As for evaluating the performance of contact centers, one of the most important metrics is Average Handle Time (AHT). This metric captures the total time that an agent spends on a customer interaction including hold time, talk time, and any work done after-call. For years, organizations have used AHT to see how quickly they can resolve customer problems, while still managing to keep the customer happy.

AHT plays a highly complex role in the way operations are run and how satisfied the customers are. Striking the right balance is essential: overly focusing on speed can compromise service quality, while neglecting efficiency can increase costs and frustrate customers. When asking ‘what is average handle time’, and determining how to control it, you are now asking the questions required to run a highly efficient call center.

Defining Average Handle Time

AHT is essentially the average time that a customer spends talking to an agent or a team, calculated by adding up talk time, hold time and after-call tasks and dividing by the number of interactions, giving you a standard resolution time. Let’s say a six minute call, one minute of which was spent on hold, followed by two minutes of tidying up afterwards, would mean the AHT is nine minutes. If you track this metric over time, you’ll see patterns, blockages and be able to see if your agents are working efficiently.

Why AHT Matters for Efficiency

Since AHT is essentially a measure of operational efficiency, shorter handle times result in shorter queues, faster service and less staff, which is especially beneficial for centers that have to deal with massive volumes of calls, because even a small reduction in AHT can mean significant savings and more productivity.

But efficiency shouldn’t be all there is to it; if a center focuses on cutting down handle time without effectively sorting out the problems, they’ll see an increase in repeat calls, unhappy customers and a dented reputation.

It could be a sign that their agents don’t know the answers to the questions being asked, or that the way they’re handling those questions is unnecessarily complicated, when you consistently see long handle times.

Using AHT to Improve Training and Processes

Common methods to address these kinds of problems include better training, revised scripts and smoother processes. These practices can dramatically cut what is average handle time currently in your center, while also boosting the quality of the service provided.

Supervisors can take advantage of AHT data to find the agents who are excelling, and try to replicate their techniques throughout the team, rather than just focusing on lowering the average of each, individual agent.

Striking the Balance Between AHT and Experience

Coming down too hard on AHT can cause agents to rush through the conversation and send the customer away unhappy, leading to recurring and ongoing issues. However, completely ignoring AHT can result in idle time, increased costs and a general waste of resources. The way to strike a balance between the two is to view AHT as one piece of your larger, call center efficiency strategy.

In Determining What is Average Handle Time and How to Optimize It, Tech Is Key

When you pair AHT software up with other performance metrics, like effective call resolution and customer satisfaction tools, we get a much clearer understanding of what’s working well, what isn’t, and where training and application can be improved, leading to an ever-growing, satisfied customer base.