Quicktate.com is a transcription company that has been around since 2008.
If you don't know what transcription is, it's basically involves listening to some type of audio recording such as a Doctor's medical notes, a voicemail message, lecture, etc and then having someone type them out into text.
When folks want those audio messages transcribed, they hire transcriptionist to type them out. Some transcription is more specialized and difficult than others. For instance Legal and Medical transcription requires some training so that you're familiar with the complex terminology used in the recordings.
If you've read my blog long enough I've always preached that transcription is pretty much the only consistent kind of legitimate typing job out there. It turns some people off because sometimes it does require more specialized training and experience than generic typing or data entry jobs which aren't available in large numbers. But for folks that are truly serious about working at home typing then it's really an option that must be explored. It's like the saying goes, you got to get in where you fit in.
Or your other option is virtual call centers such as Arise, Alpine Access, VIP desk, etc., which provide you with typing and data entry as well but you need to be on a phone and have a quiet work environment which isn't always an option for many of my stay at home parent visitors.
In any event, now that we've provided that long winded lesson on transcriptions and why you need it in your life, let's review why Quicktate.com may or may not be a viable work at home option for you.
How much Does Quicktate.com pay?
Strangely they didn't have these details right on the QuickTate.com Transcription sign up page.
Instead you had to dig for it in their help desk. I don't understand why companies do this. Don't hide one of the most important bits of information. Make it easy to find. But I digress. They pay 1/4 cent per word for general and legal transcription. Then they pay 1/2 cent per word for medical transcription. They further note that voicemail message files average 1-2 minutes in length, while the other recordings are typically longer. Look, It's not a lot but assuming there is enough work, it can add up.
Furthermore, after being with Quicktate for some time and if you have proven your ability, you may be offered a position with their sister company, iDictate. Agents working for iDictate receive twice the pay of a Quicktate agent. So that's something to keep in mind if you're already moaning about the pay rate.
How do they pay?
They pay via paypal twice a month around the 15th and end of each month. Again this was information buried in the help desk.
Are folks from outside the U.S. able to work with Quicktate.com?
I'm assuming any country that paypal works with is also one that Quicktate will work with since it's their preferred payment method.
What are the hours like?
Like most work at home opportunities we love, the hours are flexible. Obviously that's the reason we all want these type of gigs. With Quicktate.com you can pick your own hours that you want to work. You can work as few, or as many hours as you want. They are open for business 24 hours/ day; 7 days/ week which is great for us folks that may want to pull a late or super early shifts. Again that's assuming if there is work available during the times you login.
Are you an employee or an IC?
Like most work at home opportunities you are considered an Independent contractor and not an employee. So that means you're responsible for your own taxes and such. As I've said before this good be a great thing if you have an accountant that knows how to work with Independent contractors. You often have a lot more write offs than an employee. Either way read our work at home and taxes article here to ease any fears or anxiety you have about working as an IC. You'll need to get over them quick because that's how most of these work at home opportunities work because it's a benefit to the employers.
What are the requirements to work for QuickTate.com?
– First and foremost, they want experienced and professional transcriptionists. However I've read that some newbies have been able to work for the company.
– You also need accurate spelling and punctuation. (This definitely leaves me out of the running. lol)
– Obviously they also want typist that can listen to voices and accurately type what they hear. (Duh!)
– They also expect that you have your own equipment, supplies and home office or work space.
– It's sad that the following requirement needs to be mentioned but based on my experience with some at home workers, I can see why it was mentioned on their site. They want Typist that know how to follow instructions. Sadly this isn't as common as you think anymore.
How do you get started with this company?
Well it's a detailed process which I'm not really going to repeat here since they do a great job of listing it on the sign up page.
So if you're interested just visit that page and FOLLOW THE SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS, which I suspect they have made very detailed to weed out the wrong people for this opportunity. Can't really hate on them for that considering the accuracy and attention to detail required.
Cons
Well you already know that every company has it's flaws. Nothing can be all sweet as we like to say around the way. So what are the common complaints regarding this company?
1. Obviously the pay is going to be an issue for some people. This may not be an opportunity you can depend on to support your family or for consistent income. It has to be viewed like many non-traditional opportunities I personal recommend where it's one of many multiple streams of income that add up to make the type of money you want. Not everyone can appreciate that philosophy. So if that's you then you've probably already stopped reading this review when you saw the pay. lol
2. Apparently there were some scammers riding on the good name of Quicktate.com and sending the age old wire transfer, Western Union or Money gram scam emails we have warned against on our scam page. It's a common technique that scammers use because they know folks are wising up and doing the type of research we suggest. So to trick people into a false sense of security they'll often use legitimate company names, websites addresses, brand, etc in their scams. Unfortunately some people aren't educated in this industry and have assumed that Quicktate are actually these scammers. Hopefully you know better now after reading this.
