I get numerous calls weekly from other owners of companies in the court reporting industry. Everybody is talking about the same thing, lack of work, plummeting prices and fierce competition. Freelance court reporters are concerned with the lack of work.
As an owner of a court reporting business for more than 25 years, I have never seen or heard the type of proposals and negotiations that have become part and parcel of our everyday business. I hope that just one person reading this will try and hold to decent and fair rates and not be bullied into accepting absurd terms that are being dictated by some insurance companies and law firms. We have said no several times now and each time our clients came back with counterproposals because they did value our service and weren’t willing to sacrifice quality. That is reassuring to some degree.
We have a highly-tuned skill, and we deserve fair compensation for the time, effort and money we have invested in our profession.