How to Improve Average Handle Time with Proven Tactics

March 19, 2025

How to Improve Average Handle Time with Proven Tactics

The Real Impact of Average Handle Time on Your Business

In the busy world of call centers, Average Handle Time (AHT) is a vital metric. AHT measures the total length of a customer interaction, from initial greeting to final wrap-up. Understanding its impact is essential for optimizing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Why AHT Matters: Beyond the Numbers

AHT directly influences key aspects of your business. First, it impacts your bottom line. Longer handle times mean higher operational costs, as you need more agents to manage the same call volume.

Additionally, extended interactions can frustrate customers, impacting customer satisfaction. This can result in negative reviews and reduced customer loyalty.

Finally, lengthy calls can affect agent morale, potentially leading to burnout and higher agent turnover.

A Simple Example: The Billing Inquiry

Imagine a customer calling with a simple billing question. If the agent struggles to find information or navigate systems, the AHT will increase.

This seemingly small delay can have a ripple effect, impacting the individual customer’s experience and the contact center's overall efficiency. This emphasizes the need for optimized processes and empowered agents to resolve issues quickly and effectively.

The Balancing Act: Efficiency vs. Effectiveness

The goal isn't just reducing AHT; it's about balancing efficiency and effectiveness. An extremely low AHT might mean agents are rushing calls, compromising service quality.

Improving AHT is crucial for enhancing customer service and reducing costs. Even small reductions can lead to significant savings.

According to Verint, decreasing AHT by just 10 seconds per call can save 2,700 hours in labor costs for 100,000 calls per month. This shows how AHT optimization directly impacts profitability.

Moreover, reducing AHT often involves improving agent training, implementing AI-powered tools, and streamlining processes for faster resolutions without sacrificing quality.

Small Changes, Big Results: The Power of Optimization

Small AHT improvements can yield significant results. Reducing hold times, streamlining call flows, and providing agents with the right tools can noticeably improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.

This optimized approach lets agents handle more calls without sacrificing quality, leading to increased productivity and a more positive work environment. This ultimately strengthens customer relationships and contributes to the call center’s long-term success.

Setting Realistic Targets: Industry Benchmarks That Matter

Setting effective Average Handle Time (AHT) targets requires a solid understanding of industry standards. Comparing your contact center's AHT to unrelated industries can lead to unrealistic expectations and ultimately, misguided strategies. This section explores how AHT differs across various sectors and why some industries naturally involve longer customer interactions.

Industry Variations in AHT

The impact of AHT isn't uniform across all sectors. For example, in healthcare, the average handle time is typically around 3 minutes and 28 seconds, while in telecommunications, it's closer to 2 minutes and 36 seconds. These benchmarks underscore the importance of understanding industry-specific nuances when aiming to improve AHT.

Factors like call complexity, agent experience, and the available technology significantly influence AHT. Amplifai offers further insights into this topic. By acknowledging these factors, businesses can adapt their improvement strategies to their particular sector.

To further illustrate these variations, let's examine a comparison of AHT benchmarks across several industries. This table highlights the typical AHT and key factors contributing to the complexity of customer interactions within each sector.

Average Handle Time Benchmarks by Industry

Industry	Average Handle Time	Key Complexity Factors
Healthcare	3 minutes 28 seconds	Regulatory compliance, complex procedures, patient-specific needs
Telecommunications	2 minutes 36 seconds	Technical troubleshooting, service plan variations, account management
Financial Services	4 minutes 12 seconds	Security protocols, transaction verification, financial product details
E-commerce	1 minute 45 seconds	Order tracking, return processing, product information
Tech Support	5 minutes 30 seconds	Software troubleshooting, hardware compatibility, technical expertise

This table demonstrates how greatly AHT can vary depending on the industry. Understanding these differences is critical for setting realistic and achievable targets within your own sector.

Identifying Your True Competitors

When benchmarking your AHT, focus on competitors within your own industry. A software company shouldn't compare its AHT to a healthcare provider.

The nature of customer interactions, the complexity of products or services, and overall customer expectations vary significantly. Identifying your true competitors allows for a more accurate assessment of your AHT performance.

This targeted comparison helps set realistic goals and reveals areas where your contact center excels or needs improvement. It provides valuable context for understanding your AHT in relation to the competitive landscape.

Setting Achievable Targets

After analyzing industry benchmarks and competitor performance, establish challenging yet attainable AHT targets. These targets should consider the unique characteristics of your business and customer base.

