Scopist Rates - CSRNation2024-03-29T13:57:44Zhttp://csrnation.ning.com/forum/topics/scopist-rates?feed=yes&xn_auth=nosome of you have said that yo…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-11-12:1736041:Comment:12494062012-11-12T18:20:36.337ZD Sanders, RDR, CRRhttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/DSanders
<p>some of you have said that you ask questions of the potential new scopist, how long they have scoped, blah, blah. However after this week's nightmare of trying out 3 scopists of varying "experience" levels, I can say this. It means squat.</p>
<p>It's true. the rates I have gotten from some scopists are too high. I am going to try the ones I think I can afford first and then have to make judgment calls on the other stuff which means to the scopist you get less of my work. You give me a…</p>
<p>some of you have said that you ask questions of the potential new scopist, how long they have scoped, blah, blah. However after this week's nightmare of trying out 3 scopists of varying "experience" levels, I can say this. It means squat.</p>
<p>It's true. the rates I have gotten from some scopists are too high. I am going to try the ones I think I can afford first and then have to make judgment calls on the other stuff which means to the scopist you get less of my work. You give me a decent page rate and can actually scope, that's awesome, if you can turn it, you will get most of my work. Some stuff just doesn't need scoping, ya know?</p>
<p>And while this may a bit off topic -- and I was SO ANGRY yesterday I actually thought about starting a thread here - to fellow reporters, the ones who don't have a relationship with a scopist and wanting to caution them - try someone/find someone B4 you need them. </p>
<p>I am appalled by what I had to deal with this past week. Don't bother asking about experience, qualifications, background. Let them scope 20 pages. That should tell you everything you need to know.</p>
<p>And what scopists have to understand is the firm we work for takes a percentage. so we pay you off of what's left. SO that means that I am not going to give my hard earned money away to someone who can't be bothered learning the software they claim they use, looking things up, or doesn't know hot to use a spelling list....</p> Are you there, Lisa, our orig…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-11-04:1736041:Comment:12482142012-11-04T18:57:04.335ZJoyce Davishttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/JoyceDavis
<p>Are you there, Lisa, our original poster? Many people have checked in on this subject. If you've been following the thread, it would be good to hear back from you.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Are you there, Lisa, our original poster? Many people have checked in on this subject. If you've been following the thread, it would be good to hear back from you.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p> Hi, Lisa. I'm a former repor…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-11-04:1736041:Comment:12484702012-11-04T16:19:40.024ZLinda Zwanetskyhttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/LindaZwanetsky
<p><strong>Hi, Lisa. </strong> <strong>I'm a former reporter and now a full-time scopist/proofreader for I guess it's going on 13 years. I want to comment and respond to you. I don't think you have opened up a firestorm at all. It's worthy of discussion. Being on both sides of the coin, I can totally appreciate what you are saying. As a scopist, I wonder about some of the rates I see my competitors (even though I don't advertise myself; ergo, they may not be my competitors) charging for,…</strong></p>
<p><strong>Hi, Lisa. </strong> <strong>I'm a former reporter and now a full-time scopist/proofreader for I guess it's going on 13 years. I want to comment and respond to you. I don't think you have opened up a firestorm at all. It's worthy of discussion. Being on both sides of the coin, I can totally appreciate what you are saying. As a scopist, I wonder about some of the rates I see my competitors (even though I don't advertise myself; ergo, they may not be my competitors) charging for, as you say, nickeling and diming for every thing. Let me tell you what I do. And I really just scope for one or two reporters now because they keep me busy so I'm rarely looking for someone new to scope and/or proofread for.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>My rates have not changed in about 8 years. I have to constantly look at my own rate sheet because the rate isn't that important as long as I feel I can earn an acceptable page rate hourly. That has to balance out with the good and the not so good jobs. </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>I state in my rate and info sheet that if the job is easy, I can cut you a break. So add that to a scopist who does do that! If a reporter had a particularly awful time on the job, no fault of the reporter, I am not going to charge more for that. It's lumped into the scheme of work. Good days and bad days, good jobs and bad jobs. But sometimes if it's a multi-copy job and the reporter is willing, I'll ask can we do a better page rate for me too. If they are not getting it, then so be it.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>I would answer also there is a difference in the time of scoping a video and a full audio job. At least the way I was taught as a reporter, clean up the garbage. Take out the false starts. Don't really touch the witness. Don't write or translate every single "okay" and all of the filler words. But on a video, every word has got to match the audio. So that takes extra time, and for that reason, I can say that if a scopist charges more for a video than for a regular non-video audiosync'd job, that would be the reason. I've often only been able to cover 5 pages an hour, and that isn't good for anyone in any field, under minimum wage.