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Anyone who works PT for Spheris, can you tell me what your experience has been like, esp if you also

Posted By: work for someone else? Thanks! nm on 2006-03-10
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xx


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I thinkt that Shorthand works in more platforms, learned from experience. sm
I also think that not all platforms are bad, and that discouraging a fellow MT from learning more and Expander her horizons is not right. We should all learn as much about our field as possible and keep open minds as far as new technology is concerned.
My experience with Spheris isn't bad at all. I have been with Spheris sm
6 months and already have 40 hours PTO. I was shocked.  Spheris is a  great company.  After 90 days I did get my sign on bonus and didn't even have to ask.  There is soooooooooooooooo much that Spheris offer I wasn't even aware of.  I am so glad that I didn't listen to the negative posts on this board in regards to Spheris because I am a happy camper.
I had the same experience with Spheris, but
I decided when I wanted to leave. I had a very difficult account with many ESLs. This account was not for a new MT with no experience. I never had the same dictator and could not keep up. I was saved because I used my experience and training from Andrews school to combat the nasty accounts they gave me. I fought back hard, but realized I did not need to fight hard to stay at Spheris. I gave them my 2 weeks notice and had 3 jobs waiting for me when I left. Another coworker, who was put on this same account, was fired. She could not keep up on this difficult account. I had no experience, but I paid for a good education and took my good education and went somewhere else. I had the last laugh. Guess what? I am good. I am meeting production and getting incentives at my new job. Don't take the crap. Move on. At Spheris, as a newbie, I made 0.55 cpl. Now, I make 8.5 cpl. GO ME!!!!
Any experience with Spheris?
Hello!

I am looking for some information about Spheris. Anyone with information on workload/pay/overall would be appreciated! Good or bad, I'd like to hear it!

I just had their recruiter contact me and I am looking to make a change from my current company.

Thanks!
Spheris was the worst experience of my life!
Horrible, HORRIBLE accounts, and no one to speak with if you encounter trouble - just voice mail! I didn't even give them 2 weeks notice because it was such a waste of my time, which I have never done before with any job that I've had. I wish you the best of luck in your job search. After 7 years of service, they should treat you better than that.
MY experience was my hosp. fired Spheris
)
Anyone work for Spheris doing VR? Could you share experience, pay, line count etc..
Also, what are the benefits like i.e., medical insurance etc??
Agree.. What is up with Spheris..They hire new grads yet I have over 14 years experience in acute
care, multiple specialities, yet..they said I didnt meet the qualifications. WHAT???? Why arent they honest and tell the truth. Do not tell me I am not qualified when I have worked for two hospitals doing all work types including radiology for all those years. Their ad said at least one year of experience. I guess 14 did not count for anything. The funny thing was that the hospital I was working for at the time had just signed them on to do our overflow, having switched from MedQuist. I just find it ironic that they were hired by our hospital which I worked for and had experience at, yet, I was not qualified enough. What a joke!!
The platform is Word. Their program works with Word but does not change how Word works. nm
The benefits just changed the first part of this month. I don't have them but I remember them being reasonabl for a single person. Family and spouse was not reasonable in any way (in my opinion).
I still feel like a team player of Spheris, as the shackle scars are still on my legs! Spheris was

Micromanaged to the microsecond, or ms!  Horrible. And part of a team?  Total opposite - part of a team as in prison.


