How Audibel reduced abandonment rates by 44% with PolyAI

Audibel faced an operational bottleneck in its call center. Despite the best efforts of a dedicated team, the growing demand for hearing care appointments overwhelmed available staff.

With 2,000 calls per day and not enough agents to meet demand, patients were frequently met with 10–15 minute hold times and often told to simply leave a voicemail. This led to an alarming 43–46% abandonment rate, meaning nearly half of callers gave up before reaching a human specialist.

Beyond the numbers, there was a significant human impact. Many callers were taking their first step toward addressing hearing loss, often after years of hesitation in seeking care. Long waits or unanswered calls risked deterring people from seeking care altogether.

Additionally, the call center’s agents were burning out. Between managing backlogs of voicemails, fielding repeat inquiries, and handling frustrated callers, morale suffered.

Audibel partnered with PolyAI to implement a HIPAA compliant AI agent capable of collecting a caller’s name, phone number, and zip code, identifying their intent, such as scheduling an appointment or asking about products, and passing the call with a warm, contextual handoff to a live agent. This freed Audibel’s human agents to focus on meaningful conversations rather than repetitive data collection.

While doing this, the team prioritized one guiding principle: the AI had to feel human. For a brand built on compassion and trust, tone and cadence mattered as much as functionality. PolyAI’s natural-sounding voices, lifelike pauses, and conversational warmth made it the clear choice among competitors.

The system also proved capable of handling unexpected challenges, like filtering out spam calls and autodialers, which once made up nearly half of inbound traffic.

87%

Reduction in call wait times

44%

Decrease in abandonment rate

2%

Increase in appointment volume

The impact of PolyAI’s deployment was both immediate and measurable. Within days of launch, Audibel’s call abandonment rate dropped from 46% to just 2%, an industry-leading figure that has held steady across peak call times.

Hold times also plummeted to under two minutes, even as call volume spiked. With PolyAI handing off key patient information to agents, it allows them to start conversations with full caller context, empowering a focus on care instead of data entry or call routing.

Additionally, PolyAI’s filtering capabilities have reduced spam calls by 88%, saving hours of wasted time every day.

With streamlined workflows and happier staff, Audibel’s overall appointment volume has risen 2% year-over- year, even as the broader hearing aid industry saw a 5% decline. That increase equates to thousands of additional patient appointments and significant incremental revenue across 400 clinics. Patients have reported smoother, faster experiences, and agents expressed higher satisfaction with their roles.

After the success of its initial rollout, Audibel plans to deepen its partnership with PolyAI to make patient interactions even more seamless and personal. The next phase will introduce automated appointment scheduling and follow-ups, allowing patients to book or confirm visits directly through the AI agent.

The company is also preparing to launch multilingual support, beginning with Spanish, to better serve its diverse patient base. Beyond phone calls, Audibel plans to expand into SMS and video assistance, giving patients quick access to reminders, troubleshooting tips, and step-by-step hearing aid guides.

In parallel, Audibel is collaborating with PolyAI to give its agent a distinct identity and name, transforming it from a tool into a trusted part of the customer care team. By creating a recognizable, empathetic persona, the company aims to strengthen the bond between patients and technology.

See how PolyAI can transform your contact center like Audibel. Book a demo today .