New AI recruitment tool delivers 60% efficiency gain in high-volume and seasonal hiring

As the race to secure quality candidates heats up, a new AI recruitment tool is transforming high-volume and seasonal hiring. 

Agentic AI leader Convai and customer experience experts Probe CX have developed AVA AI Agent (AVA), a bespoke AI-driven conversational agent that has transformed Probe CX’s recruitment engine. 

AVA is now delivering 60 per cent efficiency gain, giving Probe CX the speed and scale to successfully execute vetting of thousands of candidates for seasonal and other major hiring campaigns.

AVA has delivered this remarkable efficiency gain by automating the initial screening of candidates. Since launching in November 2025, AVA has managed more than 16,600 calls, contacted 100 per cent of candidates within a 24-hours of receiving their applications, and reclaimed 330 recruiter hours on one hiring campaign. 

Critically, AVA has eliminated a 30 per cent non-engagement rate that had plagued the business. The best candidates are snapped up quickly, so AVA is programmed to contact every candidate within the 24-hour window when their interest in the role is at its peak.

This critical efficiency gain gives recruiters time back to use for the more important parts of the recruitment process.

The solution was led by Probe CX Head of Enterprise Digital Lyle Smith, using Oration by Convai. 

“AVA conducts five-to-seven-minute voice screening calls that verify compliance, eligibility and security prerequisites, removing the burden of repetitive manual questioning from our recruitment team. It is also capable of autonomously verifying zero-margin compliance such as citizenship and age requirements, achieving a 100 per cent eligibility rate for all leads entering the hiring funnel,” Mr Smith said.

“If you are a retailer or other business that needs to hire or rehire hundreds or thousands of people quickly, this product will save your recruiters a lot of time and capture a higher percentage of high-quality candidates.”

Convai CEO Dr Mike Banbrook said the results have transformed Probe CX’s most demanding hiring periods.

“Automating this activity means recruiters can focus exclusively on qualified talent, effectively bridging Probe CX’s “capacity versus speed” gap and ensuring that they find the best talent for their clients faster than ever before,” Dr Banbrook said.

"It has also created a genuine competitive advantage for Probe CX, meaning they can focus human expertise where it matters most: final selection, cultural alignment and meaningful candidate connection.”

Mr Smith said the product has the potential to transform the recruitment process for organisations across a broad range of industries.

“This product could have real impact for any organisation that manages high volumes of recruitment – particularly large retailers managing large-scale seasonal hiring,” Mr Smith said.

"Recruitment becomes challenging for all organisations during sudden ramp ups and peak surges where they have to scale exceptionally fast. I'd encourage organisations facing similar pressures to assess where manual operations are creating bottlenecks.”

The tool's impact has been recognised beyond the business itself, with AVA named as a finalist in the 2026 TIARA Talent Acquisition & Talent Tech Awards.

“With just three months until peak seasonal hiring begins, organisations have a limited window to prepare. Investing in the right recruitment processes and technology now can deliver significant operational gains and strengthen employer reputation when competition for talent is at its highest,” Mr Smith said.

Organisations interested in learning more about AVA are encouraged to reach out to Probe CX or Convai.