What Ruby Receptionists does

Ruby Receptionists is a live answering service that employs human receptionists to answer your business phone calls, take messages, and transfer calls to you or your team. Unlike automated systems, a real person picks up your line during business hours you set, using a script or style you provide. Ruby handles overflow calls, after-hours calls, or all incoming calls depending on your plan.

The service works through call forwarding: you keep your existing phone number and forward incoming calls to Ruby's system. When someone calls, a Ruby receptionist answers as your business, gathers information, and either transfers the call to you when ready or takes a message. You receive messages by phone, email, text, or through Ruby's online dashboard.

Ruby serves small businesses, medical offices, legal firms, home services, and other operations where missing a call costs money or damages reputation. The company does not handle billing, scheduling, or appointment-setting unless you pay for add-on services.

Key Takeaways

  • Ruby Receptionists charges a monthly base fee plus per-minute charges for call time, so your bill varies depending on call volume.
  • You can set specific hours for Ruby to answer (business hours only, weekends, after-hours, or 24/7) and change them anytime.
  • Messages arrive through your choice of phone call, email, text message, or the Ruby app, and you can customize how receptionists greet callers.
  • Ruby offers add-on services like appointment scheduling, call recording, and call routing to different team members, each with separate costs.
  • You need to forward your existing phone number to Ruby's system; the service does not replace your phone line or phone provider.

Pricing structure and what affects your bill

Ruby does not publish a fixed monthly price on its website. Instead, the company quotes pricing based on your expected call volume and hours of coverage. A typical small business plan includes a base monthly fee (which varies by provider and plan tier) plus charges for each minute of call time.

Your actual bill depends on three things: how many calls you receive, how long each call lasts, and which hours you want Ruby to answer. A business that receives 20 calls per month averaging 2 minutes each will pay far less than one receiving 200 calls per month. Ruby's pricing model means you pay more as your call volume grows, which can make budgeting difficult if your call volume fluctuates.

Add-on services cost extra. Appointment scheduling, call recording, SMS notifications, and integration with your calendar or CRM system each carry additional monthly fees. You can add or remove these services anytime, and Ruby will adjust your bill accordingly.

How to set up call forwarding and hours

After you sign up, Ruby provides you with a forwarding number to enter into your phone system. You keep your original business number; calls to that number forward to Ruby instead of ringing at your desk. This forwarding happens at the phone company level, not through Ruby's system, so you need access to your phone account settings or your phone provider's customer portal.

You tell Ruby which hours to answer calls. You can set different hours for weekdays and weekends, or ask Ruby to answer 24/7. If you want calls answered only during your lunch break or on Saturdays, you can configure that. Changes to your hours take effect when ready, and you can adjust them as often as your business needs change.

Ruby asks you to provide a call script or greeting style so receptionists know how to answer. You might say "Answer as [Business Name], ask what they're calling about, and transfer to me if it's urgent." Ruby receptionists follow your instructions, but they do not memorize your entire client list or internal processes unless you document them in detail.

Message delivery and call transfer options

When a receptionist takes a message, you receive it through your chosen method: a phone call from Ruby, an email with the message text, a text message, or through the Ruby app on your phone. You can select different delivery methods for different types of calls if you want urgent calls texted to you but routine messages emailed.

For call transfers, you provide Ruby with phone numbers or extensions for your team members. The receptionist can transfer a call to you, to a specific team member, or to a department based on what the caller needs. If no one answers the transfer, the call goes back to the receptionist, who takes a message instead of leaving the caller hanging.

Ruby records all calls unless you tell them not to. You can listen to recordings through the app or dashboard to review how calls were handled or to train your team on common questions.

Add-on services and integrations

Ruby's core service is call answering. Beyond that, the company offers appointment scheduling, where receptionists can book appointments directly into your calendar system. This requires integration with your calendar (Google Calendar, Outlook, or others) and costs extra per month.

Call recording and transcription are available as add-ons. Ruby can also integrate with your CRM system (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, and others) so that when a call comes in, the receptionist can see the caller's history and notes. SMS notifications alert you when ready when certain types of calls arrive. Each service adds to your monthly bill.

Ruby does not handle billing, invoicing, or payment processing. If you need receptionists to collect payment information or process orders, you would need to transfer those calls to your team or use a separate service.

Comparing Ruby to other answering services

Ruby competes with other live answering services like AnswerConnect, Grasshopper, and Talkspace. The main differences are pricing model, add-on services, and integration options. Some services charge a flat monthly fee regardless of call volume; Ruby charges per minute, which rewards low-volume users but can surprise high-volume users with larger bills.

Ruby's strength is customization: you can set granular hours, customize greetings, and integrate with many business tools. Other services may offer simpler pricing or faster setup but less flexibility. Some answering services specialize in specific industries (medical offices, law firms) and may include industry-specific features; Ruby is more general-purpose.

If you need appointment scheduling built in, some competitors include it in their base plan while Ruby charges separately. If you need 24/7 coverage with minimal customization, a flat-fee service might be cheaper. If you receive fewer than 50 calls per month and want full control over how calls are handled, Ruby's per-minute model may cost less than a flat-fee competitor.

What Ruby does not do

Ruby receptionists do not schedule appointments unless you pay for that add-on and integrate your calendar. They do not process payments, handle billing disputes, or access your business systems. They do not provide customer support for your products or services — they take messages and transfer calls.

Ruby does not replace your phone line or phone provider. You still need an active phone account with a carrier; Ruby straightforward intercepts calls to your number and handles them before they reach you. If your phone service goes down, Ruby cannot answer calls.

Ruby does not provide data entry, follow-up calls, or outbound calling. The service is inbound only: receptionists answer calls you receive, they do not call prospects or customers on your behalf.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Ruby if I work from home?

Yes. You forward your business number to Ruby and provide your personal phone number or extension for transfers. Callers never know you are working from home; they reach a receptionist who answers as your business. You can take transfers on your cell phone, computer, or any device that receives calls.

What happens if I do not answer a transferred call?

The call returns to the Ruby receptionist after a set number of rings (usually 4 to 6). The receptionist then takes a message and sends it to you through your chosen delivery method. The caller does not reach voicemail; they stay connected to a person.

Can I change my greeting or instructions anytime?

Yes. You can update your call script, hours, or routing instructions through the Ruby app or by contacting Ruby support. Changes take effect when ready for new calls. You do not need to sign a new contract or pay a fee to make changes.

Do I pay for calls that go to voicemail?

No. You pay only for calls that Ruby answers and handles. If a call forwards to your voicemail instead of to a Ruby receptionist (because you set hours that exclude that time), you do not pay for that call.

What if I want to cancel my service?

Ruby typically requires 30 days' notice to cancel. You stop forwarding calls to Ruby's number, and your service ends. You return to handling all calls yourself or switch to a different answering service. Check your contract for the exact cancellation terms, as they vary by plan.