Choose an AI meeting-notes tool that can handle your actual Cantonese–English conversations, capture meetings the way you run them, and let you check the notes against the recording. Oak is worth testing if you need those capabilities across online calls, in-person meetings and existing recordings. Use the same sample to evaluate each shortlisted tool before subscribing.
A good demo is a starting point. The purchase decision should come from a meeting your team recognises: the language, the names, the way a client leaves a decision open. Here is a practical scorecard you can take into a trial.
What should you test first?
Start with the conversation you need to record, including its mix of languages. A supported-language list alone does not tell you how useful the result will be for your team.
Pick a recording you have permission to use. Include a speaker switching between Cantonese and English, a company or product name, a date or figure, and an agreed next step. Listen to those passages yourself and keep a short reference note.
Then look for meaning, not just neat sentences. Did the tool preserve the English product name? Did “we can discuss this next week” become an agreed deadline? Was an idea recorded as a decision?
For the language-specific detail, see our Cantonese meeting transcription guide. This buying checklist focuses on whether the whole workflow fits your work.
What belongs on your buying scorecard?
Compare tools against the same tasks. Mark each row works for us, needs checking or does not fit. These are your acceptance criteria, not a vendor ranking.
| Requirement | What to check during a trial |
|---|---|
| Meeting language | Cantonese and English remain understandable through switches, including the names and terms you use. |
| Capture method | The tool supports your online platform, in-person recording or existing files. |
| Verification | You can locate the source of a disputed sentence and listen to it. |
| Notes format | The output separates discussion, decisions, actions and unresolved questions in a useful shape. |
| Outputs | You can take the record into the documents or systems your team actually uses. |
| Usage limits | Recording length, monthly minutes and bot allowances cover your expected workload. |
| Data handling | The vendor can explain processing, retention, deletion and deployment options. |
Decide which rows are essential before you compare results. A team recording client calls may put capture and follow-up first. A committee may need its existing minutes format. A team reviewing interviews may care most about locating a speaker’s exact words.
The scorecard is useful because it makes those choices explicit. A feature you never use should not outweigh a requirement the tool fails.
When is Oak a good fit?
Oak is built for Hong Kong teams working in Cantonese and English. It brings several parts of the meeting workflow together:
- Capture: Oak Bot joins Google Meet, Zoom and Microsoft Teams. You can also record an in-person meeting in the browser or upload a supported recording.
- Review: Open the transcript and summary side by side, replay a sentence, and correct the transcript or notes.
- Follow-up: Use summary templates or your own format, then use Ask AI to ask questions about that meeting or draft a follow-up email.
Ask AI provides citations linked to moments in the recording. Use those links to check important details. A citation helps you find the source; it does not replace reading or listening to it.
For recurring speakers, Voice Memory applies to later recordings within the same project after you name the voices. For taking work elsewhere, transcripts export as .txt or .srt, and meeting notes as Word .docx.
Those are concrete reasons to include Oak in a shortlist. They do not establish that Oak is the best fit for every team. Start with your required tasks and judge the result on your own recording.
How should you run a fair trial?
Use the same recording, the same requested output and the same review checklist for every tool.
- Capture or upload the sample. Check any preparation needed, such as admitting a meeting bot or selecting a project.
- Inspect the important passages. Compare names, amounts, decisions and speaker labels with your reference note.
- Produce the document you need. Request a client recap, interview brief or minutes format you would actually use.
- Finish the task. Review, correct and export it. Record what you had to do yourself.
This is a practical trial, not an accuracy benchmark. Keep the sample and conditions consistent so your team can discuss the results clearly. If you track time, measure your own complete process, including setup and corrections. Do not assume a vendor’s saving applies to your meetings.
What should you confirm before subscribing?
Check current plan limits, the output formats you need and how your company wants recordings handled.
Oak’s monthly recording minutes and Oak Bot allowance are separate. Check both against your expected calls on the pricing page. For deployment questions, discuss your requirements through Oak for Business.
Before sharing client-facing notes, check commitments, figures and quotations against the recording.
Frequently asked questions
Is the tool with the most supported languages the best choice?
Not necessarily. Test the languages your team uses together, along with your capture method and required output. A broad language list is only one part of the decision.
Do I need a meeting bot?
Use a bot when it suits your supported online calls. For an in-person meeting or an existing file, use live recording or upload instead. Check your organisation’s recording policy before either route.
Can I try Oak before choosing a plan?
Yes. Oak offers a 7-day free trial. Use it to test a representative meeting, review the result and check the plan limits you need.
Put your next meeting on the scorecard. Start for Free — see plans and trial details and see whether Oak fits the way your team works.