I will try again later when I have got a bit more time. If you niece has a link that would be treat. Everything works find on Windows 8! I wish Microsoft would leave things alone.

[Gally123]

Skatergirl222, sorry I don't know anything about Windows 8, or the Express Scribe you mentioned. I too hate updates from Microsoft as they make unnecessary changes that bollux up stuff. I am on my third foot pedal now. The first one stopped suddenly and my laptop refused to recognise it as existing. So other than uninstalling the Express scribe you mentioned as a check (do you need this for another company?) you could check that the foot pedal has not developed a fault.

[skatergirl222]

I am going to try and uninstall express scribe, download dict8, and then reinstall express scribe. I am like a dog with a bone. I just hope I dont have to purchase express scribe once I have uninstalled it.

[illusionofcontrol]

For those who think the proofreaders (or DICT8ors as I like to call them) have been fired I can assure you this is not the case. They have been on my back since December last year, literally checking every single task I do!

It seems to me that despite flooding my inbox with patronising emails saying they are 'absolutely thrilled' with the standard of my work, they appraise negatively - they only care about the number of mistakes you make, the amount of work you do for them or the crappiness of the dictation never figures into the equation. Thus a 99% accurate typist who puts in over 40 hours a week gets hounded, whereas a less accurate typist who only does a couple of letters a month escapes the scrutiny.

I say this because in the past when I have found myself on the 'most wanted list' I've stopped working for them full time and very quickly found myself back in favour. Unfortunately I'm now back to being constantly scrutinised. I get the emails pointing out every little thing, and even telling me off for not correcting mistakes that the doctor actually dictated!

What caused the level of monitoring to skyrocket? Oh that's right THEY asked me to do another speciality because they were desperate. Well it's the last time I'm doing them any favours. And as for the email asking us to recruit for them, what a joke! Due to the way they treat me I actively tell people who express interest not to work for them, because as others have said they would not get away with this kind of harassment in a 'real' workplace.

[Gally123]

Are the DICT8 proof readers on some sort of bonus/productivity pay if they find more 'mistakes'? I have had an email correcting my typing - dictated by the usual non-English as first language etc - saying it should be "he is a non-smoker" and I put "he does not smoke" - or it might have been the other way around, I was rather incensed and just deleted it. If all you can hear is "n- smoke" it seems rather petty to add a comment "I am unsure of this phrase" - and on the question of comments - which we are not paid for (is this legal, expecting people to do unpaid work?) and therefore leave out the kindness of our hearts I was also told that my message (or similar that I have left many times before) asking nicely, using 'please' and 'thank you' not to walk around when dictating but to talk into the handset as we cannot hear if they move around' was removed. I expect they tell the doctors that their handsets are all super-duper and can pick up sounds miles away; I know when I worked at our local hospital and they were considering voice recognition that was what we were told.

[wirethorn]

For Gally123 - your post 21-Oct-18 about proofreaders

Rule No. 1 when working for DICT8 - do absolutely NOTHING out of the kindness of your heart. It will not be appreciated.

In fact, if your laudable effort to make the best of a pig's ear of dictation falls into the hands of a proofreader with poorer language skills than your own, who therefore feels threatened by your ability, you'll just receive a critical comment to keep you in your place.

[ElleBee56]

I've just been reading through some of the comments to remind myself that I'm not the only one that gets annoyed with Dict8. Recently they have been blocking work due to the fact that there have been tasks on the system that have been there for some time that clearly no-one wants to type. These are usually meetings or interviews where there are several people speaking, sometimes all at the same time, which are truly horrendous! I have no doubt that there would be more notes in the comments box, for which we don't get paid, than on the actual page. In the meantime work is piling up until someone either takes on the task or Dict8 remove it long enough for the other work to be caught up. There also seems to have been an increase in work coming from other countries which wouldn't be a problem if the people dictating spoke clearly. Whilst I admire anyone who speaks English as a second language some of the accents are very difficult to understand. In addition to this I've noticed that we have gone back to our cheques being sent out by 2nd class mail. I just can't see any reason why Dict8 won't pay by BACS. A friend who also works for Dict8 was told that apparently they would have to train someone to do this! I've never worked for any other company that pays by cheque. Rant over but not sure whether I actually feel any better for it!

