Day in the Life – Ryan Yoong, Senior Customer Support Specia…

Meet Ryan Yoong, a Senior Customer Support Specialist at HubSpot. Joining HubSpot back in June 2020, Ryan was HubSpot Singapore’s first remote employee. During his four-plus years at HubSpot, Ryan has flourished in the support function and attended President’s Club in 2023 as a result of his efforts. Read on to learn more about Ryan and a typical day on the frontline, solving for HubSpot’s customers. 

Tell us about your role. What do you do for HubSpot? 

Essentially, I help to answer any questions about the HubSpot platform! From issues about something not working as expected to questions about how to use a particular feature better, the Support Specialists are here to help you get the most out of the HubSpot platform—when in doubt, we’re the first team that customers turn to. 

How do you solve for the customer?

Going above and beyond is something we hear a lot in Support and I feel this comes down to putting myself in my customers’ shoes and making sure I do everything that I can to get them what they need. This means that I’ll be there to help but perhaps not always in the exact ways my customers think—if there’s a better way of going about something, you can bet I’ll be sharing that to make sure we’re exploring all the options! 

What does collaboration look like on your team? 

The most obvious one is with Product because our team is literally on the front lines of what customers are experiencing. Beyond that though, our team works with Success, Sales, Contracts, and Partners (just to name a few!) to make sure we’re getting folks the help they need regardless of whether that’s something we have direct influence over or need to loop in another team to solve for the customer. 

What’s your favorite part of your job?

I love the novelty this role provides! With my core work mostly involving tickets, I get to experience a whole slate of new ones every day and that keeps things fresh but in addition to that, I’m also involved in a couple of projects on the side. In combination, this really helps to make it a well-rounded role where there’s the familiarity of tickets but also the opportunity to explore other areas of interest. 

What do you find the most challenging part of your job?

Keeping up with the pace of change. The HubSpot platform is always evolving and in Support, it’s especially important to stay on top of these changes. Coming from a non-technical background, keeping up with the changes/additions can sometimes be challenging (albeit a welcomed one!). 

What is a misconception people have about your role?

That we’re just a “call center”. Truthfully, I had once thought something similar before I actually stepped into this role but now that I’m in the thick of things, I can say that we’re technical specialists, consultants, emotional support, professional networkers, and sometimes, program managers all mixed into one. 

What are a few ways you balance work and life? How does HubSpot’s flexibility/hybrid work style help with this?

Fun fact: I was SingSpot’s first fully-remote hire! One of the best things about HubSpot is the understanding it has about how different people have different attitudes toward work. For someone who values time outside of work, HubSpot’s choice-based culture really helps to put time back into living. Regardless of whether you’re a working parent, a caretaker, or just someone who wants to prioritize other aspects of life in addition to your work, I feel like the company has the space for these discussions—an important start for ensuring this work-life balance. 

What are the top 3 things you love about your role and team?

Getting to help people every day. Working with some really smart folks. The novelty of it all. 

How are you able to bring your whole self to work every day?

I’ve seen firsthand how HubSpot’s Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DI&B) program is given the attention and care that it deserves and it’s been a crucial part of my time here as I’m a leader in this space for the team. From learning about new identities to being able to create a psychologically safe space for sharing personal experiences, this isn’t a nice-to-have but rather a non-negotiable that I’m thankful we’ve put front and center.

What keeps you at HubSpot?

The people! It’s a diverse mix of really smart and caring folks so it’s created an environment where growth and collaboration happen organically—I appreciate this a lot as I continue to lean on folks for all sorts of things. 

What surprised you most about working at HubSpot?

How true to life the culture is! When I first read the Culture Code, I had thought it was definitely something to aspire to but I was surprised at just how close the actual culture was at HubSpot to what was espoused. We take great care to build and evolve our culture so I’m excited to see the ways things will pan out going forward.

What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone wanting to become a HubSpotter?

Give yourself that chance! When I first saw the organization/role, I had major imposter syndrome of whether a tech firm would want a fresh grad without any technical experience. I realized after giving it some thought that I would be depriving myself of this opportunity if that fear held me back. Safe to say, I think I made the right decision then. 

Choose 3-4 words that describe your role at HubSpot.

I think it’s summed up with: Fast-paced, expansive and rewarding

Learn more about a career in Customer Support or our Singapore team on our careers website.