Smooth Transition: Moving from Vowel to Otter.ai as Vowel Shuts Down

In recent news, Vowel, the transcription service, announced it will be shutting down its operations. We understand this news may come as a disappointment to Vowel users who have grown accustomed to using their product. However, fret not, as Otter.ai is a great alternative and in this blog post we will guide Vowel users through a smooth transition to Otter, highlighting the key features and steps required to make the switch.

‍Understanding Otter.ai

With over 1 billion meetings transcribed, Otter.ai is the world’s leading tool for meeting transcription, summarization, and collaboration. Using AI, Otter generates real-time automated meeting notes, summaries, and other insights from in-person and virtual meetings - turning meetings into accessible, collaborative, and actionable data that can be shared across teams and organizations. 

Users can put their meetings on OtterPilot by connecting their calendar. OtterPilot is an AI meeting assistant that can automatically join your Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet calls to automatically (and in real time) record audio, write notes, capture slides, and generate summaries.  In addition Otter offers mobile apps for iOS and Android and a Google Chrome extension so you can use OtterPilot wherever you meet- in person, hybrid or virtual.

We also recently launched Otter AI Chat, a collaborative AI intelligence layer that acts as a meeting participant instantly answering questions, collaborating with meeting participants, and generating content based on meeting discussion. Teams can also collaborate using Otter AI Chat to message each other and OtterPilot, bringing the smart AI assistant into the meeting discussion.

To transition from Vowel to Otter:

• Export Vowel Data. As Vowel prepares to shut down, it is essential to safeguard your valuable data. Since Vowel provides an export feature, we recommend users download their existing recordings to a local computer or database. 
• Create an Otter.ai Account. You have a couple options when creating a new Otter account. We offer a variety of plans with various pricing options to suit your transcription needs. The sign-up process is straightforward, and you will be guided through the necessary steps to create your account.
• Import Notes to Otter.ai. Once you have successfully created an Otter.ai account, you can begin importing your previously exported Vowel recordings. Otter.ai provides an easy-to-use import feature, allowing you to upload your recording files in various formats. Supported formats typically include common file types such as MP4, MP3, and many other formats.

Familiarizing Yourself with Otter.ai Features

As you transition to Otter.ai, take the time to explore its feature set and understand how it aligns with your requirements. Otter.ai offers features like real time speaker identification, speaker talk time, automated slide capture, and automated meeting summary, keyword highlighting, and the ability to make comments, @mentions and assign action items live during the meeting. By familiarizing yourself with these features, you can maximize your productivity and efficiency while using OtterPilot.

During the transition process, it's natural to have questions or encounter challenges. Explore our help center to find answers to your queries. We recommend keeping this Otter Start Guide as you get set up.

What are you waiting for? Get started today for a smooth transition.