[juju1507]

I started this original thread and nothing has changed has it? It is so true that the more you type the more you are picked up. Apparently on my last letter I transcribed I added two unnecessary carriage returns after yours sincerely - when I queried this I was told that it confuses the secretaries at the other end?? what the hell is that all about!! Also I get the 'ump when I'm told it is something different to what I have typed - how do they know they haven't heard it incorrectly and I have in fact typed correctly. Trouble is there is no come back at all and they continue to treat us with no common courtesy or respect at all. Basically if you don't like it don't work for us - that is the impression I get anyway. I am working back in the NHS now and only do as and when I want to with Dict8. Mind you I did add Veterinary to my repertoire, ha ha I just google all the medicines I don't know!! Happy New Year to you all and don't let the buggers grind you down!

[Gally123]

As well as the problems of finding a bank in which to pay a cheque (I know post offices should as well but my local one closed down and when I did try to use them for this it was a lot of bother) I also have to go into town to find a library to print my invoices as I do not own a printer. (I did years ago but now find it is not worth it for the ink etc, that dries up if not used). I know I can claim the bus fares and the printing costs back on my tax but sometimes I get there to find the computers and/or printers are not working, or the person on the till cannot work it to give a receipt! Plus I can only go into town on a Saturday so my invoices are sometimes done early and I have to 'guess' what I will type up to the end of the month, or done a day or two late. It would be so much better - quicker and easier as well as more accurate - if we could email our invoices in to them.

[wirethorn]

Happy New Year to you all !

Did anyone else see the announcement that Uber lost the case they put to the Court of Appeal (hearing took place 30-31 October 2018) after they'd lost a Court case arguing that their drivers were 'self-employed'?

Here's one announcement (20 December 2018):
www.crosslandsolicitors.com/site/cases/Uber-BV-v-Aslam-Court-of-Appeal-workers-gig-economy

Quoting from the above:
"The reality was that despite what the contracts said, the drivers were incorporated into the Uber business of providing transportation services, subject to arrangements and controls that did not point to a direct contractual relationship with the passenger every time and therefore away from the argument that they were working in business on their own account. Uber appealed.

The Court of Appeal, by a 2:1 majority, dismissed the appeal (Lord Justice Underhill, an eminent employment law judge and past President of the EAT, dissenting from the majority view)."
........
"The majority of the Court of Appeal held that these terms do not reflect the practical reality of the relationship and can therefore be disregarded. It relied on the 2011 Supreme Court decision in Autoclenz Ltd v Belcher which it saw as holding that a court can disregard the terms of any contract created by the employer in so far as it seeks to characterise the relationship between the employer and the individuals who provide it with services (whether employees or workers) in a particular artificial way."

Therefore it looks like the type of contract with Dict8 we had to sign saying we are 'self-employed' can be disregarded by a Court!

The announcement also says:
"Permission has been given for Uber to go to the Supreme Court."

The result of that will be interesting.

[user1493458352]

Anyone else getting constant nitpicking feedback from proof readers, even telling me the dictation was clear to hear, it might be on their machine but not mine, also re doctors name if I thought it was Richard not Richards why wld I raise a note using alt N. Am thinking do they have targets to reach for proofing as it’s been constant every day for the last two weeks.

[sepiol]

I believe the only way to get any changes from DICT8 would be through strike action. Of course their system makes it difficult for transcribers to communicate with each other but it could still be done via these forums.

It would be best to keep the demands simple - a few reasonable things like the option of being paid by BACS, an increased pay rate of say 9 or 10p a line, etc. Then we inform the company that they can expect to see a drop in typing turnover unless our demands are met. Perhaps action could take place on the 1st week of each month. If enough transcribers take part the management will take notice and it will be well worth it if we can get a pay rate increase.

Thoughts?

[Gally123]

Just read that they are thinking of putting the minimum wage up to £9! Would DICT8 increase their pay rate? It would have to increase a substantial amount!

I know the minimum wage does not apply to self-employed people but it might be that many typists might find it better to work elsewhere.

[sepiol]

I can't imagine they'd increase it unless forced to. When you think about it we've actually had pay cuts as there's no adjustment for inflation.
Problem is we're paid by the line rather than by the hour so it's hard to say whether it is minimum wage or not. I suppose you could look at the average typist's speed but it's also the quality of the dictation which slows you down and it seems to be getting worse and worse.

