The Ruby Team Shares New Year’s Resolutions!

By Katie Wilson | 12.27.2011 |

Happy Employees

Receptionist resolutions for 2012 2012 is fast approaching, so I asked the virtual receptionist team here at Ruby_® what the new year might hold for them! Here’s a smattering of our team’s resolutions:

Virtual Receptionist Stephanie S.: Read one new book on each of the American Presidents in order (I’m giving myself two years for this one, but I got excited and started early; almost done with George Washington!)

Virtual Receptionist Jessica M.: I just bought a gym membership, so I’m planning to go 3 times a week. I’m also going to read more books and go camping at least twice this summer!

Sales Associate Ashley Fisher: I’m getting a puppy!!

Scheduling Ninja Bri Popson: I signed up for a 5k run in August that I’m set on completing to some degree of grace!

Virtual Receptionist Annie M.: I’m going to take a vacation! (In addition to cheerfully answering phones at Ruby for the past four years, Annie is a small business owner herself, managing a local clothing store — she’s earned it!)

Virtual Receptionist Melissa W.: I hope to finally take a sewing class, and let’s see, eat lots and lots of pizza!

Star Service and Receptionist Cultivator Ang Gray: I like to make my resolution more of a theme, for example one year it was: Live my values. This year I’d like to focus on self-care. As a parent and staff manager, I love being able to take care of others, but this year, I’d also like to get to know myself better.

Director of Culture Sarah Sackett: I’m looking forward to getting married to the love of my life!

Virtual Receptionist Jill H.: I have this book called 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Portland. I am going to do all of those hikes in 2012!

Sales and Marketing Associate Katie Wilson (aka yours truly): In 2012, I’ll have known my best friend for 12 years, so I hope to squirrel aways some funds and take a celebratory trip to Ireland together!

Do you have any special resolutions for the new year? Share away in the comment section below!

Around the Ruby Office: A Secret Snowflake Gift Exchange!

By Sarah Sackett | 12.22.2011 |

Our virtual receptionists celebrated the holidays this week with a secret snowflake gift exchange. Not only was it a great chance to Foster Happiness and Create Community (two of our Core Values) but it was lovely to see some Ruby talents shine through! Rachel S. made a beautifully knit hat for Pennie, Clarice baked some fruit loop cupcakes for Kendra (to honor her love of all things cereal), Kendra and Holly both made some dazzling earrings for their giftees, and there were lots of homemade sugary treats flowing in the office! Others handpicked some amazing and thoughtful gifts that definitely made their coworker’s days a little brighter.

Here are a few photos from the festivities:

Ruby's pink tree with a bounty of gifts!

Desi was so excited that Pat was her secret snowflake!

Ang was almost moved to tears by her scrapbook kit!

Katie was delighted by her restaurant gift cards from around the globe!

Ruby Celebrates 2011 with Our Annual Holiday Party!

By Katie Wilson | 12.12.2011 |

On Saturday, our virtual receptionist team gathered together at our annual holiday gala to celebrate 2011 and Create Community with each other outside of the office. 2011 was a big year for Ruby_®, and as our Founder/CEO Jill Nelson put it: We found out what we’re made of. In the first half of the year, we launched a brand new, completely customized communications platform, adding several new features and making our virtual receptionist service even better. We also were named one of Oregon’s Fastest Growing Companies and moved into larger quarters in the LEED-certified Lovejoy Building. And then there was our crowning achievement: nabbing the title of #2 Best Medium-Sized Company to Work For in Oregon.

We are incredibly grateful for all of our employees, clients, and vendors for your support during this epic year and for making Ruby such a wonderful place to come to work! We can’t wait to see what 2012 brings!

Here are a few photos from the night, with even more to come on the Ruby Facebook and Google + pages!

: And then we danced the night away!

Special thanks to the folks at Holocene — everyone was so nice and helpful and the space was perfect! Also, a huge shout out to our Director of Culture, Sarah Sackett for organizing this faulous bash!

Our Virtual Receptionist Team Gets into the Holiday Spirit with a Cube Decorating Contest!

By Katie Wilson | 12.09.2011 |

Santa-saurus Rex and a clowder of kitten-reindeer!

The holidays are fast approaching, and a few of our virtual receptionists started to decorate their cubes with twinkling lights and green and red trinkets to get into the spirit. It got us thinking…Why not have a cube decorating contest?! Soon, the whole virtual receptionist crew got in on the fun, and trees, garlands, and reindeer popped up all over the Ruby_® office! Who wouldn’t be cheerful sitting across from a veritable Winter Wonderland?

Congratulations to our cube decorating winner: Monica D.! Below are a few snaps of the winning decorations and our runners up — check out a full album of photos on the Ruby Facebook page!

