In high-volume retail, the “hiring journey” is often where the best intentions meet the reality of busy stores and mobile-first candidates. If the process is too slow, too manual, or too awkward, you don’t just lose an applicant, you potentially lose a customer.
Hunkemöller decided to get ahead of the curve. By launching Bowy (powered by Scotty AI) and Equalture, they’ve swapped manual screening for instant, fair engagement.
We sat down with Daphne to discuss the transition from a time-consuming manual process to a future-proof one.
Q: What was the primary trigger for changing the hiring journey for your stores?
Daphne: “It came down to clear signals. Over the past few years, our process simply stopped matching candidate expectations and store needs.
For example, completion rates for our video assessments were low, as over the years, more and more candidates no longer felt comfortable with this format. At the same time, store teams were spending too much time on manual screening, scheduling, and communication whilst we faced growing application volumes. Add to that the high turnover in retail and the pressure on speed, and it became clear: we needed a future ready process that was faster, fairer, and more engaging for candidates.”
Q: You’ve mentioned that the “first 10 minutes” are vital. What do you want a candidate to experience in that window?
Daphne: “We want them to feel Welcomed. Empowered. Included. Inspired. And….. it should be a fun and playful experience. Those first ten minutes should tell them: ‘Hunkemöller could be an interesting match from a cultural perspective and values my time as an applicant as well.’
With Bowy reaching out immediately via WhatsApp, candidates experience a level of responsiveness and clarity that feels personal and genuine. There’s no more waiting or guessing — just a smooth, intuitive start to what we hope becomes a long relationship.”
Q: Why move to WhatsApp-style engagement and game-based assessments?
Daphne: “Our old process created friction. Candidates no longer felt comfortable with the video assessments, and many simply didn’t complete them. By moving to WhatsApp-style engagement with “Bowy”, we meet most of our candidates where they already are — on their phones — in a way that feels natural, fast, and personal. Research has shown that it removes barriers and reduces drop-off dramatically.
Game-based assessments through Equalture solve another area of improvement: fairness and quality. Retail candidates don’t always have polished CVs, but they do have potential. Games measure role-relevant skills and behavioral traits in a fun, unbiased way. It’s objective, inclusive, and scientifically designed to predict success. Together, Scotty and Equalture create a journey that’s both candidate-friendly and data-driven — the best of both worlds.”
Q: What is the biggest win for your store teams on the ground?
Daphne: “Speed — without compromising quality. Scotty automates the work that used to take recruiters and store managers hours: initial screening, reminders, interview scheduling and even rescheduling. It also ensures consistency across all stores and regions. We expect a significant reduction in time-to-hire and far fewer no-shows, because communication becomes continuous and automatic.
In the past, teams spent so much time on manual work that shouldn’t be manual anymore, especially not when dealing with high volumes — screening unstructured applications, chasing candidates for availability, going back and forth to find interview slots, and trying to keep communication organized across multiple channels. We’re now giving that time back to our teams so they can focus on customers and their people.”
Q: How do you define “fair and future-ready” hiring at Hunkemöller?
Daphne: “Fairness means every candidate — no matter their background, region, or experience — gets an equal, objective, and respectful hiring process. Not just in theory, but in every step.
Future-ready means embracing technology that helps us do this at scale: science-based assessments, automation, AI-driven communication, and consistent global standards. It’s a way of hiring that reflects our brand.
Q: What’s the long-term impact on quality-of-hire and retention?
Daphne: “Equalture’s assessments give us a far clearer picture of role fit and potential. When we hire people whose natural strengths match the job, they perform better, stay longer, and develop faster. Combined with a smoother candidate experience, we reduce mismatches and improve retention. For retail — where turnover is a major challenge — this is one of the biggest long-term wins.”
“Candidates deserve a journey that respects their time, meets their expectations in being fast, friendly, fair, and mobile-first, and last but not least, a journey that shows our brand at its true and best, from the first moment.”
