Working from Home as a Transcriptionist in South Africa

Updated: 29 August 2012

If you are a transcriptionist starting out in South Africa, why is it necessary to own a book such as Working from Home as a Transcriptionist in South Africa, which I've listed on Bidorbuy. 

The simple answer is that it tells you all the ins and outs, and provides the answer to your questions.
- How do I start up as a transcriptionist?
- How do I get that first client?
- How do I keep those clients?
- What administrative procedures are necessary?

My ebook, which retails for R120, will tell you the answer to all these questions, and more.


The reason I came to write this book was that after a chat with my colleague, we realized that we would have benefited greatly and got our businesses off the ground so much faster had such a book been available when we started out in the virtual field in South Africa. We realized that we had gained a lot of experience along the way, and that others could benefit from what we had learned.

Today, if you want to work as a transcriptionist in South Africa, there is no need for you to go through the difficulties and hassles I went through when starting out. Your questions can be answered easily.

Working_from_Home_as_a_Transcriptionist_in_South_Africa

On a personal note I would like to mention that Bidorbuy has become my supplier of choice. There are many things available on there that are pretty much impossible to come across elsewhere, such as the anti nausea bracelets I found on there when my husband had hepatitis and needed them badly. I was unable to find them elsewhere although I spent an afternoon searching.

Business procedures

Hi everyone, today I want to talk about the importance of procedures to your business. Procedures are vitally important in any business, but perhaps in a virtual business they are of tantamount importance. A procedure in essence is a plan, and generally speaking, to use the old hackneyed phrase, failure to plan is to plan to fail.

I believe any business must start with a business plan. Even if you don't intend to use it to obtain a loan, it would be something that allows you to clearly state your intentions about what it is that you are trying to do. It's a mind clearer. And the natural next step (or even included in your business plan) would be to plan your procedures. This means you sit down and think of eventualities and plan how you're going to deal with them. What are your steps to follow when a query comes in? What are your steps when an order comes in? How are you going to invoice? These are things that, I believe, every newbie VA and transcriptionist should document.

Here comes the challenge, though. Your first client comes in, followed by your second, and your third. And suddenly, you're very busy. At this point it is easy to let go of procedures. And this is a danger to your established business. Much as you are tempted to go straight to bed after a 4 hour transcription, do not do so without at least blocking out some time the following day to do your admin. It's important, because doing it regularly does save you time in the long run, and consider that admin left for two or three days, or longer, can begin to make you feel overwhelmed.

Procedures can also be revised, as you get busier or add new services or products to your business. But the bottom line is - stick to your procedures.

Learn Transcription Ebook

Links and email updated 2025

E-Book “Working from Home as a Transcriptionist in South Africa”! only R120! Contact gaynor@typewritetranscription.co.za.net to purchase.

This E-book is packed with everything you need to know about working from home as a transcriptionist in South Africa. I started out as a transcriptionist in 2005 and I’ve included everything I’ve learned along the way that I wish someone had told me.

How do you get that first client, how do you keep your clients, how do you invoice, and quote? What about where can you find support? What equipment do you need? All this information and more is available in my E-Book. Buy it today. This is information I wish somebody had told me – I would have been able to get going so much faster.

These are my tried and trusted methods. There are many American transcriptionist guides but “Working from Home as a Transcriptionist in South Africa” has challenges and obstacles all its very own and answers particular questions faced by South African Transcriptionists.

Which other author will happily provide after sale support to you about how to get into the transcription field after you have read the book?

Buy my book today!! Much cheaper than other shorter publications on similar topics. Only R120! Contact gaynor@typewritetranscription.co.za to purchase.

Minute taker / recorder

Hi guys,
TAVASA is looking for a minute taker or alternatively somebody who can record meetings (using at least four microphones) IN JOHANNESBURG ONE SATURDAY A QUARTER. IF YOU CAN'T COMPLY WITH BEING IN JOHANNESBURG OR WORKING SATURDAYS QUARTERLY, OR PLAN TO RECORD USING YOUR CELL PHONE, DON'T CONTACT US ....

If you can, then please get in touch with Gaynor - gpaynter@telkomsa.net. This would be ongoing work.

A VA for You.

Hi guys,

I'm sorry I haven't posted in so long. It has been quite a difficult time, what with my husband going down with Hepatitis A and then it being school holidays. With this in mind, what I want to stress today is the importance of having a good support structure in place. It's all very well happily going along as you are, but when things get hard, can you continue running your business the way that you do in peaceful times?

For us who work from home, it's particularly difficult if for whatever reason, we cannot do our work. No sick leave or paid annual leave for us, and for the most part, no other staff to help pick up or slack! So I'd urge you that now is the time to sort out a back up system, if you haven't done so already. Have somebody on standby who can assist you so that in the event of a disaster, your business can still run ... or, should you wish to go on holiday, you still can ...

It's no good waiting until the worst to happen to try to sort something out. Now is when it should be done. It's not only in the case of emergency that we work at homers need support. All too often, I've heard the lament "I just don't have time for myself. I can't get away from my work. My admin takes up every spare second".

So what can we actually do to ease our loads? Consider a concept which I have been turning over in my mind with great interest since it was first suggested to me three weeks ago.

A VA for the VA.

Think about it. Chew on it and mull it over.

Transcription companies have transcriptionists to help them complete their work. VAs have contractors to help them complete their typing work. So why can't it work the other way too? Why can't we use the concept that we use to sell our services to our clients - that having somebody virtual to assist is immensely beneficial, allowing potential clients more time to do their core business - to ease our own load? It's a concept that is taking off internationally and I can't see why it shouldn't work here too.

So - A VA for the VA. What better way for the experienced VA / transcriptionist to mentor somebody else, teach them the right ways and also take a massive load off their own plates? Seems so simple, really when we think about it, doesn't it? And it opens up a whole new avenue of potential employment for newbie VAs, with the added benefit of a first hand teacher, who actually pays you!

So - if you're a VA or transcriptionist with too much on your plate, contact TAVASA and we can find someone for you.

Please note though that Alison and I are not looking for VAs!