ORLANDO, FLA.–Superior sound quality and greater reliability are just a few of the many advantages of recording claim statements digitally instead of using a traditional cassette tape, according to a provider of digital recording services.

Speaking at the 12th Annual ACE (America's Claims Event) here, Jim Stockert, vice president of sales and marketing for Tempe, Ariz.-based Calibrus, said that important factors to consider regarding claim statement recordings are the quality of the recording, the length of time the recording can be stored, and the ease with which it can be stored.

Mr. Stockert questioned whether cassette tapes or mini cassette tapes–the mediums used by a majority of claims professionals–were really the best options given the technology that exists today.

He pointed to several flaws with the analog recording process, such as a hiss that is sometimes heard during playback which affects clarity. He also cited “dropout,” which he described as periodic loss of audio level due to the tape stretching. Pitch change, or “flutter,” is another quality issue that results from the stretching of the tape, Mr. Stockert said. He also pointed out that after a few playbacks, the quality begins to deteriorate on cassettes.

Storage of cassettes can also create complications, according to Mr. Stockert. A lot of space is required to store 10 years worth of tapes, he noted, and locating a tape easily after five years can be a challenge.

By contrast, Mr. Stockert said digital recordings do not have sound quality issues since the process involves “recording 1s and 0s.” He added that there is no issue with making copies of a digital recording either. With cassette recordings, he said, the quality worsens with each copy made. Digital recordings do not deteriorate over time, Mr. Stockert said, and they can be retrieved easily if they are stored on a server online.

Speaking to the services offered by his company, Calibrus, Mr. Stockert said claims professionals taking statements over the phone can navigate to a secure Web site set up by Calibrus, enter information such as the claim number, adjuster ID, etc. into a customizable menu, and then record the phone call digitally through Calibrus. The call is then stored by Calibrus on its servers in Tempe, and can be retrieved at any time by the claims professional.

For claims professionals to take claims statements face-to-face, Mr. Stockert said the audio recordings can be uploaded in any digital format to Calibrus' server and stored in the same manner.

Mr. Stockert said the system requires no hardware or software costs, and requires no additional IT staff. He said the setup is quick as well. “On our side, we're usually set up in a week.”