As you can see there really isn't much in the way of complaints that I could find. However if you have experience with the company and have some of your own, feel free to chime in below.
So is QuickTate.com legitimate?
Honestly from where I'm sitting, it looks pretty legit to me. There are always going to be people whining that if a company doesn't pay the type of money they deem as appropriate then it's a scam or a waste of time. I've always argued that word scam is thrown around too loosely on the web. It's like the go to label to use when you just don't like a certain quality about a company. So I always take scam reports with a grain of salt and try to dig deeper. You should too!
Is it a waste of your time? That's really for you to judge. I have a different view of money. I'm of the school of thought that it all adds up. If I have free time I'm the one that will take little polls like the ones from ICS and earn a few pennies. But obviously I also have a full time job as an affiliate marketer that earns way more than that. So for me it's all about balance. Why not make a few cents here and there during your down time while watching TV or waiting for your wife to get dress. People waste time all day long watching youtube videos, surfing the web, reading gossip etc. Yet these folks are the same people that bitch and moan that surfing ads on clixsense is a waste of their time. The logic just doesn't add up to me.
But to each their own. Depending on your personality you'll be happy to find that Quicktate.com is another option to add to your multiple streams of income or you're rolling your eyes right now. It's all good either way. Do what ever works for you and been getting you results.
Let me know what you guys think of this company or the mindset I've discussed here. Cheers. By the way you can find additional work at home jobs by clicking here if transcription isn't your thing.
Hello eddy. I’ve read about your blog and was hoping to have to work with 87$/hr. Will it work on me?
Hey Slerie,
I don’t know. I know its worked for me and I can teach you in my course how to make it work for you. But it’s up to you.
Hello! really happy to read your articles. I have tried many time to pass Quicktate quiz exam, but I couldn’t… any one help me… I can give my answers… please correct for me.. thank you all..
Sabry, I don’t think its a good idea for you to be asking for the answers. That sort of defeats the whole purpose of the exam.
Am also wondering. I don’t think i failed the quiz. Anyway, is there no second chance even after some time?
Hi Sabry. Did you come right with your quiz?cos I been trying it’s so easy and don’t understand how I failed and don’t believe I did.
Is it normal that you would have to pay for a background check with quicktate?
Hey Nikki,
Apparently it’s something they started recently. I’ve seen some other companies do this as well.
Quicktate is a SCAM or I think it is until they pay me what they owe me, which is $150. And I have proof that they still owe me that. I had worked for them from June of 2010 till last night and I only found out after their website would no longer accept my log in information. I asked if I was still employed by them and was emailed that I wasn’t. So I said that was fine and asked about my remaining pay, which was $200 at the time (I got my scheduled pay of $50 for the week of March 23 to March 29 just last night). I kindly asked Julie Harlow (the only person you can ever contact on Quicktate, everyone else is off limits) when I’m going to get the rest of my money and sent a message 3 times, I have not heard back. The only email I ever got was the one where I was told that I was being let go, nothing else beyond that. If you look at the file attachments below, those are records of the calls I transcribed for them for which I am yet to be paid. I am 6 months pregnant and have been working at all hours of the night just so I can earn some extra income to help pay for my childbirth, and this is what they do to me. They said the quality of my work wasn’t up to par with their standards or some other bull like that when I’ve gotten unfinished work from other transcribers that were just HORRIBLE and I highly doubt I was ever as bad as that. I would even Google phone numbers and company names just so I could get their spelling right and I’m fairly certain my English is excellent.
Oh, and one more thing, when I had tried to log in last night before I found out that I had been fired, I could still see my work history (a log of the calls I had transcribed) and then 5 minutes later, I no longer had access to it. I understand not letting me hear audios anymore, but to not give me access to information that I should have had access to, that just seemed fishy to me. Luckily, I had a good mind to make a print screen copy of the remaining logs that I am yet to be paid for. Not that I think anything will happen cause I’m almost certain I just got scammed. Beware!!!! This could happen to you.
After working for them for two years you’re saying they’re a scam just because they let you go? All three of the images you attached clearly have the pay dates until listed as today, next Monday, and the following Monday. Give them time to give you the payments when they are scheduled before you jump to conclusions and assume you’re not going to get the money you’re owed….if those dates pass and then you haven’t been paid I would definitely do what I could to get them to pay me….
I applied with QuickTate some months ago, but heard nothing so I forgot about it. Within the recent past I began receiving e-mails stating that there was work available, but I had no idea how to get to it! It took 6-8 weeks to get things straightened out, and they gave me a webpage to sign in to, and I had to set up a PayPal account in order to be paid. This has turned out to be the biggest headache so far. I’m still wrestling with PayPal to get my previous information off and update it. Been hitting brick walls on that so far but am still trying. After all is set up I will probably go with QuickTate and supplement the at-home radiology transcription that I currently do – UNLESS someone knows of another company that offers radiology transcription! 🙂
Wow, that’s taking far too long to get this all squared away. Have you tried calling paypal? It might get you quicker results. In terms of other transcriptions jobs, keep in mind we list new jobs daily here: http://www.workathomenoscams.com/jobs so if you check it regularly, I’m sure you’ll find something. Good luck.
