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The pursuit of natural sound: Sound like no other
In this issue of Healthcare Matters, we are delighted to feature Widex UK & Ireland as our Hearing Aid Manufacturer Company of the Month.
In the bygone era of the mid-1800s, cumbersome ear trumpets were used to aid hearing but by the 20th century, hearing aids gradually moved from mechanical to electrical devices. Since then, innovation, cutting edge technology, and in-depth knowledge of hearing loss have led to state-of-the-art hearing aid devices, allowing everyone with hearing impairment to hear all those sounds that make life wonderful and landmark moments such as: our baby’s first words, wedding nuptials, or our favourite song of all time.
Widex is a market-leading manufacturer of world-class hearing aids, with an emphasis on ‘natural sound’. Established in Denmark in 1956 by the Tøpholm & Westermann families, the company has continuously offered innovative audiology solutions, including the first digital in-the-ear hearing aid in 1995, to the groundbreaking WIDEX MOMENT™ with artificial intelligence and the fastest processing ever achieved, creating the most natural sound ever experienced with a hearing aid. Now with over 4,000 workers worldwide and products sold in over 100 countries, Widex has achieved global brand awareness, whilst still keeping its roots as a proud Danish family-owned business. In 2019, Widex and Sivantos merged and formed WS Audiology, which remains privately owned by the founding families of Widex, as well as funds under the management of EQT.
Widex takes great pride in its commitment to sustainability: protecting hearing and the planet simultaneously. The Danish Lynge headquarters are run entirely on green energy: wind power, solar cells and recycled rainwater.
With a firm commitment to industry-leading business support and professional development for audiologists in the UK & Ireland, Widex has announced an exclusive partnership with the renowned Audiology Academy. Widex professional customers will now have exclusive access to the latest, advanced training courses through the Audiology Academy either at its state-of-the-art training facility at Wombourne, Staffordshire or at Widex Head Office in Chester. The Academy has worked across many esteemed settings from the NHS, Universities, BAAT and hearing clinics.
This partnership demonstrates Widex’ dedication to promoting best practice in the audiology industry, which is also reflected through a further announced strategic partnership with Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in a project to promote hearing healthcare, which will directly and positively impact independent audiology businesses and future graduates in the UK and Ireland.
“We are delighted to partner with Anglia Ruskin University on this exciting project which we predict will change and shape not only how we analyse real life data, but also the way it is used to generate the best positive outcomes,” said Lewis Chisnall, Head of Widex UK & Ireland. “Anglia Ruskin University’s reputation as one of the leading learning establishments for audiology is a key reason for us partnering with them and strongly aligns with our drive to deliver the best hearing healthcare provision in the industry.”
As well as these two exclusive partnerships, Widex’ reputation as a world-leading choice for independent audiology business partners is further fuelled by its extensive product portfolio range, access to first-class training opportunities and bespoke business and marketing support.
Widex may be leading the way with their focus on business support for their professional customers, but the hearing aid manufacturer’s long held reputation for superior product quality and innovation is as strong as ever. Widex offers an extensive range of hearing solutions to independent audiologists around the UK and Ireland, with the latest cutting-edge advanced technology, to create the unique Widex Sound. Key to the natural sound found in Widex hearing aids is the unique technology, which allows Widex Hearing aids to pick up the broadest spectrum of sound so that every wearer can enjoy all the sounds they enjoy, from hearing a friend in a busy crowded market place, to bird song on a crisp, autumn morning.
Using state-of-the-art advanced AI technology and precise user data, discreet Widex hearing aids are purposefully designed to pick up the broadest spectrum of sound possible. This allows Widex wearers to enjoy sound naturally every day.
The independent research consultancy: Heart & Mind Strategies carried out an extensive survey amongst 246 audiologists and licenced hearing aid dispensers, across the USA. The purpose of the survey was to thoroughly investigate the perceptions of six major hearing aid brands on the US market by leading Hearing Care Professionals (HCP.) The results were overwhelmingly positive for Widex. Firstly, regarding brand comparison, the survey looked at rejection rates after an initial hearing aid trial period by the user. Widex had the lowest rejection rate of all the major brands, showing high customer satisfaction rates. This was also reflected with brand switching, where customers opted to choose a different brand from the trial brand and in this case, Widex also scored the lowest, showing overwhelming high satisfaction with the product.
Widex hearing aids are lovingly made with the highest craftsmanship levels and this was demonstrated through the lowest number of follow-up appointments, post-fitting. Wearers were delighted with their Widex hearing aids and didn’t need after-care support, which also freed up more time for the HCPs to spend with new customers.
Furthermore, HCPs can easily measure hearing thresholds with the hearing aid in-the-ear and with the aid of the transducer, through which real-life sounds are conveyed. This allowsa much more realistic model of individual hearing data, instead of relying on audiometric equipment averages. Of the HCPs surveyed, 75% were very or extremely satisfied with this measuring device characteristic.
Finally, the Widex Sound Relax™ brings nextgenerational Widex fractal sounds, ultimately providing beneficial sound therapy for tinnitus sufferers. 89% of HCPs were familiar with this beneficial feature and 70% were very or extremely satisfied with the results.
The independent survey concluded that Widex hearing aids were hugely superior over major competing brands, with the lowest ranked rejection rates and follow-up appointments, demonstrating not only the highest wearer satisfaction but also more freed-up time for HCPs to spend with new customers, vastly improving the entire customer audiology experience.
We spoke to Emma Williams: Brand Manager, to find out where Widex is looking to expand to over the coming years, “We are looking forward to our partnership working with Audiology Academy and Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), to strengthen our commitment to best practice across the whole audiology industry.”
“We are known as a manufacturer of cuttingedge ‘firsts’ and hope to continue pushing innovative design boundaries, allowing users access to real sounds.”
“In the future, we are looking to branch out into the optical industry, working with independent opticians across the UK & Ireland.”
Widex will be at the: AIHHP Hearing Expo: 24th-25th November 2023, Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel & Country Club, Birmingham.
For more information on Widex, see the website below: www.widex.com/en-gb
