Ruby Receptionists experiences strong hiring trends for 2020, driven by persistently high demands for personalized remote services
In first half of 2020, Ruby's workforce grows 8%, 10% of staff recognized with promotions
Ruby, the premier provider of live virtual receptionist and chat services for small businesses, is on a growth trajectory. The company is adding to its workforce steadily in 2020, while also identifying more challenging opportunities internally for high-performing staff. Through July, Ruby will have added more than 110 new employees to its ranks, representing an 8% increase in staffing so far this year. The company anticipates bumping up those numbers by at least another 60 before year-end, and it is placing a strong focus on promotions to fill open positions.
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“In a technology-focused world — and one which has become increasingly so in the massive move to working from home during the pandemic — the personal, human touch is so valuable for companies seeking to make important connections with their customers and partners,” said Kate Winkler, Ruby CEO. “And as we’ve seen business schedules change and sustained levels of call volume into the nights and weekends, we’ve been recruiting and promoting talented individuals to keep up with the growing demand of our 24/7/365 services.”
Ruby began the year with more than 40 new hires in January and February before efforts slowed temporarily in spring as COVID-19 shutdowns impacted economic activity. Numbers rebounded quickly in June and July, and Winkler remains optimistic for the remainder of the year. The company has been adding staff across the board, from front-line employees, such as receptionists and chat specialists, to services coaches, management, technology and related support roles. “Providing service at the level we do is a collective effort,” continued Winkler, “and we continue to strengthen our team through promotions and new hires in all areas because we know how important our services are to businesses, now more than ever.”
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At Ruby, candidates for any role must be passionate about making meaningful connections on behalf of customers and driven to evolve the company’s proprietary technology to support customer acquisition and retention strategies of small businesses. Alignment with the company’s core values — to foster happiness, create community, innovate, grow and practice “WOWism” — is equally important. Whenever possible, Ruby seeks opportunities to promote from within for roles outside of receptionist and chat teams, as these individuals have an intimate knowledge of Ruby’s mission and product. Ruby is unique in that it reserves all customer-facing services roles, such as customer onboarding and success managers, for internal promotions. Similarly, many leadership roles, including coaches, managers and directors, are also former receptionists and chat specialists. Among its administrative staff, 64% of the current workforce has been promoted from within, and more than a quarter of all tech positions have been achieved through promotions.
“Being a receptionist was a critical tool for my career growth, as it provided insight into how we can help improve our employee experience and service delivery,” said Michelle Blankenship, who was recently promoted to senior director of services and now oversees more than 450 receptionists, chat specialists and managers. “We have leadership and professional development programs tailor-made for our front-line positions. Whether you want to grow your career within Ruby as I have, or work at Ruby while you work towards your dream career, the skills and tools learned as a receptionist and chat specialist will serve you wherever you go.”
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