New York Court Reporters Blog

Since I get so many requests each week for work, I think jobs in our industry must be the topic most of us in the court reporting profession are interested in. Not so long ago there was a real shortage of court reporters. Now the tide has changed. There is less work due to the economy and also due to new technologies being used to lower rates.

I believe being successful in a court reporting firm, meaning getting work and good work, is based on many factors, like pieces of a pie. Skill is always important. I remember a reporter who had every conceivable letter after his name. Put out a wonderful transcript. However, we received the most, do not send him back, than anybody. He was just too intrusive and bothersome.

It is important that reporters understand how and when to ask for information. I always tell new reporters to make a list of spellings they need and when everybody comes BACK from a break, get the information you need. Do not start writing until you have your spellings or whatever. NEVER wait until the end of a deposition when everybody is running out. Also, lots of spellings can be taken off an exhibit BEFORE you put the sticker on. Once that sticker is on, that exhibit is gone. There are so many little things that court reporters can do to help a deposition go smoothly and have a happy attorney who will remember their name and request them back next time around.

I have been giving some thought to the problems court reporters and court reporting agencies are having in our new economic environment. We are all in a very difficult environment. However, court reporters and court reporting firm owners should be working together to help each other retain and get clients. I hear every day from my reporters that they need more work. I hear from court reporting firm owners that they need more clients. Then we get calls daily about our reporters being late, transcripts being late. Our clients call, telling us about all the sales pitches they are getting all the time, and we are all aware of the rampant excessive gift-giving that has consumed our profession. At this point in our business cycle court reporting agency owners can’t afford to have late transcripts and reporters showing up late. I think a lot of reporters don’t realize how lateness in any form affects an attorney’s impression of a firm. The transcript can be picture perfect but if an attorney has to call on when am I getting it, I don’t think they are really impressed with the court reporting firm or the court reporter. The best way to retain clients is a combination of excellent service and product on both sides of the coin, both the reporter’s and the firm’s.

Getting court reporting jobs and keeping them are on every court reporter’s mind. What really separates court reporters when the skills and certifications really seem to be quite equal?

As a court reporting agency owner, here are the attributes which want us to get to know a court reporter better. Never be late. Much better to get there a little early and “chat” with the attorneys. They will be much nicer to you throughout the proceeding also.

We like our court reporters to be our eyes in the deposition. Tell us a little about the attorneys on the case, fast, slow. Difficult; easy. Many of our cases continue and this is useful information. Of course, we like to know if there will be other depositions. Getting paperwork in quickly and using our forms. Although another firm’s paperwork might be somewhat interesting, I am more interested in the court reporters who take the time and show the interest in understanding and using our forms.

Want to really impress and get another call? Get the deposition in early. The earlier the better. That allows the court reporting firm to bill quicker and get paid quicker. And a very happy client!

Competition is fierce for clients among agency owners. The happier a reporter makes one of our clients, the better for all. We do follow up with our clients to see how the deposition went, and the best way to get more work is when the client says, “The reporter was great!”