Dictating machines

Dictating machines have been in use for many years but it is particularly in the last few decades that their use has become widespread. This has happened for many reasons, but mainly because of the development of new, electronic devices, particularly magnetic recording, of smaller and more easily manipulated machines and because of the acute shortage of skilled shorthand-typists.

What benefits will the use of dictating machines confer on the users? First, there is the economy of typists’ time. Shorthand, although a skill not easily acquired, is nevertheless only a step in the production of the typed word and it is the typing that is really required. If a shorthand- typist is taking down shorthand notes the typewriter is idle, but if the necessity to write notes is overcome by providing a dictated record from which typing can be done direct then typing output will be considerably increased since the time previously devoted to note-taking is now used for typing.

Second, it is common experience that any period of dictation is subject to many interruptions by the telephone, by callers and so on, during which interruptions the shorthand-writer is often doing virtually nothing at all. The use of dictating machines ensures the maximum time for typing and the wasteful periods of taking shorthand notes and sitting waiting during interruptions are eliminated.

Third, frequently executives wish to dictate when shorthand-typists are not available, during very busy periods or after office hours for example, and dictating machines are always available at any time so that executives can fit in their programmes of dictation entirely to suit themselves. Indeed, many manufacturers provide portable, battery-operated machines that use recording media compatible with standard office machines and this enables the users to dictate in any situation, even in a car if necessary, the records being transcribed on the standard machines in the normal way.

Finally, dictating machines enable the installation of centralised dictat­ing systems, which can bring even greater savings for the typing function.

What, if any, are the disadvantages associated with dictating machines?

First, until accustomed to them, typists do not like them for two main reasons: {a) because where the tpists are shorthand-writers the consider­able effort involved in learning shorthand now seems wasted and their speed will decline through lack of practice; and (b) there is a loss of personal contact with the person dictating. In fact, some shorthand- typists will seek other employment where their shorthand is required rather than remain with an organisation that has introduced dictating machines. Fortunately, this situation is becoming less frequent as many younger entrants to offices are now trained in audio-typing instead of, or as well as, shorthand-typing and the machines thus become more acceptable.

Second, the people who originate the dictation frequently dislike the machines because new techniques in dictation have to be acquired and clearer and more detailed instructions have to be given, with less reliance on the typists. In the dictator/shorthand-writer situation a team is at work, any queries and misunderstandings being cleared up during dictation. In addition, executives generally rely on their shorthand- typists to look up pieces of information to fill in gaps in the dictation: this is not so easy with dictating machines.

Third, it is less easy for the users to make alterations in dictation – to delete anything already given earlier or to add material to the earlier part of the dictation. Shorthand-typists can take this in their stride but when recording on a machine an executive has to follow a proper procedure for alterations, which some find irksome, or else it is necessary to prepare dictation much more carefully beforehand. It could be said here that the saving of typists’ time in this event may mean a loss of executives’ time, with a consequent reduction in the economy promised.

Lastly, there is the possibility of electrical or mechanical breakdown, which means that no dictation can be given until the breakdown is rectified unless there is a back-up of battery-operated machines. Such a breakdown will cause interruption and dislocation of work.

1. Uses of Dictating Machines

The original, and most obvious, use of dictating machines was for ordinary commercial correspondence. However, they are now employed in many diverse ways among which are the following:

1.1. Conferences and meetings

Some organisations use machines instead of shorthand-writers to record the business carried out at meetings, and it can be said that there is no fear of wrong reporting in this case. However, two difficulties arise which should be considered:

1. Speakers do not give their names each time they make a contribution and there may be difficulty in identifying them from voices alone.
2. The recording will be as long as the meeting, which means that editing for writing up minutes and reports is a lengthy business. An expe­rienced shorthand-writer, on the other hand, will omit irrelevant matter and, depending upon his or her status, may even partially edit or abbreviate as the notes are taken. In addition, of course, there is no difficulty in identifying the speakers.

1.2. Sales reports

A great deal of sales representatives’ time is taken up with writing reports each day as well as writing up orders. The provision of dictating machines, especially portable ones, enables reports and orders to be dictated and posted to the office for transcription, which saves a great deal of time and allows the representatives to spend more of their time on their proper job of selling.

