Category: Web/Tech

Ruby’s WOW Story of the Month!

By | 01.06.2012 |

We’re adding a new feature to the Watercooler called “The Ruby® WOW Story of the Month!” We’re in the business of WOW here at Ruby, and we believe that whatever your industry, dazzling customer service is not only “a nice thing to have,” but in fact, it’s vital to making your business stand out. The key is having the right tools and the right culture.

One of the ways we shape our culture to makes exceptional customer service possible is by sharing stories. Stories are a vital part of our business; from sharing compliments to nominating coworkers for a Core Values in Action award, storytelling can create “legends” that will foster happiness, inspire, teach, and perpetuate the remarkable customer service that makes our clients rave about us. Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing some of the narratives that inspire us and celebrate those who make Ruby who we are. We’ll kick things off with a WOW story brought to you by thoughtful virtual receptionist Whitney L.!

Virtual receptionist Whitney L.

The ever-cheerful Whitney L.!

As you might know, last March, Ruby completely revamped our communications platform and designed one-of-a-kind proprietary software to provide even better receptionist service for our clients. We also hired our own full-time Software Architect, Steve Severance, so that we can add more features. One such feature we added recently is our “About” field, where our virtual receptionists can add helpful information and get to know our clients better.

Whitney was transferring a call to one of our clients, and she noticed in his “About” field that he was a runner, so she asked him if he had gone for a run that morning. It turns out he had in fact gone for a run, and he shared that it was part of his training routine for his first time in the New York Marathon! Whitney was really inspired by that, and she wanted to make sure that he knew that his Ruby team was behind him and cheering him on from 3,000 miles away on his big day. She did a little searching and found the perfect gift for him. She sent him a running go-belt that could hold his cell phone, keys, and credit cards while he was focusing on getting to the finish line. Whitney also sent a card letting him know that we would all be rooting for him and couldn’t wait to hear how it went.

The wonderful part of the story was when we got a response from this client. He told us that the timing was extraordinary; he was about to order the exact same thing for himself that day!

This story is definitely a favorite around the office, and it is a perfect example of how our Core Values guide us. I will let you in on a little Ruby service secret: Good service comes from doing what is asked of you, but one thing that will propel you to exceptional service is going above and beyond and filling unexpressed needs. That “WOWism” that we hold so dear is really a commitment to listening, always looking for ways to help without being asked, and most importantly, making a personal connection.

When’s the last time you were surprised with some really excellent customer service? We’d love to hear your story and share the love!

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4 Questions to Ask When Looking for Phone Service for a New Business

By | 01.03.2012 |

TelephoneEureka! You’ve got a fabulous idea for a new company and can’t wait to get things up and running. As a virtual receptionist service for small businesses, we know that there’s a lot of work that goes into building one from scratch, even before you open your doors; not least among them is choosing your phone service. Hearing your phone ring with potential clients will be a thrill but telephony may not be your specialty. To take some of the headache out of picking a phone system, we put together a few questions you may want to mull over when considering which out of the myriad of options is right for your budding business.

Do you need a local number, a toll-free number, or both? If your customers are locally based, or are based in a certain area code, you may want a local number. If you deal with customers nationally, a toll-free number may be more appealing. Ruby clients are welcome to publish the toll-free number we assign them; we cover any charges associated with the number, and at the end of service you may take it with you.

Do you need a physical phone installed? You may not need a landline if you will be maintaining a virtual office. Remote call forwarding lines or number hosting services may suffice.

Will you have more than one employee? You may be flying solo to start, but looking to the future couldn’t hurt. It’s handy to have a central, published number that your customers can call to reach anyone in your business. If you have a physical phone line installed, you will most likely be able to add lines through your service provider in the future. However, if you’ve opted not to have a landline and end up hiring additional employees, you could set up an auto attendant to route calls or step up your customer service by forwarding your number to a live virtual receptionist service like Ruby. That way, your new employees don’t have to give out their direct number which could lead to problems if they’re out on vacation or someone else takes over their responsibilities. With a centralized number, your callers will always reach someone who can direct them to the most appropriate person.

