Hot Topic's AI-Powered Hiring Solution: A Case Study

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Applicable Industries

Retail
Telecommunications

Applicable Functions

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Chatbots
Retail Store Automation

Services

System Integration
Testing & Certification

The Challenge

Hot Topic, a music and pop culture retailer based in Los Angeles, was facing a significant challenge in processing the high volume of job applications they received daily. With a lean internal recruiting team and hiring conducted at the store level, the company was struggling to screen all candidates manually. Many of the applicants did not have work experience or resumes, making the screening process even more challenging. Simple 'knock-out' criteria such as age or shift availability required a time-consuming manual phone screen from a busy Store Manager. The company was seeking a technology solution that could help them optimize their candidate experience at scale.

About The Customer

Hot Topic is a music and pop culture retailer based in Los Angeles. The company operates over 700 stores in North America and receives upwards of 1000 job applications per day. With a lean internal recruiting team, the company conducts hiring at the store level. Hot Topic was seeking a technology solution to help them manage the high volume of applications and optimize their candidate experience at scale. The company wanted a solution that could seamlessly integrate with their existing workflow system, Lever, and did not require a new login or interface to learn.

The Solution

Hot Topic turned to Ideal, a provider of AI-powered screening functionality, to help them manage their hiring process. Ideal's technology allowed Hot Topic to ensure every single applicant was assessed, regardless of volume. The company used Ideal's resume screening software to grade all candidates from A - D. Ideal also added a deeper layer of candidate intelligence by collecting further qualifying information via SMS. These conversations with candidates were automatically captured and centralized within Lever, Hot Topic's existing workflow system. Ideal's system would then automatically adjust the candidate's grade accordingly. In addition, Ideal's intelligent automation, in this case a chatbot, replaced Hot Topic's initial phone screen, saving time and improving the candidate experience.

Operational Impact

The implementation of Ideal's AI-powered screening functionality and intelligent automation has significantly improved Hot Topic's hiring process. Store Managers now see a detailed shortlist of candidates, allowing them to prioritize their outreach and spend more time with qualified candidates. The use of a chatbot has increased response rates and improved the candidate experience, as it allows candidates to answer screening questions at their convenience. The chatbot has had thousands of conversations with candidates in place of time-consuming phone screens. The technology has also enabled Store Managers to effortlessly analyze all of their candidate information and turn complex data sets into actionable hiring recommendations. The impact of Ideal's technology extends beyond hiring, as it has given time back to Store Managers, allowing them to devote more time to driving top-line revenue.

Quantitative Benefit