1.3. Internal memoranda

Typists’ time can be saved if memoranda not requiring copies are dictated on to a machine and the recording itself passed on.

1.4. Staff training

Voice and speech training for receptionists and salesmen can be assisted by the use of dictating machines. Mock sales interviews, for example, can be recorded for subsequent analysis in sales training.

1.5. Stock-taking and similar activities

Wherever notes have to be taken in inconvenient situations – for example, taking stock in warehouses, measuring work on building sites, examining plant and so on – it is very much easier to use a portable dictating machine and a pocket microphone than to write down notes. It is also more convenient for the typist because most notes taken under such conditions are badly written and hard to decipher: sometimes they are also dirty and not too pleasant to handle. In addition, the job can very often be done by one person instead of two when a dictating machine is used in these circumstances.

2. Selecting a Dictating Machine

It is most essential that, when choosing a dictating machine, the office administrator looks very carefully at the kind of medium used and the facilities and controls provided, examining them in relation to the work the machines will be engaged upon. The points to be considered may be summed up as follows:

1. How long is the normal recording going to be? Machines divide themselves into those using magnetic tape which can accept long recordings and those using discs where the length of recording is limited. Reports and similar matter sometimes require long periods of dictation and tape may be preferred to save the constant changing of the recording medium that would be required if discs were used. On the other hand, if the individual pieces of dictation are short – letters, for example – constant feeding of material to the typists will be an advantage.
2. Is portability important?
3. Is compatability between existing and proposed new equipment re­quired? (this is normally desirable) and, particularly, between any portable machines and the office machines?
4. Is it desired to send the recordings through the post?
5. Is the machine required for recording and transcription, or for transcription only? Some manufacturers offer the latter for use by the typists and these are usually less expensive than the dual-purpose machines, with the further advantage that the recordings cannot be interfered with.

Properly and intelligently used, the dictating machine can deal with most dictated material but there are some areas where the services of a shorthand writer will still be preferred. Confidential work, or work of unusual complexity such as highly technical dictation, is better done by a shorthand-writer, especially on a personal secretary basis. The taking of notes at meetings and conferences is also a task still more suited to shorthand.

Finally, the value of a machine can be questioned when the bulk of a secretary’s work is that of a personal assistant, including composing replies to letters, where the actual taking of dictation is a very small proportion of the work.

3. Centralised Dictation

In Chapter 9 it was pointed out that the establishment of a typing pool facilitated the installation of centralised dictation. This involves the use of dictating machines by remote control so that originators of dictation can record their dictation directly on to machines in the typing pool without either the authors or the typists leaving their work stations. Contact with the recording machines can be by independent wiring and switching arrangements or through either the normal internal telephone circuits or those of the external telephone. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

The merit of an independent installation is that it does not interfere at all with ordinary telephone usage, but on the other hand it is the most costly form because it requires its own wiring and switching equipment.

An installation on the private internal telephone circuit avoids some expense for wiring and the cost of an independent switching circuit but entails some interference with the verbal internal telephone system whilst dictation is taking place unless the system itself is enlarged.

Connection through the public telephone circuitry has much to com­mend it as it uses the standard facilities already installed and, further, enables dictation to be fed into the centralised system from outside: this is very valuable for travelling executives who can dictate correspondence and reports from a distance, and these can be typed ready for the author’s return to the office.

The choice of method can be made only on consideration of all the requirements of the potential users.

In all cases the authors’ microphones are equipped with call, start and stop facilities as well as playback. In other words, dictating on a remote dictation system is very little different from using an individual machine once the author has become accustomed to the physical absence of the machine. The provision of a hand-set similar to a standard telephone rather than the special microphone used with individual machines helps to make the exercise more familiar.

