Do your agents spend too much time on each interaction? Or, on the contrary, do they rush through exchanges to get things done quickly?AHT is the indicator that allows you to find the right balance.
In this guide, learn everything there is to know about AHT: its definition, how to calculate and interpret it, and above all, how to optimize it without sacrificing quality.
AHT (Average Handle Time) measures the average time an agent spends handling a customer interaction, from start to finish.
AHT generally includes:
This is a key indicator in contact centers because it directly impacts costs, processing capacity, and customer experience.
The standard formula is:
AHT = (Talk time + Hold time + After-call time) / Number of interactions
In one day, an agent handles 40 calls with:
AHT = (200 + 20 + 60) / 40 = 7 minutes
The average processing time is 7 minutes per call.
The "ideal" AHT varies greatly depending on:
Important: Do not blindly compare yourself to benchmarks. Your optimal AHT depends on your specific context.
This is THE question that divides customer service managers.
Pushing agents to reduce their AHT can have adverse effects:
AHT should be a diagnostic indicator, not a goal in itself. High AHT may indicate:
Rather than saying "reduce AHT," identify and address these root causes.
An agent who spends two minutes searching for information causes the AHT to skyrocket. Solutions:
Wrap-up time can account for 20-30% of AHT. Reduce it with:
Simple techniques save time:
AI can suggest responses in real time, reducing research and writing time.
That's what Klark does: provide agents with contextual and accurate answers instantly, reducing AHT while maintaining quality.
Analyze interactions with abnormally high AHT:
Telephone AHT is the most closely scrutinized because it is the most expensive channel. Focus on reducing hold time and wrap-up time.
AHT chat can be misleading because an agent often handles several conversations simultaneously. Also measure "concurrent chats" to get a realistic view.
Email AHT is less critical because there is no real-time customer wait time. Focus instead on overall response time.
AHT must be analyzed in parallel with other indicators:
The goal is to find the "sweet spot": an optimized AHT that does not sacrifice customer satisfaction.
"You have to be there in 5 minutes" creates stress and counterproductive behavior.
The average AHT hides different realities. A simple question takes 2 minutes, a technical problem 15. That's normal.
Analyze AHT by request type, channel, and complexity level. The overall figure is not enough.
A 15-minute email AHT is not comparable to a 6-minute phone AHT.
It depends! On the phone, 5-7 minutes is often a good target. But the important thing is the trend and the correlation with quality.
Automate what can be automated (wrap-up, information search), train on efficiency, and use AI as an assistant.
No, "queue wait time" is a separate metric. AHT starts when the agent takes the interaction.
Controversial. It can help raise awareness or create stress. Use with caution.
AHT (Average Handle Time) is a powerful indicator, but one that must be used with caution. It should never become an end in itself at the expense of the customer experience.
The keys to optimized AHT:
Want to reduce your AHT intelligently? Discover how Klark helps your agents be more efficient.
