A method for controlling and correcting abandonment rate in an automated contact center that uses a predictive dialing method for determining a number of calls to generate for dialing. When abandonment rate is close to zero, the method determines a mean agent occupancy that is used by the predictive dialing method. Empirical data is collected on agent occupancy while the predictive dialing method uses the mean agent occupancy to determine a number of calls to generate. The method determines a target abandonment rate and a target agent occupancy, wherein a proportion of the agent occupancy empirical data having an agent occupancy equal to or higher than the target agent occupancy is within a predetermined range of the target abandonment rate. The target agent occupancy is used to adjust the mean agent occupancy used by the predictive dialing method.