Don't imply you're worried at all. Just stating fact that Spheris does NOT allow a Spheris MT
work concurrently for MQ - no exceptions.  MQ, on the other hand, does not have the same feelings as Spheris.  Just all I had to say so that MTs aren't misled into thinking they can do the same "legally". Even went to the ropes on this issue with Spheris, as I was professional as well, and wouldn't share info, etc. The point they raised was that MQ is their direct #1 competition, and if I was typing for MQ and doing great work, that was in direct conflict of interest with Spheris' best interests.  Guess which one I obviously stuck with!!
Thank you, Spheris recruiter! Anybody wanna place a bet that there are lots of Spheris
HELP WANTED ads on the job board?? So funny!! Out of the blue, Spheris, we love you!! Lets all run and apply NOW!!
I also know Spheris would fire you if they knew you worked for MQ. That is a BIG NO with Spheris!
nm
Spheris - any spheris employees out there care to s/m
comment on the new Cornerstone platform, good, bad? Will we all be going to SR on this? Thanks.
Here, here. Exactly my experience also, even down to the 10 year work experience. nm
:+
Probably someone who works on...sm
a variety of (or all) accounts and interchanges regularly to help with backlog.  I previously worked for a company and they called it something else but basically the job description was someone who could work on any account at any given time and worked on accounts as needed (no specific primary/secondary, etc.).  The place were I worked paid these MTs a higher rate.
yep, works well. nm
x
Here is how it works
Review resumes as they come in. Separate into two piles. Immediately respond to all unqualified MTs with a simple email. Even if it is 100, it will take about an hour - no need to respond to follow ups to those, if any. Next, reply to qualified MTs with a simple email telling them resume was received and the next step and to email you when that step is completed. This may take a couple of days, tops! Everybody deserves a response, even those not qualified. It is called professional courtesy. Please. All recruiters do is recruit. It's not that difficult!
I know someone who works for them
From what I understand she is very happy there. If you have the experience, you probably can ask for 9 or 10 per line. They will negotiate with you. They are a growing company, management is nice and helpful, but a little slow getting everything off the ground, it took a bit of patience on her part to actually be up and working. They do outsource but never has run out of work.
What works for me is this:
1. I tell people who know I work from home that I am not to be disturbed unless someone dies or the house catches on fire, NO exceptions, NONE.
2. I screen every call and NEVER answer the phone until I am finished for the day. I also pick up any messages at that time. If the school needs to call you, can they call on another line? If you answer the phone every time it rings or even listen to the messages you will never get any typing done, trust me. :-) I have found VERY few phone calls are true emergencies.
3. Explain as best you can that you are paid on production and when your fanny is not in your chair you are making nothing at all, so you can you borrow some money when your bills come due?

The bottom line is that if you do not treat this as a *real* job then no one will respect your wishes. If you had a job outside of the home and were on the phone all day long or had people dropping by to visit all day I sure bet you would be fired! It really is tough to put your foot down, but you can do it!!!
Who works for TTS currently?

I have been offered a VR editing job with TTS and would like to here from people who currently work for them.  Yes, I did see the postings further down on the board about TTS and that is why I want to hear from current TTS VR editors. 


What I want to know is how many lines do you get a day and many of those lines are actually VR lines and not typing lines?    Also, how many lines do TTS require their MTs to have a day?  Do you use a 9-pin foot pedal with the sticker on the bottom that reads IN-DB9?  Do you have dial up internet connections?   Lastly, do you feel that you are making more money with VR editing and saving your hands/wrists/arms too? 


Thanks


IN MT


Anyone who works for
TransTech - Will we get paid before or after the holiday, since our pay date is 5/28?
I know someone who works there....
and she is NOT very happy. She is definitely looking elsewhere. They must be pretty hard up for MTs since I keep getting a recruiting postcard from them in the mail almost every month!
They will - it's in the works
nm
no, that's not how it works.
x
MS Works
Your company should provide you with technical support to help you. ...Good luck!
NO one works there
Indian based company and have no clue when called office as it just rings and seems no one works in US at all. And even if work I hear they dont have good Management at all
works well for me.nm
nm
you must be one of the MTs that works
instead of running out here to post.
That works, too.
x
They may have something in the works, but right now there

isn't enough work.  They have lost several people recently due to the lack of work and still there isn't enough work. I like the company, so I'm not bashing them, but if there is a lot of work it isn't showing in our updates we get 3 times a day and I'm running out of work every day.  If we're on 15 minutes past our shift we are asked to get off, doesn't matter if we haven't been able to get our lines. 


There is one account that is particularly difficult and I think that has caused some people to leave, but even that account is running out of work on a daily basis. 


Is that how it works?
Name the pay you want and you shall have it? Clients will pay whatever they can get away with paying. What MTSO in their right mind would to to their clients and say By the way, we plan to charge a whole lot more than the other MTSOs because our MTs demand higher pay. Don't you think the client would just go elsewhere?
Um, no, this isn't how it works. (sm)
Webmedx wouldn't have a great reputation if this were the norm. Obviously, this person isn't telling you the whole story.
How the pay works out to be the same

They do fool some people with that.  When the company I worked for went to NO SPACES or VBC, everyone's pay was raised by 2 cent.  I have no clue why they would do this unless the client said they did not want to pay for spaces when their rates were increased.  It was no big deal to us because it honestly worked out to be the exact same pay with the 2 cent increase.  Now if the company says they are going VBC and you do not get an increase.......that's a big fat cut in pay. 