For example, a company offering complex technical products might expect a longer AHT than one selling everyday consumer goods. The key is to find the balance between efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Reducing AHT without compromising customer satisfaction or resolution quality should be the ultimate goal. By setting realistic targets, your contact center can pursue meaningful improvements in AHT that benefit both the business and its customers.

Tech Tools That Actually Reduce Handle Time

While establishing realistic benchmarks and understanding industry standards is important, the right technology is crucial for significantly reducing Average Handle Time (AHT). This section explores tools that deliver measurable results, examining how these solutions create tangible efficiency gains for contact centers of all sizes.

The Power of AI: Automating for Efficiency

AI-powered tools like chatbots and real-time guidance systems are transforming contact center operations. One effective strategy for improving AHT is through technology and automation. For example, AI can automate routine inquiries, freeing up human agents to handle more complex issues.

This not only boosts efficiency but also improves customer satisfaction by quickly resolving common problems. AI can also assist in training agents by offering real-time recommendations, further reducing AHT. Explore this topic further.

This shift allows for strategic resource allocation, ensuring agents tackle challenges requiring a human touch. By automating repetitive tasks, AI empowers agents to deliver personalized support and build stronger customer relationships.

Intelligent Routing: Getting Customers to the Right Agent, Fast

Intelligent routing goes beyond simply distributing calls sequentially. This technology analyzes customer data and routes inquiries to the most qualified agent. Factors considered include skill set, experience, and language proficiency.

This streamlined approach eliminates unnecessary transfers and reduces customer navigation time. By quickly connecting customers with the right expert, intelligent routing contributes to faster resolutions and a more positive experience. This directly translates to lower AHT and improved customer satisfaction.

Knowledge Management Systems: Empowering Agents with Information

Effective knowledge management systems equip agents with the resources they need to efficiently address customer inquiries. These systems provide a centralized information repository, including FAQs, product details, troubleshooting guides, and best practices.

Easy access to this information empowers agents to quickly find answers, reducing time spent searching for solutions or placing customers on hold. With comprehensive knowledge readily available, agents can confidently address a wide range of customer needs, leading to faster resolutions and improved first-call resolution rates.

Agent Desktop Optimization: Streamlining Workflow for Maximum Impact

Optimizing the agent desktop is essential for minimizing distractions and maximizing productivity. A cluttered or inefficient desktop can increase AHT as agents struggle with multiple systems or locating information.

A streamlined desktop provides a clear, organized workspace, enabling quick access to necessary tools and data. Integrating key applications and minimizing clicks can significantly improve agent efficiency, directly impacting AHT and overall performance. This optimized workflow allows agents to dedicate more time to customer interaction, leading to more satisfying resolutions.

Transforming Agent Performance Through Smart Training

Your contact center agents are the backbone of a successful customer experience. They hold the key to improving average handle time (AHT), a critical metric for contact center efficiency. This section explores how well-structured training can transform agents into efficiency experts, all while maintaining high-quality customer interactions.

Onboarding and Ongoing Development: Building a Foundation for Success

Effective agent training begins with a thorough onboarding process. New agents must possess a strong understanding of your company's products, services, and the systems they'll be using. This foundational knowledge equips them to handle customer inquiries confidently from the outset.

But training isn't a one-time event. Ongoing development through micro-learning modules and periodic refresher courses keeps agents informed about the latest information and best practices. This continuous learning ensures agents remain proficient and adaptable in today's ever-changing business environment.

Targeted Coaching: Addressing Individual Needs for Maximum Impact

General training provides a solid base, but targeted coaching hones individual agent skills. By pinpointing areas where agents excel and where they need improvement, you can deliver personalized support that unlocks their full potential.

Role-playing exercises and regular feedback sessions are powerful tools for refining communication and problem-solving skills. This personalized approach accelerates agent development, directly contributing to improved AHT. Equipping agents with the right skills and knowledge empowers them to handle complex issues efficiently, leading to quicker resolutions and increased customer satisfaction. Sharing best practices from top-performing agents further enhances the learning process. Providing easy access to knowledge bases and tools like call scripts streamlines interactions, reducing both talk time and after-call work. Learn more about agent training and its impact on AHT here.

Accessible Knowledge Resources: Empowering Agents Through Information

Easy access to information is essential for efficient customer service. A well-organized, searchable knowledge base is a valuable asset, enabling agents to find answers to customer questions quickly.

