An answering service is more than a convenience. Often, it’s the difference between landing a customer or losing them. The mark of a good answering service is the warmth and happiness of the people answering your phones. Natalie Ruiz – CEO at AnswerConnect strives to create a people-first workplace centered around learning, sharing, and giving back, even when 100% remote.
AnswerConnect provides live answering services 24/7 to help grow your business and work anywhere. The company’s virtual receptionists can also provide live chat support and appointment scheduling services for professional support across customer touchpoints.
“There is no finish line for our knowledge or skills. The world is changing fast, and you have to be willing to grow and change with it.”
AnswerConnect went from a typical small office setting to a fully remote global company with office hubs across several continents.
Encouraging a Growth Mindset
Natalie has first-hand experience with AnswerConnect’s focus on employee growth. After starting as a temp-to-hire salesperson in 2006, she steadily worked her way up until she was promoted to the role of CEO in 2015. In that time, the company was growing too. “When I look back over the years, the evolution of our company has been remarkable. I’m proud that through. so many changes, we have remained true to our bigger why” states Natalie. AnswerConnect transformed into a remote-first organization in 2007, opening the floodgates to the best talent—not just the closest.
Always Innovating
When AnswerConnect moved to a work-from-home operation, the company stayed on the cutting edge of technology and development. The company created its own products and software when the right fit was not in the marketplace.
Through all of these changes, Natalie has worked hard to retain the values of AnswerConnect: learning, sharing, and giving back. The company offers employees paid learning and encourages them to share what they’ve learned through their online university, AdaptiveU. AnswerConnect also offers employees paid time off to volunteer within their communities. This commitment to self-improvement and social responsibility has helped promote company culture and unify its global teams.
A True People Leader Creates Connections
A great leader encourages the people around them to reach their full potential. To do this, Natalie has to first know and understand the people she leads, even when they don’t share an office.
Fortunately, keeping people connected is AnswerConnect’s purpose.
AnswerConnect’s mission is to help the world work Anywhere. For the company, the move to a distributed workforce has been transformative for the people, the planet, and of course thebusiness. AnswerConnect’s video-conferencing software and online communication platform have been integral in keeping global teams connected to each other and their clients.
Video has been huge for AnswerConnect. The company has shared meals, coffee breaks, webinars, virtual events, contests, games, laughs, and tears over Teleport calls with its teams this year. Of course, the organization is looking forward to seeing each other in 3D again soon, but they still feel very connected because of the tools they have at their fingertips.
Cultivating Curiosity
“Simply put, if you feel called to create something or make a mark, then absolutely go for it”, expresses Natalie. AnswerConnect is big on experiments, and continuously runs test strategies for improving connections and bringing in new clients. The company has leaned heavily on technology and creativity for building relationships.
Investing in People
For all AnswerConnect’s innovations in tech, Natalie never loses sight of what matters most: people. “The success of my team is my success,” she says. “I remember reading something that asked, ‘What would you do differently as a leader if you were going to have this same team for the rest of your career?’ It stuck with me. If you are managing your forever team, you are going to invest in them, believe in them, build them up, and understand that mistakes and failures are part of growth.” AnswerConnect encourages employees to build their skills and continuously explore new career opportunities within the company.
From a talent acquisition perspective, AnswerConnect knows that diversity makes them stronger. Hiring people from varied backgrounds, identities, and geographies strengthens the company through new ideas from multiple perspectives and experiences.
An Avid Believer
Natalie credits her success to tenacity, humility, and great communication skills. “I would add that having a growth mindset and commitment to lifelong learning is key as well,” she says.
Strategic Future Vision
Natalie Ruiz cannot predict the future, she knows she will continue to show up as the best version of herself for her clients. She’s confident that AnswerConnect will continue to provide people-powered solutions to optimize phone calls, webchats, video conferencing, customer service, and the sales needs of clients. The organization will continue to push boundaries and explore what it means to “work Anywhere.” And she hopes that through her work, she leaves her business, her employees, and the planet a little better than she found it.
