Cofix reduces HR load with WhatsApp

2024: Introduction of Edna chatbot on WhatsApp

International coffee chain Cofix has embedded a WhatsApp chatbot from edna to make it easier to hire staff. Thanks to this, a team of three recruiters closes all mass vacancies in coffee shops in Russia. Over the year, they process more than 45 thousand applications from applicants, a quarter of which reach the interview stage. Edna announced this on January 29, 2025.

Until 2021, all responses to vacancies were processed by phone. With the growth of the coffee chain, hiring volumes began to grow, and call activity, on the contrary, decreased. Since the bulk of applicants for mass vacancies are young people of generation Z, they prefer text communication to voice communication. So, 15% of zoomers communicate with companies only in text, and almost half (46%) consider messengers to be the most convenient channel.

To increase the conversion of responses to closing a vacancy, Cofix completely updated the hiring system and began to use WhatsApp to communicate with candidates. To increase the "profitability" of candidates for interviews, it was necessary to automate communication in the complex: speed up the processing of applications, always be in touch and give quick answers to applicants.

HR Messenger offered a suitable solution. It connects multi-channel chat bots integrated with instant messengers and job search sites, where recruiters communicate with employees and job seekers. The partner for the connection was edna. Cofix connected WhatsApp and integrated a chatbot to process job seekers' responses from job search aggregators and QR codes posted on advertising products and coffee shops.

In the Cofix network, a team of three recruiters is responsible for point, line and mass hiring, develops the employer's brand, onboarding and adaptation system, and corporate culture. The introduction of a chatbot in WhatsApp allowed such a small state to solve these problems. As of January 2025, the chatbot processes more than 45 thousand requests per year, remains in touch 24/7 and instantly answers questions from candidates. The applicant may immediately receive the information of interest to him and not lose interest in the vacancy due to the long wait for an answer. Thus, it was possible to increase the profitability of candidates for interviews to 25%. About 2 thousand of them start internships, and about 1000 interns get a job after successfully passing certification, "said Maria Vorobyova, head of the recruitment department, international coffee chain Cofix.

The labor market is becoming increasingly competitive. In order to hire employees faster and develop the business, new tools must be used. Thus, instant messengers allow you to process a large number of requests from applicants at any time, are a familiar and convenient communication channel for most people. For example, using the WhatsApp messenger helps you communicate more effectively with applicants and close vacancies faster. Companies connecting the WhatsApp Business API conduct all communication with potential employees through a single business account. This allows you to save the entire history of communication with the candidate in one window and have round-the-clock access to technical support, "added Nikolai Wand, owner of the product in edna.

In the future, Cofix plans to expand the use of WhatsApp. For example, to use it in the onboarding process, to conduct exit polls of quitting employees, etc.