Average handle time (AHT) is a metric that assesses the efficiency and productivity of customer service teams providing support via phone calls and digital platforms. It represents the time it takes on average to complete an interaction, calculated by adding the total talk time, hold time, and after-call work and dividing the sum by the total number of calls handled. Understanding the meaning of AHT and why it matters can help businesses streamline call interactions, optimize labor costs, and enhance client satisfaction.
What is average handle time (AHT)?
Average Handle Time (AHT) refers to the standard amount of time an agent spends interacting with a customer. This begins when the customer initiates the call and lasts until the agent successfully closes the transaction, including the time spent on hold, delays, transfers, and after-call work (ACW). It also includes any related tasks to resolve the customer’s issue or request.
As you explore what AHT is, you’ll come across related metrics like average talk time (ATT) and first call resolution (FCR). While these are often confused with AHT, ATT tracks the time spent actively speaking with a customer, while FCR measures the percentage of issues resolved in a single interaction. Understanding how these metrics interact helps balance efficiency and service quality, enhancing the customer experience.
Calculating average handle time
Learning how to measure AHT is key to getting an accurate assessment of agent performance and customer service operations. The formula comprises three key elements: talk time, hold time, and after-call work. Each component is critical in examining the length of time spent on customer interactions.
- Talk time: The total time an agent spends speaking with a customer.
- Hold time: The time customers spend on hold while the agent retrieves information or transfers the call.
- After-call work (ACW): The time spent by an agent to process the interaction after the call ends. This includes post-interaction tasks like data entry, note-taking, and follow-ups.
To calculate AHT, simply add the total talk time, hold time, and after-call work time, then divide the sum by the total number of calls processed for a specific period (can be per shift or a full work day).
Take a look at this example:
- Total talk time: 240 minutes
- Total hold time: 70 minutes
- Total post-interaction work: 90 minutes
- Total customer interactions: 60 calls per agent shift
| Average handle time | = | 240 minutes+ 70 minutes + 90 minutes | = | Average handle time |
| 60 calls |
This means, on average, each customer interaction takes 6 minutes and 67 seconds to complete.
As you track AHT over different periods, the goal is to gradually reduce the average time while maintaining service quality. A lower AHT indicates higher efficiency, where agents process more customer queries in a given time. However, note that reducing AHT should not come at the expense of customer satisfaction. Rushed calls and unresolved customer requests can result in repeat calls and lower FCR rates.
Measuring AHT in digital support channels
AHT isn’t limited to phone calls — it is also adapted in broader contexts to measure the efficiency of interactions across channels such as live chat and email support. The formula stays the same, but the time components may vary.
| AHT for live chat | = | Total chat time + response delays + post-chat documentation |
| Total number of chats | ||
| AHTfor email support | = | Total time spent reading, drafting, and responding to the email |
| Total number of emails |
Tracking AHT across multiple platforms provides a complete overview of your omnichannel performance. This lets you easily identify inefficiencies and workflow gaps that impact customer experiences.
Importance of average handle time
AHT is one of the most important metrics to track as it reflects a call center’s overall efficiency and effectiveness in handling customer interactions. Monitoring AHT alongside other key performance indicators (KPIs) can significantly impact agent performance, operational efficiency, and customer experience. Here are other advantages of tracking AHT in contact centers:
- Empowers support agents: AHT can determine which agents effectively manage their time when handling customer inquiries and which ones require additional training. Tracking average handling time in call centers allows agents to assess their progress, stay motivated, and identify areas for improvement.
- Boosts operational efficiency: AHT can highlight inefficiencies affecting call center performance, allowing for targeted improvements. For instance, a high AHT may indicate that additional staffing is necessary. Optimizing handling processes leads to higher call capacity and better workforce allocation (e.g., shift planning and payroll processing) while maintaining optimal customer service.
- Enhances customer satisfaction: Long wait times and extended handling times are major sources of customer frustration. By tracking AHT, businesses can address factors affecting lengthy interaction times to provide faster, more efficient customer service.
Pro tip:
Integrating your call center software with your customer service platform improves average handling time by providing agents instant access to relevant customer data, reducing the need to ask repetitive questions or place callers on hold.
How to improve AHT
Now that we’ve defined what AHT is, the next step is to take proactive steps to address potential inefficiencies in your workflows. Below, I enumerated the best practices for improving AHT in call centers.
- Provide agents with training resources: Agents require sufficient skills and knowledge to handle inquiries efficiently. This includes providing comprehensive call handling training, regularly updating an internal knowledge base, and using standardized scripts. These resources empower agents to deliver quick and relevant information, reducing delays in customer interactions.
- Optimize call routing: Implementing effective call routing schemes ensures callers are connected to the most qualified agents or departments. Call center systems feature a suite of routing features, such as priority-based routing for VIP callers and failover routing for high call volumes, which all help minimize wait times and speed up issue resolution.
- Utilize artificial intelligence (AI) for self-service: AI call center solutions like virtual assistants handle routine inquiries, freeing up agents to focus on complex, high-value interactions. Call summaries streamline after-call work by automatically documenting the entire conversation, further reducing handle time.
- Analyze call data: Reviewing call data offers insights into customer behavior, common concerns, and dead air time—factors that directly influence AHT. Identifying data patterns reveals areas for improvement, allowing you to adjust your call processes. Call center customer relationship management (CRM) systems streamline this process by tracking key metrics and offering actionable insights.
Understanding what AHT means and how to optimize it is critical for your company’s operational success and enhanced customer experience. However, simply tracking handle time is not enough as businesses must take a comprehensive approach that ensures faster service without compromising service quality. In the end, achieving customer satisfaction is all about providing faster resolutions while maintaining positive customer experiences.
FAQs
The industry standard AHT varies by industry, but the ideal average handle time must be around six minutes.
Agents can reduce AHT by listening actively to customer concerns to identify their specific needs and utilizing call center resources to deliver accurate and relevant information.
Complex customer inquiries are a primary contributor to long AHT, often due to the absence of an effective call routing system that directs the issue to the right agent. This results in agents spending extra time retrieving information or transferring the call to other departments, prolonging the resolution process.
In the call center industry, a service level agreement (SLA) refers to a formal agreement that defines the service quality and performance standards a customer should expect from the service provider.