You’re welcome Ruby. I’ve heard this a lot about people thinking a company is a scam because they don’t respond. That’s totally false. In this industry employers and companies are usually overwhelmed with the emails they get. So they basically just pick and choose which ones they will respond to. It’s sort of rude but as someone that gets a large number of emails and comments daily, I can totally relate. I only try to respond to certain comments while others get ignored because of time, the person is clearly not reading or someone is just being negative. So always keep this in mind in the future when you deal with other companies.
In terms this other company, they sound vaguely familar. I would do my research if I were you following the steps in my scam video: http://www.workathomenoscams.com/scams
And from what I’ve heard from other MTs, Medical transcription isn’t as profitable as it once was. Either way thanks for chiming in.
I’ve read through your blog on how to spot scams. I did follow up on one piece of advice: Googling the company’s name. I’ve done that with Transam, and it did show up on a couple of forums where people were talking about companies they believed were scams. From reading the posts, it sounded to me like many of those who were saying that Transam was a scam were basically people who weren’t following through with the training or were hoping to get in right away. As a matter of fact, some of their complaints were addressed in the company’s handbook that they probably never bothered reading. Although, on one board, someone did say that they worked for the company and did get paid. I did my research on the company before signing up with them and, while they aren’t accredited with the BBB, the BBB has noted that the company has followed up on the complaints that people had.
One thing I like about your blog is that you give the pros and cons of a company to help us determine whether or not a company is a scam. I haven’t found Transam on reputable scam sites like yours and I’ve pretty much learned to stay away from forums where people are just blowing off steam because they aren’t willing to put in the effort or aren’t getting what they want right away. Plus, I also know that not every legitimate company is associated or accredited with the BBB.
All in all, I look forward to your blogs. Keep up the good work!
Ruby,
I totally hear you. I’m one that preaches about misuse of the label scam in our industry. As I’ve argued in the past, people like to toss around that word scam anytime they don’t like a given quality of a company, or if they fail to make money or if they just have a vendetta against a company. I’ve learned to ignore that noise and dig for real complaints. And I try to teach people to do the same here which is why I write my reviews the way that I do.
There are definitely a lot of people out there who don’t read things carefully or put half ass efforts that are running around slandering companies because of their own short comings. They’re almost as bad as the real scammers out there because give off so much negativity that people sometimes buy into it and miss out on great companies.
And by the way, I totally agree with you about the BBB nonsense. I can’t believe how many people feel that because a company isn’t listed with the BBB they must be a scam. It’s such nonsense. The BBB is a great guideline but I never view it as the be and end all of my research because there are so many companies that aren’t part of it that are great. So I applaud your mindset about this industry. You’ll go very far!
Thanks for chiming in!
Hi, Eddy. You are correct. In the MT industry we know them as TranSCAM. It doesn’t take 2 years to train for MT. You pay $500 for the software and they keep having you transcribe files free of charge. Come on, 2 years to learn MT. I’m an MT educator and that is ridiculous. Also, MTs don’t make $60,000 anymore. However, one can make $12-$15 an hour, conservatively. Some can make $18-$20, but the BIG money is not there anymore.
Good luck Sis! Hopefully you get this. I totally agree with you, about hearing from real people. That goes a long way with me too!
Thanks for your review on QuickTate. I had signed up and took the test a few months ago. But I have yet to hear from them and don’t know if I ever will. Because of that, I was beginning to think that it was a scam. Thankfully, you’ve cleared that up for me. I have been trying to find a data entry job that pays well since I’m one of those weird people who actually likes typing. Lol. So far, I have found one transcription company that trains you for free before they hire you for actual work: Transam Associates. Their only stipulation is that you purchase the software they use for dictation files and that runs about $500. I’ve been training with them for the past couple of years (thankfully they are patient, and my trainer is a good one) because medical transcription isn’t easy. That’s why I applied to QuickTate, but I guess I need more training. One of the reasons I got into transcription is because my own research indicated that a medical transcriptionist can make anywhere from $15,000 to $60,000 per year depending on experience. I don’t remember the pay scale for Transam, but at least it’ll get my foot into the door once I get through training.
I’m going to apply to this company, but I also want to thank Eddy for his assessment as well as the folks who were kind enough to take time to leave feedback regarding their experiences with Quicktate.
Personal testimonials from “real” people really do help. Thanks!
I’ve worked with Quicktate for over a year now. I had no experience, other than data entry. They always pay on time and transcribing the voicemails is enjoyable! I love that you can sign in and work whenever you want and for as short or long as you want. It doesn’t pay great, but every little bit adds up.