The winning cube: Monica D. and her holiday creations!

Monica D. even made little santa hats for her little deskmates!

A close second: Kristen C.'s bow-nanza!

: Kristen’s bow-tiful tree

Ruby Mentioned in Psychology Today!

By Katie Wilson | 12.05.2011 |

The “Indiana Jones of Positive Psychology,” Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener wrote an intriguing article on risk-taking in this month’s optimism-focused issue of Psychology Today — and he mentions Ruby_®Receptionists! Dr. Robert and his team have been helping us Foster Happiness with our virtual receptionists for a little over a year, and we’re thrilled that he mentioned us in his column!

Feel free to check out his article here, and if you’d like to learn more about Dr. Robert and his merry band of happiness-makers, visit his website: Positive Acorn.

3 Easy Ways to Welcome a New Employee

By Phoebe Osborn | 11.08.2011 |

A welcome gift can also set the stage for a great first day!

We’re all about great first impressions at Ruby_®, and making every new member of our virtual receptionist team feel welcome on day one is especially important to us. If you work one-on-one with a new hire, you have a great opportunity to establish a connection from the get-go. But you don’t have to be a new employee’s trainer or manager to connect — in fact, it takes just a minute or two to make a positive impression. Here are three easy ways to welcome the latest addition to your office:

Say more than “Hello.” When you’re introduced to a new employee, don’t stop at “It’s nice to meet you!” Try asking a get-to-know-you question or two when you meet. Anything that sparks a bit of dialogue will do — it can be as simple as asking “How is your first day going?” or “What do you think of the office?” You may be having a busy morning, but take a moment to learn a little about your new teammate. A quick conversation will establish rapport and help the new employee remember your name.

Offer to help. Being the new kid on the block isn’t easy, but you can help put a new employee at ease by letting your teammate know you’re happy to lend a hand. You don’t have to offer anything grand to show you care. Here are some examples:

“If you have any trouble with the copy machine, I’d be happy to help you!”

“Let me know if you’re looking for good restaurants nearby for lunch!”

“If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to let me know!”

Check in. After you’ve met, make a follow-up visit to your new teammate. It’s as easy as swinging by your newbie’s desk to say hello and chat a bit. This is a great opportunity to offer help, if you haven’t had a chance yet. A quick conversation will mean a lot to your teammate, and ease new-hire jitters. You might just get a new friend out of the deal, to boot!

How do you and your teammates welcome new employees? Comment below with your suggestions!

Our Virtual Receptionist Team Celebrates Rubies for Rubys!

By Sarah Sackett | 10.18.2011 |

Rubies for Rubys virtual receptionist incentive campaign The leaves are starting to change colors and the days are getting chilly here in Portland; this can mean only one thing – it’s Rubies for Rubys time! I’ve written in the past about my love of incentive campaigns and some of the fabulous campaigns Ruby holds in our office. These campaigns are one of the ways we show our virtual receptionist team appreciation for their hard work, and they help the whole office to be active in our company goals and Core Values. And our annual Rubies for Rubys campaign is definitely one of my favorites!

Rubies for Rubys happens every fall, and it is a grand lead up to our much anticipated holiday party in December. This year is our 5th year of doing the campaign, and it just gets better each year! The premise is simple: Our virtual receptionists earn gems to exchange for fun prizes at the Ruby holiday bash. They earn these precious stones by going above and beyond in their work. The ways to earn change every other week in the campaign so it gives the team lots of opportunities to show their expertise and have fun in the process; one challenge may focus on message-taking accuracy, another on Creating Community with a caller or client, and more.

We also encourage peer to peer giving by handing out 5 rubies per week to everyone in the office. Overhear someone take a great call? Ruby! Did someone make you laugh in the break room? Ruby time! There are a million ways to earn rubies, and the whole team gets really creative with it and makes these last few months of the year fly by!

Do you hold incentive campaigns? How do you inspire your team? Share in the comment section below!

Monica Wofford Inspires Confidence at Ruby!

By Katie Wilson | 10.14.2011 |

Last night, Ruby_®‘s virtual receptionist team came together for our final staff meeting in 2011. In addition to eating Hot Lips pizza, Creating Community, and chatting with coworkers, we had a special treat! Monica Wofford, Master Trainer and CEO of Contagious Companies, Inc., came to speak to our team about confidence. Her accolades are tremendous: Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), Certified CORE MAP_® Coach, college professor, author, a degree in Speech Communication, an MBA, President of the Central Florida National Speakers Association, just to name a few.