[Gally123]

sorry - I think I phrased that badly - when I said "they" I meant the government are thinking of putting up the minimum wage.

I think the pay with DICT8 is way out of line with what it should - I earn much less than I did in the hospital and the quality of the dictation is dire at times

I only continue (at present - there may come a time when I am forced to look for a job elsewhere. I know someone who did similar work and packed it all in to work at Sainsburys - much happier and although asked to go back to her slightly higher paid old job as her replacement is rubbish, she has said no) as it gives me flexibility as to when I work etc.

[ElleBee56]

Gally123 I agree with your comment about the dictation being dire. I'm finding a lot of it is so bad that I just don't do it. I'm wasting so much time listening to dictation that I can't understand and if I do pick it up I waste time re-winding and doing google searches to see if I can work out what's being said. Today I've typed something that had terrible background noise so I've had to leave lots of notes in the box which we don't get paid for. I love the fact that it gives us flexibility so we are not restricted to set working hours but I'm finding some days I'm earning very little. There is, of course, some very good dictation but it seems to be getting less and less. At my age I probably wouldn't get a job elsewhere. Had the government not moved the goalposts and increased our state pension age I'd be getting a pension now so would be able to continue doing this but without the worry that I'd have to make sure I earned enough to cover my rent and bills. I doubt we'll ever get an increase from 8p per line. It hasn't changed in all the years I've been with them.

[MPHDaddy]

Hey Juju, i had the same thing, i was working with them for ages and never got paid on time! I have done more and more work recently with Accuro, they pay into my bank and it is a life-saver. Babies and cashing a cheque is not a pretty day out!

[CharlotteA86]

Oh dear. I am in the middle of applying with Dict8. I wonder if I have made a mistake. The application itself has been rather difficult. I've really struggled to find myself a reference as I left the NHS in 2015. Has anything changed? I don't like the idea of someone forever dragging down my work.

[Freespirit19]

Hi all. I’m new to this forum and I’ve also just been accepted at Dict8 and just awaiting my transcriber agreement. I work full time in the NHS, but looking at reducing my hours and looking to work 2-3 days from home. I’m a little concerned that some members have said their salary is less than the minimum wage. What would you say your income is. Have I done the right thing?

[blueflinders]

I was just about to join DICT8 but having looked up reviews about this company, I have changed my mind. So thank you all for spending the time reviewing these fat cats!

[homeworkmum]

I hope its ok but felt the need to comment after seeing @blueflinders comment about a change of heart.
I signed up to DICT8 about four years ago after all our overtime (NHS in Scotland) was stopped. Yes I did get comments sent back to me, more in the beginning, once I got over it and decided to take the comments on board, things settled down - mostly as I got used the the way they wanted things done rather than what I was used to doing.
About 2 years ago due to family circumstances I had to give up my full-time job. At this time I signed up to two other transcribing companies - OMG was I in for a shock! One of them has a policy of 3 errors (or queries) in a letter and you are not paid (irrelevant of the quality of the dictation), the other was ok although the jobs were a bit shy and I quickly found out that if your face fits, you get all the nice dictations and the rest (rubbish) goes to anyone else. The only reason I continued with these companies was that the pay was via BACS. However, that being said enough was enough and after about six months I decided to only concentrate on DICT8.
Do I still get feedback - yes. Although I get annoyed its mostly at myself of missing something before I send it back.
Would I prefer to be paid by BACS - absolutely. However, now that I can scan my cheque via the bank app, its not much of an issue.
Is DICT8 perfect - absolutely not but what is???
I know we all like to vent from time to time (me probably more than most LOL) but I just felt disappointed that all the venting has actually put someone off - particularly as remote transcribing has been a life saver for me.
To quickly finish and directing to @Freespirit19 I was a band 4 secy in the NHS with 20+ years experience. On an ok month, I can match my previous salary but I have to be honest, you have to put the time in.
I hope my comments are acceptable on pages of venting. Anyway, time to earn some pennies.

[Freespirit19]

Thank you for that very positive outlook. I am currently doing this as overtime as well as my full time day job. I do agree you have to put the hours in to earn good money but I am enjoying it and I find the feedback constructive and I have taken note. I’ve also had a couple of really nice messages about the high standard of my work which definitely gave me a smile. Good luck