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>I have scoped for free. I have scoped for trade this for that. I've had reporters in bad situations who I no longer work for but needed something done and so if it didn't take a whole day or something, no charge. </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>So if I do it, there must be others that do, too. </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>I come from the world of reporting. I think I was trained by some of the best reporters in the nation a long time ago. I'm past 55 now so I've been around a long time. I taught CR for 20 years either while I was still reporting or while I was scoping or even at times note reading. Just always been working in this field, and I am so sorry that there are folks who have come up from maybe other fields who don't totally understand the position the reporter is in.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>I hope you find coverage for the time your scopist is recuperating and a shout out that she fully recovers. I'm glad you wrote this and this is the first time I've ever written to anyone on CSR Nation or any reporter site, so I hope it's worthwhile.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>I'm new to CSRNation, so I'd love to get a response from anyone who has the time to do so. Good luck, Lisa!</strong></p>
<p><strong>Linda</strong></p>
<p> </p> Hi, Betsee! Two things. Fir…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-11-04:1736041:Comment:12483242012-11-04T00:01:00.151ZMary Ann Payonkhttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/MaryAnnPayonkCSRRDRCCPCBC
<p>Hi, Betsee! Two things. First, rethink the part about your expenses are nothing so you don't charge for things. My reporting school education was paid for 37 years ago. I have all the points I need, and pay upfront for CEUs. My equipment is totally paid for, writers, CAT software and 2012 support. I do have to pay for somewhere to live and something to eat, things that I would need to pay for whether I was working or not. It costs me nothing to walk out the door and do my job. Sure,…</p>
<p>Hi, Betsee! Two things. First, rethink the part about your expenses are nothing so you don't charge for things. My reporting school education was paid for 37 years ago. I have all the points I need, and pay upfront for CEUs. My equipment is totally paid for, writers, CAT software and 2012 support. I do have to pay for somewhere to live and something to eat, things that I would need to pay for whether I was working or not. It costs me nothing to walk out the door and do my job. Sure, we can get technical about my office space at home, taxes, etc., but what I'd like you to change your mind about is saying that you have no expenses so you don't charge for things. You charge for things because they are VALUABLE, and so do I, whether it costs me money to do it or not. The other thing I'll comment on is the free rough drafts. I do not work for most local agencies here in Washington, DC, but I understand that one of them ... and probably more will follow ... is very willing to provide free rough drafts to attract business. But remember this, reporters: Agencies cannot agree to provide free rough drafts unless YOU agree to provide free rough drafts. A DC firm owner was once asked why she didn't charge more for realtime, as it was a hard-to-find specialty, especially done well. And her answer? "We don't want to be greedy." Come on. Back then, good realtime reporters were extremely hard to find. Nowadays, even though there is an overabundance of reporters in our area, a good realtime writer continues to be hard to find. Are there reporters available who will "do" realtime? Sure! But it's the "good" part that is sorely lacking. Is it greedy to charge for a specialty that is high in demand yet continues to be short in supply? I say it's absolutely not. It's good business, and I suggest that if reporters are very good at what they do, especially when it comes to realtime and immediate (and I don't mean hours or days later, friends) rough drafts, respect yourself.</p>
<p>M.A.</p> You'd hope, but.....tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-11-03:1736041:Comment:12483822012-11-03T17:43:58.836ZBetseehttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/Betsee
<p>You'd hope, but.....</p>
<p>You'd hope, but.....</p> If a reporter gives a scopist…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-11-03:1736041:Comment:12484442012-11-03T14:17:45.927ZJanethttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/JanetMcHugh
<p>If a reporter gives a scopist a job with 95% untranslates, there's something really wrong there. The job then becomes a transcription job, not scoping. I'd turn down that type of work, personally. I actually think that reporters with high untranslate rates should work on the jobs themselves to see what they need to change and improve.<br></br> <br></br> Finding the right reporter-scopist relationship isn't easy. Sometimes the transition is seamless. Other times it's obvious right away it won't work…</p>
<p>If a reporter gives a scopist a job with 95% untranslates, there's something really wrong there. The job then becomes a transcription job, not scoping. I'd turn down that type of work, personally. I actually think that reporters with high untranslate rates should work on the jobs themselves to see what they need to change and improve.<br/> <br/> Finding the right reporter-scopist relationship isn't easy. Sometimes the transition is seamless. Other times it's obvious right away it won't work out.<br/> <br/> I'm lucky to have found people who care as much as I do about the quality of the final product. Over the years, my daily-copy transcripts have been taken to dentist and doctor appointments and the county fair. They are always turned in on time or ahead of time.<br/> <br/> <br/> Betsee, no free rouh drafts. I hope no one is out there doing that.</p> I don't think scopists have a…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-11-03:1736041:Comment:12483792012-11-03T10:48:23.130ZBetseehttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/Betsee
