Business Insider reports that U.S. businesses say up to 90 percent of applicants don’t show up for scheduled interviews. Business owners like Paul Horton of Taco Crush restaurant are hurting because of no-shows in hiring. He says only about 10 percent of applicants reply to interview requests and only five to 10 percent of respondents show up for interviews.

Preventing interview no-shows has become a recruiting strategy challenge. Interview no-shows waste time, hurt productivity, and negatively affect hiring outcomes by limiting candidate pools. But there are things recruiters and companies can do to reduce interview no-shows.

Ensure Quick Candidate Contacts and Interactions

Are you scheduling interviews quickly enough? Or are you making candidates wait and wonder about their application status, giving them plenty of time to grab other employment opportunities? Schedule interviews for top candidates quickly and get them into your business right away to keep their interest.

The more quickly you contact candidates for interviews after receiving their applications, the more likely you are to keep their enthusiasm for the job and the employer. It also gives them less time to continue their job search because you are engaging them in your hiring process, which means they're less likely to become no-shows.

Be sure to offer flexible options for interviews. After-hours and weekend interviews afford candidates the extra time they may need to fit interviews into busy work and family agendas, as well as virtual options for interviews. Show them that you know their time is important and you value their interest in your position and company.

Set expectations that candidates keep in good contact with you about interview times and any need for rescheduling. Don’t let a lot of time pass without being in touch with candidates about interviews. Make the interviews as interesting and engaging as possible, letting candidates know about company tours and special demonstrations during the process.

Emphasize Employer Brand

With lots of applications come lots of comparisons of employers. Be sure to improve your employer brand to be competitive with similar employers. Advertise company culture, employee stories, and attractive employee value propositions that define benefits and perks for candidates.

Make sure to communicate your employer brand when interacting with candidates, especially when scheduling interviews. Remind them of all the ways your employees enjoy working for your company, and all the ways they benefit from your company as an employer.

Review your employer brand on social media, on the company website, in press releases, and in wider media. Make sure to discuss employer brand with candidates, making them aware of good public relations materials and information about your organization. Use the interview scheduling process to stimulate further interest in the position and company, and keep candidates more interested in your organization than other employers.

Make sure your hiring process focuses on all the different channels your company uses. You can communicate your hiring process and interview expectations through much more than just a career page. Social networks, referrals, job search platforms, events, TV and radio, and branded materials should all mention or highlight your recruiting process.

Keep Good Communication

Encourage candidates to stay in good communication by doing so as well as communicating and confirming interviews. Don’t let a long time go by without talking to top candidates. Get them the information they need with pre-interview contact, then follow up with clear information about your interview process.

Schedule interviews, confirm appointments, and send calendar appointments and helpful reminders. Make it easy for candidates to know everything they need to about the interview and to keep in touch with you. Make it a friendly, casual, and helpful process for them.

You're busy, but so are the candidates you're pursuing. Their availability may change during your hiring process. Let them know you understand time pressures and commitments. Ask them to update you on any changes in their availability and make it easy for them to contact you about it, even if they have to re-schedule or cancel.

Consistent no-show issues are opportunities to investigate your recruiting process and make improvements. Reach out in non-confrontational, friendly ways to get feedback about no-shows. Ask candidates why they didn't attend interviews and what happened to make them change their minds.

Act on any insight you get by asking about no-shows. If there was a negative interaction while scheduling the interview or a problem with culture, follow up to use the feedback for improvements.

Candidates Have More Options Than Ever

Interview cancellations and no-shows are obstacles to a successful recruiting and hiring process. Candidates applying to multiple employers don't wait very long for interviews and have time conflicts and commitments. With phone, email, text, and video communications, candidates can be instantly in touch with many employers during their job search.

No matter what type of candidate you are dealing with, today’s job candidates are looking for employers who make them feel good and make their job search easy and enjoyable. Keeping that the focus of your hiring and interview scheduling process will help you reduce or eliminate interview no-shows and win over top candidates.