Audio recording of the session

[AbhinavG (Abhinav Gulechha)]

Hello dear friends,

I have a small clarification: while doing the induction onwards, I keep a writing pad and jot down my interactions and client responses on paper…

The difficulty I find with this approach is that for the time that I make the notes and in my rush not to miss anything important, I am not able to focus on the client.

And frankly, given the handwriting I have (and specially written in a rush not to miss a single word that I have, frankly, I sometimes cannot decipher some of the words when I read my notes :))…

I am not very comfortable with typing on laptop…

I wanted to know if audio recording the session with client consent is a better way…we can share the audio file later with the client along with a short focussed report on main patterns/findings/guidance and action plan.

the benefit I see in this approach is that I can focus much better on the client in the session and also there is some learnings/recall that the client when he listens to his own words, can decipher the meaning much better than what I communicate later through my report…

after the session, we can share mp3 file along
As regards the issue of confidentiality, I anyways clearly state in T&C that all discussions are completely confidential. Moreover, I can pre-check the client’s comfort level with the arrangement at the takeoff stage…

Just thought to share an audio recorder on Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/Sony-ICDPX470-CE7-Digital-Voice-Recorder/dp/B01MZIXLB0/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=audio+recorder&qid=1628001049&sr=8-3

Appreciate any guidance/perspectives on the above. Thanks.

[venu (Venu Murthy)]

Thanks for sharing this with us Beloved Abhinav.
I’ve had a drop in efficiency due to the presence of recording devices in my sessions and hence wasn’t using them.
In case you miss something during note taking I think it’s okay as we can ask for clarification…
Having said that I would also like to see what others have to say or what their experience has been.

[AbhinavG (Abhinav Gulechha)]

Thanks, Venu for your kind reply and very useful input. I will keep it in mind as I explore it further.

[Bhuvi]

Hi Abhinav, though a recorder can make the client self conscious… I have recorded couple of clients and it worked well. If the voice of the client is too low or hazy the recorder helps to revisit and helps in better integration session.

[AbhinavG (Abhinav Gulechha)]

Hello Bhuvi

Thanks for your inputs. Yes, I agree with your point of the client becoming conscious. I plan to do it only for clients who are fine with audio recording. I will experiment with a mix of note-taking and audio recording and update my experience on this thread. Thanks again for your inputs.

[Jyotismita_P (Jyotismita Puzari)]

Hello Abhinav, thanks for bringing up this topic. I too found it difficult to write or type the responses of the client while in a session as my writing speed is not that good. This is another problem I faced that you mentioned very nicely here-

@AbhinavG

(and specially written in a rush not to miss a single word that I have, frankly, I sometimes cannot decipher some of the words when I read my notes

So, I used to record the session but yes with the consent from the client. And most of time ,I found that client don’t want the audio recording, they just want a written copy of the session report. In that case, I give them the written copy.

And yes, I am greatly benefited with this little change. Now i can give my full focus on the client

[AbhinavG (Abhinav Gulechha)]

Hello Ms Jyotismita P

Thanks so much for sharing your views. Also thanks for sharing your experience that clients prefer written reports more than audio recordings. Happy to know that audio recording has benefitted you. I will experiment with it in the coming weeks and share my experience. Thanks once again.

[Atman (Nanda Sharad)]

Hi… After having conducted sessions both ways, I too am of the opinion that if the client is okay with recording, it helps me focus more on keeping the session smooth and focused.

[Ruchi_Joshi]

Thank you so much for sharing this. Please help me finding a good app or recording system to record the sessions.

[Brinda_Vijayan]

Hi Abhinav,
Initially I too faced similar problems of taking notes while in a session( my hand writing is atrocious and it would take me hours to transcribe from those notes) So I shifted recording on my phone initially and then to a recorder - Sony ICD- PX470 , which is compact and has very good clarity .This device also has the facility to transfer the audio file to the computer later ( this is the same device you have mentioned )
I always take permission to record the session with my clients and so far I have found , none have been averse to recording the session , some want the notes and some really are not interested in the notes as long as the intergration gets done post the sessions . While doing the integration I do replay parts of the session so the client can listen , and that also gives them the opportunity to reflect on what they said and they tend give more insight / clarity as to why something was said or if describing a scene /person- where / who that was , etc ,etc… . Having said this ,for my own reference, when I get time, post the sessions I do transcribe the recordings leisurely ,and have kept it in a folder on my computer , just incase the client does comeback with some doubts or for future sessions or if the client requests for the notes it can just be mailed to them too.
I do hope this info is useful to you .