This readily available information minimizes search time, reduces hold times for customers, and improves first-call resolution rates. When agents have the information they need at their fingertips, they can resolve customer issues with speed and precision.

Empowering Agents: Fostering Ownership of AHT

Finally, creating a culture of ownership is paramount for sustained AHT improvement. When agents understand the significance of AHT and its impact on the business, they become more invested in optimizing their performance.

This isn't about creating pressure or a stressful work environment. Instead, focus on empowering agents by providing them with the tools, training, and autonomy to excel. By fostering a supportive and collaborative environment, you cultivate a team dedicated to delivering efficient, high-quality customer service.

Streamlining Your Customer Journey for Speed

Improving average handle time (AHT) is a key focus for contact centers. While agent training and technology play important roles, optimizing the customer journey itself can unlock significant AHT improvements. This section explores how to identify and eliminate hidden bottlenecks that inflate handle times. By understanding and streamlining your processes, you can achieve substantial AHT reductions without compromising service quality.

Mapping the Customer Journey: Unveiling Hidden Bottlenecks

One of the most effective ways to improve AHT is by mapping your customer journey. This involves visualizing each step a customer takes when interacting with your contact center.

For example, consider a customer calling about a billing issue. Their journey might include navigating an automated menu, waiting on hold, explaining the issue to an agent, and potentially being transferred to another department.

Mapping this process helps reveal bottlenecks. Perhaps the automated menu is confusing, leading customers to select the wrong option. Or maybe the necessary information isn't easily accessible to agents, increasing talk time. By identifying these friction points, you can begin to redesign the process for greater efficiency.

Reducing After-Call Work: Freeing Up Agent Time

After-call work (ACW) can significantly impact AHT. This includes tasks like updating customer records, logging call details, and scheduling follow-ups. However, much of this work can be automated or streamlined.

For instance, implementing automated call summaries can remove the need for agents to manually take notes. Integrating your CRM system with your call center software can pre-populate customer information, reducing data entry time. These changes free up agents to handle more calls, directly impacting AHT.

Creating Intuitive Call Flows: Guiding Customers Efficiently

The way calls are routed and handled can dramatically affect AHT. Confusing call flows, unnecessary transfers, and repetitive information requests all contribute to longer handle times.

Consider how calls are currently routed within your contact center. Are customers quickly connected with the most qualified agent? Or are they bounced between departments?

Creating intuitive call flows involves designing a clear path for each type of customer inquiry. This might include implementing skills-based routing to direct calls to specialized agents, or developing standardized scripts for common scenarios. These improvements ensure customers quickly reach the right person and receive the needed assistance, minimizing unnecessary delays.

Streamlined Procedures: Efficiency in Every Interaction

Developing clear, concise procedures for common customer scenarios is crucial for reducing AHT. When agents know precisely what steps to take, they can handle inquiries more efficiently. This is especially important for routine tasks like password resets, order tracking, or address changes.

Imagine a customer calling to update their address. A well-defined procedure would guide the agent through each step, ensuring all necessary information is collected and the change is processed quickly. This removes guesswork, reduces errors, and contributes to a lower AHT.

Measuring Impact and Refining Processes

Ongoing monitoring and refinement are essential to ensure these process improvements translate to a lower AHT. Track your AHT before and after implementing changes, noting any substantial shifts.

The following table shows some potential time savings you could see from different process improvements, and how difficult they are to implement.

AHT Reduction Impact by Process Optimization: Data showing time savings achieved through different process improvements

Process Improvement	Potential Time Savings	Implementation Difficulty
Automated Call Summaries	1-2 minutes per call	Easy
CRM Integration	30-60 seconds per call	Medium
Skills-Based Routing	1-3 minutes per call	Medium
Standardized Scripts	30-60 seconds per call	Easy

This continuous evaluation allows you to fine-tune processes, identify further improvement opportunities, and maintain a customer-centric approach while optimizing for speed. This balanced approach helps you leverage efficient processes to improve AHT and create a better experience for both agents and customers.

Finding the Sweet Spot: Speed Without Sacrificing Quality

Improving Average Handle Time (AHT) is a crucial goal for contact centers. However, the pursuit of faster resolutions should never compromise the quality of customer interactions. This section explores how to strike the right balance between efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring AHT improvements lead to genuine customer satisfaction, not rushed and unhelpful experiences.

Balancing Speed and Quality: A Customer-Centric Approach

Optimizing AHT begins with understanding that speed and quality aren't mutually exclusive. In fact, they can work together. Efficient processes combined with well-trained agents can resolve issues quickly and effectively.