Who will answer your phone? Many soloprenuers answer their own phones, but perhaps it won’t set your company up for success. You may be in meetings or away from your desk and calls will have to go to an impersonal voicemail system. And when potential clients do reach you, they may wonder why the CEO is playing double duty as receptionist. Every phone call is an opportunity: an opportunity to set a great first impression for your business, an opportunity to WOW a current client, an opportunity to make a meaningful connection. Whether you answer your calls yourself, have in-house staff to help, or hire a service like Ruby, being prompt, friendly, and professional will always make a splash.

There are lots of factors to consider when choosing a phone service, and we would be happy to help in any way we can. Do you have other questions? Post your comment below!

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Client Spotlight: Attorney Ernest Svenson

By | 12.21.2011 |
Attorney Ernest Svenson

Attorney Ernest Svenson

Ernest Svenson, or as you may know him from his popular blawg, Ernie the Attorney, has built his law firm on using technology to make his practice flexible and gain leverage on behalf of his clients. In addition to his solo law practice, he also frequently speaks at CLE seminars sharing his tech expertise and will be on the faculty at the ABA Tech Show in March. We’ve enjoyed getting to know him over the past three years and are excited to share some of his wisdom in our Client Spotlight series!

Lawyers are notorious for working long hours. How can attorneys use technology to improve their work/life balance?

Easy: use tech intelligently so you get the most out of it without getting bogged down with trouble-shooting or configuring. Then, shut it down and experience the real world. You know, the one devoid of technology (or at least as devoid of it as possible).

How can solo and small law firms set themselves apart from the big kahunas in the legal field?

The short answer is: leverage technology to do more at a lower cost. One thing about technology is that usually it leads to something “useful, but impersonal.” Your virtual reception service is an example of how technology has enabled something highly personal and “white glove.” Yet the cost is completely affordable. These days people are used to getting a recording. They don’t like it, but they’re used to it. Use low cost technology to surprise people and give them great phone service.

Did you answer your own phone before you started using Ruby?

Actually, I used a robo-answering service. And I sometimes answered my own phone. I didn’t realize that some folks (especially new clients) were put off by my prior system.

Our virtual receptionists answer calls for a few of your businesses, including your solo practice, the Svenson Law Firm, and your continuing education provider, Digital Workflow CLE. What advice do you have for those thinking about using Ruby for one or more of their businesses?

I think this is one of the unknown features you all offer. I didn’t realize that for a small additional monthly fee I could add another line and share my minutes. So, my advice would be “try this” if you have two businesses. In fact, I’d even consider using it if I had a law firm with two distinct practice areas that I had separate marketing campaigns for (e.g. Trusts & Estates, and Domestic law).

You have CLE seminars coming up on December 28th and 29th on how to maintain a paperless, digital law practice. What’s something that attorneys can implement now that could help them be more productive?

Becoming paperless is about two things: (1) keeping digital information (e.g. email) in digital form, and (2) converting the non-digital (e.g. paper) to digital. The harder part is #2. This involves getting the right scanner (I recommend the Fujitsu ScanSnap 5100; there’s a PC version and a Mac version). Then you have to get used to using it regularly.

The next big thing is to create a digital signature so you’re not always printing just to sign a document that you have to send out. Remember principle #1: keep it digital (if you print it you have to scan it back in). The trick is to stamp it with an electronic signature, and then “print to PDF,” and then email the PDF to the recipient.

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What’s the Difference Between Landlines, VoIP, and Number Hosting Services Anyway?

