What’s Average Handle Time (AHT) and How Do We Measure It?
Let’s talk about what average handle time (AHT) means, how to figure it out, and ways call centers can get better at it to make customers happier.
So, What is Average Handle Time (AHT)?
AHT is how long, on average, a customer call takes. This starts from when the customer calls in until the call ends. It includes any waiting times, being transferred to someone else, and any work done after the call.
Why Do We Care About Average Handle Time?
Did you know? If customers have just one bad experience, 51% of them might never come back.¹ AHT helps us see how well we’re doing in areas like customer happiness, how efficient we are, and how good our team is. It tells us how quickly our team can help customers. That’s why it’s super important for call centers to keep an eye on it. If you’re interested in understanding common customer service challenges and how to address them, check out this article.
What’s a Good Average Handle Time?
Different businesses have different AHT goals. For example, a study from Cornell says phone companies aim for just over 8 and a half minutes, but banks and IT services aim for about 4 and three-quarter minutes. If calls are tricky or super important, they might take longer. One way to improve AHT is by decreasing call transfers, which you can learn more about in this guide.
How Do We Work Out Average Handle Time?
Sometimes, we also look at the work done after a call, called After Call Work (ACW). This is stuff like updating records or planning the next steps. A crucial aspect of improving AHT is ensuring that issues are resolved in the first contact, known as First Contact Resolution. Dive deeper into this topic here.
Tips to Get Better at Average Handle Time in Call Centers
- Find Out What’s Making Calls Long: The first step is to see what’s making calls take longer. We listen to all calls to spot things like long silences, too much time on hold, or needing a supervisor’s help.
- Help Your Team with the Right Info: Once we know what’s making calls long, we can train our team better. For example, if someone needs a lot of help from a supervisor, we can teach them how to handle things on their own.
- Use a Good Internal Guide: Sometimes, the problem isn’t the person on the phone but the tools they have. A good guide can help the team find answers faster and handle tricky questions.
Further Reading and Resources
For a deeper dive into enhancing your call center’s performance and customer experience, explore the following articles:
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