HMV achieves 99% task completion and 98% app engagement with rollout of Quinyx’s Employee Hub

Heritage entertainment retailer unites 1,400 employees across 120 stores with
streamlined communication, task management and engagement tools.

Founded in 1921, HMV has been at the heart of British entertainment for over a
century. Today, the retailer has reinvented itself as a hub for fandom and pop
culture. It employs more than 1,400 people across 120 stores in the UK, Ireland and
mainland Europe.

HMV has partnered with Quinyx since 2017, using its workforce management
solution to simplify scheduling, improve visibility, and ensure the right people are
in the right place at the right time.
Most recently, the business expanded this successful partnership by introducing
Quinyx’s Employee Hub functionality, a powerful add-on designed to transform
how store colleagues and head office communicate, collaborate and engage.

Bringing everyone together

Rupert Banning-Lover, Head of Central Operations, explains: “Our internal
communications used to live in different places. Introducing Employee Hub has
brought everything together, it’s made communication effortless and
transparent.”

The new functionality was introduced ahead of HMV’s busy festive trading season,
ensuring every update, task and brand activation reached all stores quickly and
consistently.

The rollout of Quinyx’s Employee Hub followed a three-month pilot and went live
across all stores in mid 2025.

Charlotte Lawrance, Central Operations Coordinator, who led the process, adds:
“The implementation was really straightforward. We already knew how intuitive
Quinyx was, so adding Employee Hub felt like a natural next step. Within weeks,
everyone was using it daily.”

Stores now receive operational tasks, campaign briefs and internal updates
directly from head office. Colleagues upload photos as proof of execution,
complete checklists, and access micro-learning videos - all within the app.

“We even moved our weekly newsletter, What’s Going On, into Quinyx,” Charlotte
says. “Before, it was an email that might get printed and pinned up. Now it’s
interactive - people read it, share it and engage with it.”

Real results

Since introducing Employee Hub, HMV has seen exceptional engagement and
measurable impact:

• Over 46,000 employee interactions in the first month
• 95 stories and 100+ tasks created between August and September 2025
• 92% app adoption rate across all employees
• Over 99% task completion rate across stores

Michael Palmer, Regional Manager for 25 stores, has observed the benefits first-
hand. He explains: “It’s transformed how we communicate. I can see at a glance
which stores have completed their tasks and those that need support. Previously
we’d rely on emails or paper checklists - now it’s instant. It’s streamlined
everything and saved so much time.”

Empowering the next generation

HMV’s workforce is increasingly young, dynamic and mobile-first - with the
average store colleague now aged 32.

“Younger colleagues expect this kind of technology,” says Charlotte. “They’re not
used to phone calls or paper notes - they want everything in one app that’s easy
to use.”

Rupert adds: “Employee Hub has helped us to professionalise how we
communicate - securely and consistently - while keeping that creative,
passionate energy that defines HMV.”

For regional managers, it’s also boosted visibility.

“You can see which stores are on track, who’s engaged and what needs
attention,” says Michael. “It’s given managers more time to focus on supporting
their teams.”

A strong partnership

Now entering its ninth year, HMV’s partnership with Quinyx continues to evolve -
from a workforce management solution into a full-scale communication and
engagement platform. Next up for HMV is Quinyx Messenger+, a secure, GDPR-
compliant alternative to WhatsApp, which will allow real-time store chat within
the app.

Rupert concludes: “The Quinyx team really understands how we work. They’re
proactive, supportive and responsive - nothing ever feels like a one-size-fits-all
solution.

“Ultimately, using Quinyx helps us convey the passion that makes HMV special. It
keeps us connected, engaged and efficient, and its value in increasing employee
engagement truly can’t be underestimated.”