Virtual reception and chat services company Ruby has announced new policies for employee growth and retention.
The company offers services, products and analytics to help small businesses manage customer interactions and provide answers, with a customer-base of over 13,000 US businesses. Ruby says its virtual receptionist and chat offering allows businesses to offer 24/7 support.
As part of its new policies, it said it had increased frontline wages by 10.5% and accelerated the timeframe for additional increases and promotions since January 2021, as well as implemented a rewards package.
“Ruby aims to be a leader in offering a living wage for work that is critical to the small business community, and in fostering growth among employees throughout their careers,” said Kate Winkler, Ruby CEO. “We have always prioritized investing in our people and will continue providing numerous opportunities and incentives for frontline team members to build their career at Ruby.”
The company said it had evolved due to the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with its operating model shifting from on-site to flexible. It also updated its training programme to include 35 hours of training, over 60 eLearning modules, and weekly one-on-ones with a coach, covering areas such as company orientation, communication skills, call types and customer service.
“Ruby hired and remotely trained more than 175 customer service employees in the first few months of the pandemic,” said Stephanie Copeland Weber, Ruby’s President and COO. “Regardless of location, we want every employee to feel confident and set up for success within their role and encouraged to grow within the company on a trajectory that works for them.”
Ruby said a focus on employee experience was a vital element of its success, as 56% of its corporate employees were promoted from a frontline role. It recently expanded into Arizona following the acquisition of Pure Chat, a provider of self-service chat software.