Think of a skilled chef who can prepare a delicious meal quickly. Their expertise allows them to be both efficient and effective, not sacrificing quality for speed. Equipping contact center agents with the right tools and training has a similar effect, allowing them to provide excellent service promptly. This benefits both the customer and the business.

Measuring Both Speed and Quality: Metrics That Matter

Tracking metrics that measure both speed and quality is essential for achieving this balance. AHT alone is insufficient. Consider also incorporating metrics like First Call Resolution (FCR) and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) scores.

A low AHT paired with a high FCR shows agents are resolving issues quickly and effectively. Conversely, a low AHT with low CSAT scores may indicate agents are rushing interactions, leading to customer frustration. Monitoring these metrics together provides a more complete view of contact center performance.

Quality Assurance: Maintaining Standards While Improving Speed

Robust quality assurance is vital to ensure speed doesn't negatively impact service quality. Regularly review call recordings, monitor agent performance, and provide targeted coaching for improvement.

This ongoing monitoring helps maintain high standards while focusing on AHT reduction. It ensures agents aren't cutting corners to pursue speed. Quality assurance offers valuable feedback for continuous improvement, ensuring top-notch service.

Gathering Customer Feedback: The Voice of the Customer

Customer feedback provides critical insight into the impact of AHT improvements. Implement feedback mechanisms, such as post-call surveys or online reviews, to gather direct input.

This feedback helps pinpoint areas where AHT improvements are succeeding and where they may be lacking. Customer frustration with rushed interactions could signal a need to re-emphasize quality. Use this feedback to adjust strategies and ensure AHT improvements truly enhance the customer experience.

Empowering Agents: Making Informed Decisions

Provide agents with the training and resources to decide when to prioritize speed and when a more detailed approach is necessary. Every customer interaction is unique; sometimes a quick resolution is best, while other times a more personalized approach is needed.

Empowering agents to make these judgments ensures customers receive the right level of service. This personalized approach improves customer satisfaction and empowers agents, fostering a positive and productive work environment. Clear guidelines and a customer-centric culture equip agents to make the best decisions for each interaction, maximizing both speed and quality.

Measuring What Matters: Your AHT Improvement Roadmap

How do you know if your strategies to improve average handle time (AHT) are working? This section provides a framework for tracking improvements and maintaining momentum. We'll explore key metrics, setting realistic targets, and using data analytics to drive ongoing optimization. This ensures quality remains central to every customer interaction while improving contact center efficiency.

Beyond Average Handle Time: A Holistic View of Performance

While AHT is important, it doesn't tell the whole story. Other metrics, like First Contact Resolution (FCR) and Customer Effort Score (CES), provide valuable insights into the overall customer experience. For example, a low AHT coupled with a high FCR indicates efficient and effective problem-solving.

However, a low AHT with a high CES might suggest customers are still struggling despite the quick resolution. Considering these additional metrics provides a more comprehensive view of your contact center’s performance.

This holistic approach ensures improvements in AHT translate to a better customer experience, not just faster interactions.

Establishing Baselines and Setting Realistic Targets

Before implementing changes, establish baseline measurements for your key metrics. This provides a benchmark against which to measure progress. For instance, if your current AHT is 8 minutes, a realistic initial target might be to reduce it to 7 minutes within the next quarter.

Setting smaller, achievable targets creates a sense of progress and encourages ongoing efforts.

Continuous Feedback Loops: The Key to Ongoing Improvement

Implementing continuous feedback loops is crucial. Regularly monitor your metrics, analyze trends, and identify areas for further optimization. For example, if AHT improves but CSAT scores decrease, it signals a need to reassess the impact of your changes on customer satisfaction.

This iterative process allows you to adjust strategies and refine processes based on real-time data. This constant monitoring and adaptation ensures continued improvement and lasting results.

Data Analytics: Unlocking Insights for Improvement

Data analytics can identify new opportunities for improvement and recognize agent progress. Analyzing call transcripts, for instance, can highlight common customer issues or areas where agents struggle. This information can then inform training programs and knowledge base development.

This data-driven approach ensures your AHT improvement efforts are focused and effective. Using data to identify trends and patterns unlocks actionable insights that drive meaningful change and improve contact center performance.

Ready to transform your contact center and optimize your AHT? Call Criteria is dedicated to enhancing client interactions through AI and expert analysis. Visit Call Criteria today to learn more about our tailored solutions for improved efficiency and customer satisfaction.