We have enjoyed working with Monica and getting to know her over the years, and we had a blast meeting her in person and hearing her speak. Answering phones for public speakers, attorneys, plumbers, and more, means that our virtual receptionists speak with a wide variety of people every day. We’re known for connecting with our callers and clients, so it was fun to get a refresher on what a difference confidence can make and learn even more strategies for building relationships.

We’d like to extend a huge thank you to Monica for coming out and inspiring our team! We’re energized and looking forward to spreading your “contagious” cheer!

Check out Contagious Companies and Monica’s book Contagious Leadership (which Ruby’s book club is reading next!) to learn more!

Confessions of a Virtual Receptionist: How to Sustain Pep & Cheer Throughout an 8 Hour Day

By Marie R. | 09.20.2011 |

Virtual receptionists Marie, Lianne, and Mercedes

Rubys Marie (left), Lianne, and Mercedes at this year's "100 Best Companies to Work For" awards

We’re proud to say that today’s guest poster is one of Ruby_®‘s talented virtual receptionists, Marie!

“How are you are so perky?” Ask any virtual receptionist at Ruby, and she will surely tell you of a time when a caller or client asked her this very question. Our usual response is something about copious amounts of coffee, but I wanted to give a more comprehensive answer to this fabulous question. Personally, I draw energy from three main sources: Positivity, Health, and Community.

Positivity

Language is a powerful tool. Replacing drab words like “ok” or “sure” with WOW words, like “absolutely!” “fantastic!” and “certainly!” makes callers feel more cared for, and their happiness reflect back to you.
Phrasing your sentences so that the caller knows what you CAN do keeps calls on the right track, and everyone stays up beat.
Keeping your tone of voice cheery and helpful can create a positive atmosphere. To do this, simply smile while you speak. You’ll find that your tone of voice perks up as your lips curve up!

Health

Knowing ergonomically correct posture keeps my energy flowing in a positive direction. OSHA is a great resource and offers many solutions that I’ve seen Ruby employing such as wrist rests.
Healthy snacking is another way I keep my energy levels up. We virtual receptionists know that talking on the phone and eating do not mix, so I make sure to have something munchable ready on each break.

Community

Creating Community is
Via Awesomer

one of the Ruby Core Values, and it has been game-changer in my work experience. The little things my co-workers do for me can completely turn my day around. I was chipper for the rest of the morning after Lianne sent me this little guy!

Being friendly isn’t unprofessional! Personalized notes and emails are a great way to make someone feel appreciated, which makes everyone involved more cheerful! We received one of these e-cards from a client recently, and it made our day!
Lastly, I brighten my workspace with objects that make me smile. I keep special notes from my family and co-workers, along with a box of crayons for crafting fun cards:

Virtual receptionist Marie's desk

What do you have at your desk that makes you smile throughout the day?

Why Have Ruby’s Live Virtual Receptionist Service in Portland, Oregon?

By Katie Wilson | 09.09.2011 |

Rubys' virtual receptionists supporting the Oregon Ducks football team!

Rubys sporting yellow and green in honor of Oregon Ducks football!

Here at Ruby_®, we are all about getting to know our clients and Creating Community with everyone we interact with. We answer phones for companies across the nation and Canada, and we enjoy learning about their communities, industries, and businesses, so we thought we’d share a little bit more about where we live and why we’re proud to have our virtual receptionist service in Portland, Oregon.

7 fun facts about Portland:

1. The Pacific Northwest is known for being green, which aligns well with Ruby’s sustainable business practices. Our office building is LEED certified, and we even have a Ruby Green Team!

2. Among Portland’s many nicknames are Bridgetown, Stumptown, and the City of Roses.

3. Portland was ranked the second most bike-friendly city in the world last year, second only to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. We also have lots of alternative transportation options, including buses, a light rail system, and a streetcar that stops right outside the Ruby office.

4. Portland’s home to the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world, Powell’s Books. Ruby’s just a few blocks down the street!

5. There’s a massive food cart culture here — over 200 carts city-wide! My personal fave is the Potato Champion; they have Belgian style fries — yum!

6. Portland is a very crafty city (and many Rubys are avid knitters, jewelry makers, and artists), and birds are indeed a prevelant motif.

7. Coffee, coffee, coffee! Like all good PacWesters, we can’t get enough. Local roasters, Stumptown Coffee and Nossa Familia keep our virtual receptionists bright and cheerful all day long.

I could go on and on! One of the great things about a virtual receptionist service is that it can be based anywhere, and the receptionists can sound like they’re right in your office, miles away; however, our cheerful virtual receptionist service is imbued with Portland’s vibrant, friendly culture, it’s no wonder we’re able to sound so happy!

Still curious? Check out this video by local creative agency Sockeye, for a virtual tour of Portland:

The Watercooler.

Keeping it personal in a virtual world.

Category: Happy Employees