I guess that is why some companies think offering 10-12 cpl is very attractive, but it is for VBC, which is really only 8-10 cpl for the MT.  If they say 10-12 cpl with spaces, that is what is really attractive.


of course it works.
nm
How it works

The MTSO is hungry for accounts. They low ball the client and then advertise like crazy to find those MTs gullible or desperate enough to take on the low pay. They usually do find some but the ones with any self respect who can offer quality and quantity won't work for such low wages. Hence the rub.


Hey, if that works for you

But scheduling is one element of control a company forfeits in order to avoid paying benefits, contributing to Social Security, handling tax withholding, etc.  Companies that want to have it both ways, avoid all the responsibilities of an employer, but have the sceduling control of an employer, are dishonest.  And I think this is indicative of other areas in which the company may not be fair with you.  (At least, that's been my experience.)


It's your choice whether to go along with it.  If you are happy, great.  Those of us who might choose to make an issue of it realize we do this at the risk of losing work.  And as long as there are MTs who choose to go along with this policy, there will always be plenty of you to replace us with. 


Yes, it works out to be more than 65 cpl, usually. SM
FYI though, this also depends on margins and font size. Font size and margins aren't a factor in 65-chars line but they make a difference in gross line counting. If the margins are set at 1 inch all around and font size is 12, 6 c gross line would be around 8 or 9 c 65-chars line. At least that was my experience in the past when paid on gross line, in the good old days.
You do what works for you.

and this OP should do what works for her. 


No. The way my IC job works is that I
tell them when I can work and how much work minute-wise I can take. They assign it to me in the late afternoon (I work FT for another MTSO and work nights for them) and I have until 6 a.m. the next morning to get it in.
hope it works out
but if you were offered chance to work on other accounts, what is the problem? You are going to have slow periods with ANY company, and at least your now-previous employer had enough accounts to offer you something else...in any event, hope you find bliss at new place.
Do you know if InstaText works with it?
x
You don't know much about how the industry works, do ya?!
ROFL

Change your schedule monthly? Oh, so the company should have to readjust and possibly hire more for one month just because you want to work different schedule next month and it leaves them without coverage for their clients (which, by the way, PAYS YOUR CHECKS).

You don't want annoying emails all day but you want communication on your accounts? LOL Which is it?!

Tons of work? Gonna take tons of line counts to get it done with tons of commitment on a set schedule to make sure its covered. ??!?!?

An account liason with a real person on the other end...blah, blah, blah. Can't read? Don't wanna read? Soooo, you think the company should take on more overhead to pay someone to sit at the end of the phone and personally tell you what you can and can't do?! LMAO

If all MTs did their work there shouldn't be any on weekends. Hmmmm....LOL I guess those who dictate on weekends are outta luck, huh?! ROFL Make sure they tell clients, "Uhmm, we hope we'll cover you on the weekends but because the MTs may or may not want to cover weekends we might not be able to." Yeah, that will keep clients (again who pay the company so they can PAY YOUR CHECK).

OMG this is all so rich. Just not enough time to continue on here...but you get my drift.

Get over yourself. This is a business just like any other.

Don't like it? Get out. Dream on with the "fantasy" job. Or, wait, wait -- BETTER YET --- Open an MT business yourself and let's all watch you put all these wonderful things in place and see how much business you really get, how many GREAT MTs you get, and how much profit YOU turn!!!

LMAO!!



Could somebody else who works there please post?
I was told that 10c to 11c is reserved for MTs that have been with the company for a long time. 
That is not how it works. We can "demand" all we want but there will
be those that undercut to get the contract.

If you can stop the U.S. editing or can tell us how to get it to stop, let me know as I would love to stop it as I agree with you. It's just not going to happen though.
THE POINT IS ....is that she works
You are totally missing the point. The woman does not work in the office...she works from home. It doesn't matter if she works in a dedicated office, the living room, bedroom etc...She DOES NOT work at the KS office, therefore she cannot comment factually about anyting that goes on in the KS office. Do you understand now?
I am surprised anyone still works for them!

Would someone who works for Diskriter sm
be willing to email me?  I am checking out some companies and have a few ?s.  Thanks! 
I have both of those platforms and everything works well. nm
x
Could someone who works for Keystrokes
please e-mail me privately?  I have some questions about the company.  Thanks!!!
Offshoring. They use it, it works, and that's what
happened. Why pay US MTs what they were paying when they have masses now up and running in India? And QA can fix the offshore work for 3.5 cpl, which will probably go lower. #1 reason I turned down their offer - major offshoring - that and a gut feeling that things weren't as wonderful as they presented, which was confirmed to me by a recruiter. Sorry for your situation.