By | 08.30.2011 |
Telephones galore!
Photo by prayitno

Our virtual receptionist crew knows that whether you’re just starting out or are thinking of switching to a new phone system, the wide world of telephony can be a confusing place. The folks in the Ruby® Sales and Client Services departments are always happy to help clients with their phone services (and even hop on conference calls from time to time, just to make sure things are hunky-dory). With today’s technology, there’s a veritable crush of phone services available, so we thought we’d start you off with a little info on a few of the options out there (all of which work with our professional virtual receptionist service):

Landlines. This is usually what people think of first; examples include AT&T, Verizon, and your local telephone company. Landlines are generally great in terms of sound quality and reliability; however, they may not be as feature rich as alternatives.

Voice over Internet Protocol (aka VoIP). Skype, Vonage, and other VoIP systems are often very flexible and are usually much less expensive than traditional landlines. Unlike most landlines, though, service quality varies by location, so you may want to ask around for the best service in your area.

Number hosting services. These services will host your phone number for a small monthly or annual fee. Providers like Grasshopper will either give you a new phone number or you can port your existing number to them; your calls will then forward to wherever you like.

And then there’s always mobile phones. Although we recommend not publishing your cell as your business number, a business cell phone can certainly be an asset. If you’d rather skip getting any of the above options, and you use our virtual receptionist service, you are welcome to give out your Ruby toll-free number and we would be happy to seamlessly transfer calls to your cell phone live if you’re available. This could come in especially handy for those in the tech field or service industry and are frequently out of the office.

Have additional questions? Post a comment or give us a call at 866-611-7829! We’d be delighted to help!

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5 Reasons Ruby’s Virtual Receptionist Service is the Perfect Fit for Technology Companies

By | 08.23.2011 |
Ruby will make you feel right at 127.0.0.1

Thankfully, our receptionists send messages in plain old English, not binary

Ruby® gets technology. Our virtual receptionist service uses advanced, customized software coupled with old-fashioned smarts and friendliness. Our cheerful virtual receptionists answer phones for many companies in the technology field, from software developers to IT consultants to computer repair technicians. There are many reasons technology companies have found a home with Ruby; here are five ways we can help your business:

Appear bigger and more professional. Whether you’re solo or have a dozen employees, having a live, friendly person answer your phones can be a boon to your company. Our virtual receptionists are all bright, articulate “people” people who will impress your potential clients and keep current clients happy.

Connect remote employees. Many technology companies contract employees who work from home — or are even spread across the nation. No need for everyone to give out their personal cell phone numbers; a virtual receptionist service like Ruby can provide a central number and a unifying image.

Look good even when you’re not available. Are you out in the field frequently? Or are you often working on projects that require a high level of concentration? By updating us as to your whereabouts on your mobile phone or by email, our virtual receptionists can track you down on your cell or take a message so that you can get some peace and quiet. Feel free to take a Java break without having to worry about the phone!

Have messages relayed in a flash. No more dialing into your voicemail box and wading through old messages. No more coming into the office to pick up your written messages. Virtual receptionist services have come a long way from when you had to call into your answering service for your messages. With Ruby, your messages will be delivered by email and/or text message, and your voicemails can even be sent via a .wav file!

Track your usage in real-time. With our mobile-friendly Member Services Area, you can monitor your usage at a glance — not to mention search through old messages, view Caller ID information, export your call reports to Excel, and save contacts straight to your phone or email client.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of Ruby is having your phones answered by a live, friendly person who sounds like she’s in your office, at a fraction of the cost of an in-house receptionist. As Brian O’Neill, owner of Link Systems, told us: 

“I get consistent compliments about how ‘nice and pleasant’ our receptionist is on the phone. The vast majority of callers have no idea the Ruby staff isn’t sitting in our front office. Other business associates are amazed at how well your staff does their job of not sounding like an ‘answering service.’”