For the typing pool itself two systems are available, the multi-bank method and the tandem method. In the multi-bank system all the recording machines are grouped together under the control of the supervisor who distributes the recorded material to the members of the typing pool as required. This may be because the record is full, because a typist or typists need work to do or because some priority work needs urgent transcription. The typists themselves have their own machines which they use for transcription and in some makes these may be machines that can only play back and cannot record, which usually means some saving in the capital cost of the equipment. This method requires a high level of supervisor attention to make the most economic use of the installation and of the typists’ time. It also has the disadvant­age that the dictator has no direct contact with the typist who is transcribing the work (the reverse is also the case), all queries and directions going through the supervisor.

The tandem method entails each typist having two machines, both of which record and play back. Authors dictate direct on to one machine whilst the typist transcribes from the other. In this way the typists are constantly fed with work and do not have to rely on distribution by the supervisor, a practice that can lead to some waste of time. In addition, it is usual for there to be telephone communication facilities direct between the typist and author, thus providing useful contact and facilitating queries and special instructions. The chief disadvantage of this system is that of cost since more machines and circuitry are required. It would, perhaps, be true to say that the multi-bank method is preferable where reasonably straightforward work is involved whereas the tandem method is to be preferred where more complicated or specialist work is entailed. The advantages of centralised dictation may be listed as:

1. It is economic of machines and labour. It is estimated that six dictators can be served by one machine.
2. It is possible, with proper supervision, for the transcription work to be distributed amongst the typists in the most equitable manner.
3. It extends even further than ordinary centralised typing the effective establishment of work measurement and the provision of bonus incentives.

Among the disadvantages that may appear are the following:

1. A depersonalisation of the author/typist relationship occurs, particu­larly in the multi-bank system. No face-to-face contact between the parties is necessary and rarely happens.
2. Typists can feel cut off from the life of the organisation.
3. They are also liable to become bored because of the lack of variety in their duties: they need never even leave their desks in the course of their work.
4. Dictators, too, feel cut off from those who type their work.

4. Hints for Giving Dictation

Before leaving the question of dictating machines it is relevant to give some guidance on the question of dictating on to them.

1. Be sure to have all relevant papers to hand and in order before starting dictation. It is helpful to jot down the points to be made on letters and so on being replied to.
2. At the start of dictation give your identity clearly.
3. Before each piece of dictation give precise instructions as to the number of copies required, type of paper, style (for example, double spacing) if necessary, whether a special size envelope is needed for enclosures and any other relevant details.
4. Speak clearly and distinctly and do not drop your voice unduly at the ends of sentences.
5. By experiment establish the best distance between your mouth and the microphone and try to keep this standard. The most effective volume for speaking should be established at the same time and this should be kept even.
6. If it is necessary to stop dictating momentarily, perhaps to collect your thoughts, to find a piece of necessary information and so on, stop the machine from running: remember the typist will have to sit through the silence and so will waste time if this is not done.
7. Indicate clearly on the record slip any alterations as well as on the recording: remember, unless you do this the typist will probably type the incorrect passage before hearing the amendment. On magnetic material, of course, it is usual to return to the last correct passage and record over. However, even here later alterations will have to be dealt with specially, as mentioned, because it would be time wasting to re-record over subsequent long, correct passages, to make an alteration.
8. Indicate clearly the beginnings and ends of items. These should also be marked on the record slip.
9. Give spellings of unusual or difficult words or names, using a phonetic alphabet where necessary such as ‘A for alpha’ and ‘B’ for bravo’, etc.
10. Figures should have special attention. Five and nine can be easily confused, as can seven and eleven, unless very clearly enunciated. Consonants should be overstressed as, for example, Tife’ for ‘five’.
11. The question of punctuation sometimes arises. Where the typists are well trained and are of a high calibre it is rarely necessary to dictate punctuation except for indicating new paragraphs. In fact, the constant interjection of punctuation instructions can be distracting for both the typist and the author. On the other hand, (a) where some special reason requires quite specific punctuation or (b) where the typists are not competent to use their own judgement in this respect, then punctuation must be dictated. There is much division of opinion on this matter. However, it never does any harm to indicate full stops.
12. The finish of the entire dictation session should be indicated, with any instructions required if non-standard, such as the special distri­bution of carbon copies, enclosures to be included with a letter and so on.

Source: Eyre E. C. (1989), Office Administration, Palgrave Macmillan.