Not every meeting can be an email. Some discussions require nuance and context that only a live conversation can provide. And when you’re not in the same place, sometimes a phone call is all you need.
Whether you juggle back-to-back sales calls on the regular or engage in occasional deep dives with your team, it’s tough to capture all the details of a phone conversation. That’s where call transcription apps come in. The best call transcription software doesn’t just record every word — it uses advanced technology to analyze conversations and automate sharing.
Keep reading to learn how to transcribe a phone call and bringing a transcription service onboard can improve your collaboration and productivity, plus insights into the best software available.
Call recording and transcription apps capture audio conversations and convert them into written text.
Here are five key advantages of using a transcription app:
Transcripts provide concrete examples of interactions, which you can use for onboarding, analysis, and continued improvement. Being able to go back over real sales calls, for example, makes it easier to refine pitches or train new staff.
In industries where compliance is critical, keeping audio files and written records of conversations is a winning strategy. Transcriptions provide crystal-clear accounts of discussions — essential for resolving disputes or meeting regulatory requirements. Having this documentation safeguards the company from legal woes and cultivates confidence in clients and stakeholders.
Transcription tools that nurture accessibility do more than just enhance your phone calls. They support an inclusive workplace culture. Team members who are hard of hearing or learn better by reading benefit enormously from real-time captions and written records of conversations. Transcriptions make sure everyone has equal access to important information, allowing team members to fully engage in conversations and contribute during meetings.
While jotting down key details can burn important information into your memory, manual note-taking is inefficient. And after a call, searching through your notes for specifics can waste valuable time and create lapses in communication.
Transcription software creates clear, searchable records of conversations — no real-time note-taking necessary. Plus, the best transcription software provides summaries, generates checklists, and drafts follow-up emails, supporting your overall efficiency.
Manual note-taking distracts you from the conversation, especially if you attempt to transcribe every detail. Transcription apps do the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on engaging with others on the line and tackling important tasks.
Ready to set up a phone call transcription system that transforms your workflow? Here are eight services to consider:
For teams looking for a next-generation transcribing tool, Otter.ai is your best choice. Otter is an all-in-one AI tool that offers live transcription and actionable insights — and then some. Its powerful features include voice recognition, real-time collaboration, and customized editing to get the most out of your phone calls and virtual meetings.
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Zoom’s built-in generative AI tool transcribes Zoom meetings and phone calls. Beyond note-taking, the Zoom companion can provide live suggestions during meetings and quick recaps for team members who couldn’t hit the “attend” button.
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CoPilot is an AI-powered assistant that provides real-time assistance on Microsoft’s suite of apps and products. It helps Microsoft users by automating tasks like drafting documents, summarizing emails, and answering task-related questions. It’s capable of transcribing audio to text in Team meetings and in audio and video files.
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Similar to CoPilot, Google Gemini is an AI-powered assistant capable of analyzing and responding to text, images, audio, video, and code. Built to rival systems like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, it can be used across Google services, enhancing search functions and summarizing web pages. Google Gemini can also convert audio files to transcripts.
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Trint is another AI transcription service that transforms audio, video, and speech into text. The software is a trusted transcribing tool for content creators and media professionals, offering an intuitive platform for editing, organizing, and translating transcripts in more than 40 languages. Plus, Trint identifies powerful quotes, analyzes themes, and generates timestamps to support better editing for podcasts and video content.
Looking for the best of both worlds? Amberscript is a transcription service that converts video and audio to text using both AI transcription software and human agents. Its additional features include subtitle and closed caption generation, support in more than 80 languages, and customizable dictionaries.
Similar to Amberscript, Happy Scribe is a subtitle and transcription service that converts speech to text with a mix of AI-powered speech recognition software and human agents. It’s another great choice for content creators, but anyone can use it to transcribe calls, add timestamps, and edit text in sync with playback.
Gong is a call recording software designed to improve sales teams with AI-powered analytics. The transcription software analyzes web conferencing and phone calls, using speech recognition technology to figure out what does and doesn’t work during discovery, sales, and negotiations.
With so many options to transcribe calls, it can be hard to determine which call transcription software is right for you. Here are three important factors to consider:
Whether you want to boost sales, enhance team collaboration, or simply create a record of important conversations, Otter’s all-in-one platform adapts to your needs. Record everything from in-person meetings to virtual meetings to one-on-ones to company-wide meetings — whatever will supercharge your productivity.
Streamline communication today with Otter.