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Our Favorite Free Social Media Tech Tools: Hootsuite, Bitly, and Picasa

By | 08.09.2011 |

Rose-themed Fashion Friday -- Picasa in Action

Rose-themed "Fashion Friday" & Picasa's photo editor in action

Since Ruby® Receptionists is a virtual receptionist service, serving clients across the country, we don’t always have the opportunity to meet our clients face to face. However, we enjoy getting to know our clients and Creating Community with everyone we chat with over the phone. So how do we connect with our clients? Besides dropping hand-written note cards in the mail and other personal touches, we love to build relationships with our clients, vendors, and friends on Twitter, Facebook, and our blog.

To help us manage our various social media channels, we’ve found Hootsuite, bitly, and Picasa immensely helpful — and best of all, they’re free! Here’s how these tools may boost your small business’ social media efforts, too:

Hootsuite. You can connect your Twitter and Facebook feeds to this handy tool to keep track of your feeds in one place. Create Twitter “lists” (which can be public or private) to keep track of all your followers. You can even schedule tweets and posts in advance!

bitly. A link shortener is great for sharing content with your followers and most have built-in metrics. Though Hootsuite has its own link shorteners (ow.ly and ht.ly), bitly is Twitter’s default shortener and I find its metrics easier to digest. You can view your link history, how many clicks each received, and archive old links. Bonus: every link comes with its own QR code!

Picasa. Many of our virtual receptionists and staff members (myself included) look forward to our “Fashion Fridays” here at Ruby. Each week, virtual receptionists Sara-Lee and Mercedes pick a theme for a dressed up Friday, and we share photos with our Facebook fans. We love seeing our coworkers’ creativity in the festive wear, and our clients enjoy seeing who’s answering their calls. Picasa helps me edit these photos like a pro. Cropping, red eye reduction, and basic color changes are all included and help me show my fellow Rubys in the best light possible. If you share a lot of photos with your fans, Picasa is an easy, inexpensive alternative to Photoshop.

What’s your secret to social media magic? Share with us in the comment section below, or tell us about it via Twitter or Facebook! We would love to connect with you!

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Do I Need to Change My Phone Number to Use Ruby’s Virtual Receptionist Service?

By | 06.28.2011 |
Tommy Tutone's famous ode to phone numbers

Perhaps the most famous phone number of all (Photo by Frank Denardo)

Phone numbers: have to have them, hard to change them. And when it comes to business phone numbers, the same rings especially true.

We at Ruby® understand that the business phone number is often synonymous with the business itself. That’s why we make it easy to have our virtual receptionists answer your phones without ever having to change your phone number.

Forward your existing phone number to Ruby. We provide every client with a toll-free number to which you can forward your published phone number. Call forwarding is surprisingly flexible, and depending on your preferences and in-house staffing, you may have our friendly virtual receptionists answer all the time or on a back-up basis.

Publish your Ruby toll-free number. Do you have a brand new business and don’t yet have a phone number? There are lots of great inexpensive options out there, but you’re always free to publish the toll-free number we assign you. At the end of service, you can simply take it with you!

Port your existing toll-free number to Ruby. If you already have a toll-free number, you may want to have Ruby take over financial responsibility. We’ll absorb the monthly and long-distance charges while you use us, and we’ll release it back to you at the end of service. This is completely optional; remember, you can always just forward it to us!

Have additional questions about which option is best for you? Feel free to post your query in the comment section below, or simply give us a call at 866-611-RUBY (866-611-7829)!

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3 Ways Clients Are Using Ruby’s Virtual Receptionist Service

By | 06.16.2011 |
Virtual Receptionists Lauren A. and Mercedes S.

Receptionists Lauren A. & Mercedes S.

Our team of virtual receptionists answers phones for a variety of businesses every day, from companies with full-time receptionists to solo entrepreneurs. Though all of our clients are welcome to publish their Ruby® toll-free number as their own, many simply forward their existing number to us. And depending on their needs, they may do so differently. There are several ways to forward to Ruby, and each has its benefits:

All the time. Our bright team of virtual receptionists are the primary phone answerers for many businesses. Since we sound like we’re right in your office (even if you don’t have one!), Ruby provides a cheerful, unifying voice for your company.

