Some voice talents ask for signed written contracts, and/or require payment up front before they start on a project with a new client.
I can certainly see the wisdom of that, especially if you’ve been burned on a job along the line somewhere. Their argument is that most reputable business people will respect that you can build mutual trust with all the details, in advance, on paper. That way, nothing left to chance or unreliable memory. Some feel that an email record is sufficient, in place of a signed, written contract.
On the other hand, there’s the chance that you might put someone off by demanding such proof of trust right at the beginning of a business relationship. I know many long-time voice actors who claim they’ve never required a written contract up front, and have never or rarely been disappointed.
Often, you may be tempted to just pick up the phone and seal-the-deal verbally. That’s probably even more haphazard than relying on an email trail. But there might be an add-on solution to that instance.
The answer is a service that will record the calls you program into it. It’s called CALL-TRUNK. Call-Trunk is from the family of the ubiquitous EverNote service. You use EverNote already…right? If not, you might want to consider this handy cloud program. EverNote has become my memory, my brain, my repository of all content online that I value. Try it. Pricing is very reasonable for what you get in return, and practically every program and app in the known universe integrates with EverNote.
But back to Call-Trunk. It records your phone calls no matter what device you’re using.
From their website:
Calltrunk works on any device. So you can make calls with your landline, Skype, iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Windows7 or Symbian phone. Or you could launch a call through your Mac Address book or, say, via your CRM solution.
Access recordings via your mobile or your computer.
Attach notes to recordings, download them, email them or order transcriptions.Share recordings with Evernote, Box, Dropbox, SugarCRM and more.
Search your conversations for important information.
enables you to instantly search all your recordings for the words spoken, the notes you made, the transcripts you may have ordered, the date of the call or even the type of call.
Call Trunk is free to try (3o minutes cell or landline/60 on Skype), and from there, you can choose a monthly package or Pay-as-you-go. CallTrunk has worked hard to make the pricing painless (mostly). Transcriptions of calls is available, but that’s another add-on price. And of course, this is all on top of the cost of whatever phone service you’re already using.
Oh, and BTW, it’s legal to record your own conversations. The specific requirements for notification vary from country to country and state to state. For example, US Federal law, English law, Canadian law and the law in most US States requires single party notification.
Nifty, huh? Now you can get those verbal agreements on record, and have them at the ready. ‘Might not hurt to tell people they’re being recorded, though.
CourVO
