Pay with DICT8 Extra Plus

[Whitestar55]

Hi all, has anyone else started a new thread yet?

Considering they don't have to pay employer's national insurance and pension contributions, holiday or sick pay, you would expect they would at least have the decency to offer a rate of pay that would compensate. After all, without the transcribers the companies wouldn't exist. We are basically employees in disguise, we are told how to do the work and of course expected to do some elements for free, and the only SE element of it is that we don't have to do it. The companies are onto a good thing, with little responsibility for the welfare of the bulk their workforces.

I thought it was good they sent an e-mail; updating a few things. My only concern was that the e-mail seemed a little out-dated; like it should have come earlier. Some of the gripes appear to be addressed and that is a good thing I think. Moving forwars ?!

I think I've reached the point where I can no longer do this boring low paid shit. Time to move on, but it may take some time 😩

"Moving forward" was expecting to see my cheque today been putting off going out till cheque arrive to save petrol/diesel😩.. has everyone rec'd theirs

@Whitestar55 I think we are on the same wavelength here - I think I would rather sit in traffic jams and put up with annoying work colleagues than endure much more of the shit that's on offer at DICT8 - oh and their lovely feedback and negativity. I had 5 on my list for hours the other day, tasks were moving around it but the same tasks were stuck on my list ??? All the tasks from somebody who had no clue on how to speak English let alone dictate a medical letter, I think I got them because I was able to complete one of the 30 second task (took 2 minutes) without filling up the note box, so no choice but to do and low and behold the shitty feedback started soon after. 🙄

@Cherryblossom114 I sent my invoice on 31st May and my cheque was received on 2nd June !!! ... took it post office on 3rd ... chase them up .. My cheque has not cleared yet due to Bank Holiday

@Meha5a I have not seen much movement in tasks today either ... It's like the 'pit and the pendulum. Had enough

@Meha5a Probably going to regret this but I haven't had any feedback for months [watch feedback coming in now!]. I try with notes but sometimes I just give up, and cancel the job .. it is so deflating. I don't have a choice to look elsewhere, unfortunately. I did a V. long job last week and it took hours with notes and such like. When I worked it out (from my past medical experience) I managed only £8/hour and it was thoroughly deflating and I thought 'Why am I bloody doing this with my experience'?

@danblack87 I feel you pain !!! the number of tasks I have had to send back halfway through because the dictation has deteriorated it's soul destroying. I have taken a few weeks off from DICT8 to have a good think about what to do workwise as my pay has deteriorated to what I was earning 15 years ago.

At the moment the proofreaders are probably concentrating on the new recruits.

They're on a massive recruitment drive at the moment. They have been advertising on Indeed every day for a week. Maybe they're not getting good response and think they should butter us regulars up.

Let's pray for the souls of the new recruits!!😂

Cheque 'processed' Wednesday, received today.
Email received (one typo noted lol) roll on next questionnaire!
Does anyone think someone at Dict8 reads these posts?

Most likely because every so often we get a poster who tries to control the narrative and silence us.

Thanks everyone, I will give it till tomorrow

@newinmarch22: I feel sure that there are a couple of posters who are indeed working within Dict8 - sometimes, you just know by a question posed - OR, you think you do THEN again I just think sometimes I am too paranoid and I don't get out and about enough LOL.

@Lovemydaxie : I wonder why there is a massive recruitment drive [have a lot of people left? I thought generally people move on/don't do much Dict8 but stay recruited as a sideline?... do you think us long-stayers will be forced out?? I hope not

@danblack87 I've noticed a trend on Indeed for a few months now with dict8. I think they probably get lots applying who after a few weeks realise it's not as good as it looks re pay, quality of dictation etc. It really would be much more beneficial for dict8 if they treated existing staff better, more people would stick around. I've stuck with it since 2006, doing it alongside employed part time roles over the years, dipping in and out of it to a greater or lesser extent. It's incredibly hard trying to make decent money from it these days though and it's that issue they need to address.

I doubt there are many medical secretaries left with the extensive experience they ask for and those with the experience probably wouldn't waste their time on DICT8. The starting salary for a band 2 support sec is £9.68 an hour, so why would anyone with 5 years + experience want to bash away on the keyboard around their real job for an average of £7 - £8 an hour.

@Lovemydaxie noticed this too on Indeed. My task list has been very high for over a month and doesn't move much so I think they have a shortage. Seems to be plenty of less demanding jobs out there paying way more than this company.

Had to laugh at our email yesterday re responding to our concerns, the biggest concern our appalling rate of pay was and has never been addressed also the fact they refuse to pay us via BACS. As for feedback they are on my back 24/7 lately, in a work place it would amount to bullying and I can see the proof readers are picking on almost anything to feedback on, stupid things that often contradict what I was told before and when I question it they give no reply as they know they've been caught out. Also to say they have got on top of bad dictation is laughable. I have once again come to a standstill as my screen is clogged with appalling dictating. I am lucky to get 2 full straight hours these days before it all grinds to a halt. It is getting harder and harder to make a living doing this.

That's why they just keep advertising for more transcribers, hoping that in having thousands on their books at least somebody will attempt the difficult tasks and those with the long winded 'note to secretary' instructions, especially those niaive newly appointed transcribers who have been tempted by the outdated hype on the website.

@user1493458352 it is bullying and the attitude and disrespect this company has for transcribers is jaw dropping. No smarmy email that, as you rightly point out, does not address the glaringly obvious is going to work - give us a pay rise or most of us are likely to take our highly skilled selves somewhere else.

Hi everyone,
I joined Dict8 this year having left NHS and a pharmacy role to take care of my autistic son (24) and to ensure my disabled husband wasn't overdoing things! I saw them offering the jobs including my speciality and went for it. I am soul destroyed at their feedback and even more so after a short recovery break to find everything i've done with no feedback for weeks is suddenly being picked apart. I resolve one issue to get a plethera of others. Some i can own up to, but some are down right insulting to the training i've had as a clinical typist and medical secretary. I'm seriously thinking of finding an employer who isn't moving goal posts all the time.

Today I quoted their own wording back at them and still they wanted it doing a different way and that was just the date! Just sat down to do some spreadsheets and another email drops in. I despair but thanks for seeing I am not alone X

p.s I chose my name as a result lol

I posted after seeing the latest messages but my money is a "buffer" My husband is on disabilty benefits and cannot work but the stress of lockdown and ironically lack of communication left me to work at home which i prefer but now rethinking my options. I want an opportunity to utilise my crafts/sewing etc to also be part of the buffer but find time wasted waiting for work with Dict8 when i could be doing some of them its certainly a double edge sword.

As a family we went over budgets several times before i opted out of "empolyment" I'm not ready to retire yet and what with the current financial crash that we are part of I'm glad I have this in place but it does use so much spare time.

On replying to another message above, i can't help wondering if they are clamping down because they are feeling the financial pinch too, laughable as we pay the electric, at 8p a line how does that actually pay for itself? This "pocket money" job i took on was not to end up funding petrol which i didn't have to use to go to work anymore now I'm at home and electric bills.