Ruby Acquires Pure Chat

Ruby, a provider of live virtual receptionist and chat services for small businesses, has acquired Pure Chat, which provides live chat software as well as an artificial intelligence-powered chat technology called Artibot. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Pure Chat acquisition enables Ruby to service both phone and chat channels and customize the chat experience for customers at scale. Business owners can select to chat with customers using Pure Chat's software directly or leverage Ruby's chat specialists to communicate live with customers on their behalf.

"Businesses need to meet consumers where they are, but also move those customers through the sales funnel," said Kate Winkler, CEO of Ruby, in a statement "Many customers start by visiting a website, get basic questions answered via chat, and then call to complete the transaction. With the addition of Pure Chat, we're creating a seamless customer experience throughout that journey, capturing more business and providing more flexibility for the business owner."

"This acquisition enables a complete end-to-end experience for customers, blending the amazing customer service Ruby is known for with our chat technology," said Hamid Shojaee, CEO of Pure Chat, in a statement. "Together, Ruby and Pure Chat empower small business owners to determine how they want to chat without sacrificing that critical human to human connection."