<p>I don't think scopists have any idea of the page rate that reporters get. I really don't. I know that in general you get paid more for a video dep, or for expedited, so forth, for an added service, but I don't think they realize that many times the rough draft is free, or the firm owner has cut the attorney client a deal. I'm not sure that they consider the outlay of costs that reporters have, such as GAS! or the equipment you have to lug around. And that YOU have to sit through the…</p>
<p>I don't think scopists have any idea of the page rate that reporters get. I really don't. I know that in general you get paid more for a video dep, or for expedited, so forth, for an added service, but I don't think they realize that many times the rough draft is free, or the firm owner has cut the attorney client a deal. I'm not sure that they consider the outlay of costs that reporters have, such as GAS! or the equipment you have to lug around. And that YOU have to sit through the witnesses and the attorneys in that same room. I don't have to do any of that, and I don't have those multiple expenses you all do. I go to work in my jammies. I get my SN kid on the bus, I shower and I go down the hall to my office. My expenses are... really, nothing. That's why I DON'T charge for every thing. I get reporters have bad days and write like junk, their laptop freezes up and they've gotta restart everything. I figure it's part of my job to make it the best I can for you the reporter to proofread yourself or send to your proofreader. It frustrates me to hear (read) scopists and proofreaders talk about, well, if there's more than one error in 10 pages I'm not making money. What? Or the whole untrans rate. My reporters end up being my friends. I know their families, I know their love lives, I know their illnesses. <br/><br/>Usually my reporters tell me, oh, I didn't write well on this one at all, FYI. I don't charge more for that. I don't charge more for video versus non. I charge a smidge more for expedite, but it's just that, a smidge.<br/><br/>Anyway, happy Saturday!</p> Janet,
I totally agree that i…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-11-02:1736041:Comment:12481952012-11-02T22:36:40.842ZJudyhttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/JudyRunes
<p>Janet,</p>
<p>I totally agree that it works both ways. The thread where the scopist commented on the 1% untran rate was a thread about another scopist receiving a job from a reporter that had 95% untrans rate. Wow. We'd all like to think we're all about the same -- some a little better, some a little less -- but unfortunately that's not the case. And when scopists are given files with that little translated, I do understand why there's, shall we say, discussion on their end. And the…</p>
<p>Janet,</p>
<p>I totally agree that it works both ways. The thread where the scopist commented on the 1% untran rate was a thread about another scopist receiving a job from a reporter that had 95% untrans rate. Wow. We'd all like to think we're all about the same -- some a little better, some a little less -- but unfortunately that's not the case. And when scopists are given files with that little translated, I do understand why there's, shall we say, discussion on their end. And the same is true about <em>some</em> scopists... they're the reason why there's any discussion amongst reporters. And I guess until there's a national minimum skill level in either of the professions, we're going to have to deal with the shortcomings of others and try to handle it appropriately.</p>
<p> </p> I use scopists for every job…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-11-02:1736041:Comment:12481942012-11-02T22:02:28.943ZJanethttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/JanetMcHugh
<p></p>
<p>I use scopists for every job. There are no untranslates when I give them a file. There may be mistranslates and errors from sensitive keys on my writer. I still want the files read word-for-word with audio. I don't want to take the time to do that myself. I'd rather be out taking another job. I also do a lot of same-day and next-day deliveries. I couldn't do them without the scopists I work with. They are hard-working professionals. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There are great scopists…</p>
<p></p>
<p>I use scopists for every job. There are no untranslates when I give them a file. There may be mistranslates and errors from sensitive keys on my writer. I still want the files read word-for-word with audio. I don't want to take the time to do that myself. I'd rather be out taking another job. I also do a lot of same-day and next-day deliveries. I couldn't do them without the scopists I work with. They are hard-working professionals. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There are great scopists and not-so-great scopists, just like there are great reporters and not-so-great reporters. I've seen some rough drafts from other court reporters that floored me. I could not believe they would have the nerve to take jobs requiring a rough draft when they can't produce something useful.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I've been trying to refrain from ranting on this subject, but I can't help it. It works both ways.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p> The better your tran rate, th…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-11-02:1736041:Comment:12483672012-11-02T20:10:00.101Zmary nelsonhttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/marynelson
<p>The better your tran rate, the less and less reason to even use</p>
<p>a scopist.</p>
<p>The better your tran rate, the less and less reason to even use</p>
<p>a scopist.</p>