When you decide. Many businesses like the flexibility of choosing when to forward to Ruby and when to unforward their lines. Perhaps you have a part-time employee who’s able to answer phones when they’re in the office. Or maybe you like answering calls yourself when you can, but you’d like us to answer when you have to step into a meeting. Ruby’s virtual receptionists happily answer your calls when it’s convenient for you – whether that’s a couple days a week or a few hours a day!

On a delayed basis. Still other Ruby clients have phone calls ring in their office a few times before rolling over to our team of virtual receptionists. Recognize an important caller ID? Feel free to grab it! Is someone at the door? Take your time greeting, seating, and treating your guest, with the peace of mind that Ruby will answer any calls with care. This is also a fabulous option if your in-house staff needs additional help with overflow!

Which method works best for your company? Share your experience in the comments below!

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Tech Tool: Ruby’s Virtual Receptionists Love ViewletBuilder

By | 06.07.2011 |

The launch of Ruby®‘s new platform not only means enhanced call handling and Member Services features — it also means new training tutorials for our virtual receptionist team, and we’re crazy about ViewletBuilder by Qarbon, a super-cool software that makes creating tutorials a snap. We’ve been using this software for years to make telephone answering training for our remote receptionists and so much more, and we couldn’t be happier about this amazing tool!

ViewletBuilder captures the actions on your computer screen and converts them to Flash tutorials, so creating an animated demonstration is incredibly easy. The software is also great for creating quizzes and photo slideshows, and PowerPoint presentations can be turned into Flash movies with the click of a button. ViewletBuilder makes it simple for anyone to create professional presentations that are sure to impress!

Ruby Grammar Quiz
Sample Viewlet tutorial: A Ruby Grammar Quiz!

Sample slide from ViewletBuilder

Sample slide from ViewletBuilder

Learning to use ViewletBuilder is a piece of cake, thanks to Qarbon’s many online training tutorials. This software has been an indispensable tool to me in my position as Training Writer at Ruby, and I’m thrilled to say that Qarbon’s tech support team is impeccable and friendly, always responding quickly to my help requests. I can’t say enough about ViewletBuilder and its impact on our virtual receptionist training program.  But don’t take my word for it  — check out this impressive gallery of Viewlets to see how various companies are using this fantastic software!

Do you have any training tools that you can’t live without? Tell us about ‘em by commenting below!

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View Your Messages Right in Ruby’s Member Services Area!

By | 05.11.2011 |

Did you know that you can look up messages our virtual receptionists have taken for you, right in Ruby® Receptionists’ Member Services Area? And with our newly mobile-friendly redesign, it’s gotten even easier to sort and search for messages on the go!

Though every message is immediately sent to you via email and/or text, it’s nice to have a backlog in one convenient spot. If you ever delete a message too soon, or if you need to find one from a few months ago, simply log into Member Services – we’ve got you covered!

As we previously mentioned, when you’re looking at your incoming calls, you’ll now be able to see at a glance whether the receptionist took a message during the call. If so, you’ll see a clickable “i” icon which directs you to the associated message.

You can also look at a handy list of your messages by clicking on “Messages” on your Member Services homepage. Sort them by Company or Timeframe by using filters on the homepage, or use the search bar at the top. For example:

We started typing in “Smith, Dave” in the search bar, and this message came up. Feel free to use whatever format you’d like; the search feature operates much like Google’s Instant Search, scanning the entire message and updating the search results with every additional letter.

Innovation and Fostering Happiness are two of our Core Values here at Ruby, so we’re thrilled to be able to offer these handy features and make our clients’ lives that much easier. Stay tuned for more info on another neat addition to the Ruby Member Services Area: the ability to set email notifications! You can now sign up for informational emails on every call (or type of call), regardless of whether the receptionist took a message. We’ll be going over the specifics — and benefits! — soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

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