Scaling Recruitment with AI Automation for High-Volume Hiring
Lufthansa, the German national airline, needed to scale its high-volume recruitment efforts overseas. Faced with the challenge of engaging a younger, Gen-Z audience, they turned to AI recruitment automation and candidate engagement tools to streamline their process and reach more candidates, especially Gen-Z applicants. Traditional communication methods, like email and phone calls, were no longer as effective in engaging this younger demographic.
The Challenge: Reaching Gen-Z Candidates for Frontline Hiring
Lufthansa’s recruitment team noticed existing candidate communication channels were not driving the same level of engagement as they had in the past. Gen-Z applicants, who prefer mobile-friendly, instant communication, were not responding well to email or phone outreach.
This led to lower attendance at assessment centres and engagement throughout the hiring process. Lufthansa needed a more efficient, branded way to engage candidates and improve their overall hiring experience—especially as they expanded their recruitment efforts overseas.
→ Existing communication methods like email aren’t effective, especially with Gen-Z.
→ Current communication processes are manual and need additional resources to scale.
→ Moving fast is critical to engaging the next generation in a competitive market.
The Solution: WhatsApp and AI Recruitment Automation for Candidate Engagement
After assessing various tools discussions, Lufthansa chose Mercu to leverage WhatsApp as a core communication platform. It was essential that all interactions were conducted using the Lufthansa brand on WhatsApp to build trust and provide a seamless candidate experience.
Mercu integrated directly with Lufthansa’s Facebook Business Manager, the onboarding process took less than two weeks.
This fast integration allowed Lufthansa to quickly and easily distribute:
- Tips and tricks on how to best prepare for the assessment day
- Helpful “Meet the team” videos to understand the Lufthansa culture
- Remind candidates about upcoming assessment days
- Frequently asked questions
Using Mercu, Lufthansa was able to:
- Achieve a 98% read rate on candidate messages, ensuring communication was seen by nearly all candidates.
- Have over 90% of candidates engage with Mercu’s AI assistant, which provided instant answers to candidate queries.
- Instantly answer questions that previously took hours or days to resolve, improving candidate satisfaction and trust in the hiring process.
Mercu showed us the potential of instant, branded WhatsApp communication for candidate engagement. The 98% message read rate speaks for itself – we’re truly reaching candidates where they are. It’s a unique approach to improving the recruitment experience.
-- Patrick Almer, Head of Cabin Crew Recruiting
Conclusion: The Future of Recruitment Automation in Global Hiring
Mercu’s AI recruitment automation platform improved Lufthansa’s hiring efforts, especially in engaging hard-to-reach Gen-Z candidates.
With a 98% read rate and 90% candidate engagement through AI-driven interactions, Lufthansa’s recruitment process has become more efficient and scalable.
The competition for top talent is fiercer than ever. Mercu's partnership with Lufthansa highlights how leveraging more relevant communication channels like WhatsApp can authentically engage the next generation of talent, cutting through the noise of traditional methods like email.
-- Elliott Gibb, Co-Founder at Mercu.
Learn how Mercu’s AI recruitment solutions can help your company streamline frontline hiring and improve candidate engagement.
Scaling Recruitment with AI Automation for High-Volume Hiring
Lufthansa, the German national airline, needed to scale its high-volume recruitment efforts overseas. Faced with the challenge of engaging a younger, Gen-Z audience, they turned to AI recruitment automation and candidate engagement tools to streamline their process and reach more candidates, especially Gen-Z applicants. Traditional communication methods, like email and phone calls, were no longer as effective in engaging this younger demographic.
The Challenge: Reaching Gen-Z Candidates for Frontline Hiring
Lufthansa’s recruitment team noticed existing candidate communication channels were not driving the same level of engagement as they had in the past. Gen-Z applicants, who prefer mobile-friendly, instant communication, were not responding well to email or phone outreach.
This led to lower attendance at assessment centres and engagement throughout the hiring process. Lufthansa needed a more efficient, branded way to engage candidates and improve their overall hiring experience—especially as they expanded their recruitment efforts overseas.
→ Existing communication methods like email aren’t effective, especially with Gen-Z.
→ Current communication processes are manual and need additional resources to scale.
→ Moving fast is critical to engaging the next generation in a competitive market.
The Solution: WhatsApp and AI Recruitment Automation for Candidate Engagement
After assessing various tools discussions, Lufthansa chose Mercu to leverage WhatsApp as a core communication platform. It was essential that all interactions were conducted using the Lufthansa brand on WhatsApp to build trust and provide a seamless candidate experience.
Mercu integrated directly with Lufthansa’s Facebook Business Manager, the onboarding process took less than two weeks.
This fast integration allowed Lufthansa to quickly and easily distribute:
- Tips and tricks on how to best prepare for the assessment day
- Helpful “Meet the team” videos to understand the Lufthansa culture
- Remind candidates about upcoming assessment days
- Frequently asked questions
Using Mercu, Lufthansa was able to:
- Achieve a 98% read rate on candidate messages, ensuring communication was seen by nearly all candidates.
- Have over 90% of candidates engage with Mercu’s AI assistant, which provided instant answers to candidate queries.
- Instantly answer questions that previously took hours or days to resolve, improving candidate satisfaction and trust in the hiring process.
Mercu showed us the potential of instant, branded WhatsApp communication for candidate engagement. The 98% message read rate speaks for itself – we’re truly reaching candidates where they are. It’s a unique approach to improving the recruitment experience.
-- Patrick Almer, Head of Cabin Crew Recruiting
Conclusion: The Future of Recruitment Automation in Global Hiring
Mercu’s AI recruitment automation platform improved Lufthansa’s hiring efforts, especially in engaging hard-to-reach Gen-Z candidates.
With a 98% read rate and 90% candidate engagement through AI-driven interactions, Lufthansa’s recruitment process has become more efficient and scalable.
The competition for top talent is fiercer than ever. Mercu's partnership with Lufthansa highlights how leveraging more relevant communication channels like WhatsApp can authentically engage the next generation of talent, cutting through the noise of traditional methods like email.
-- Elliott Gibb, Co-Founder at Mercu.
Learn how Mercu’s AI recruitment solutions can help your company streamline frontline hiring and improve candidate engagement.
