Average handle time

How it is used

Usually shortened to AHT. It is calculated as total talk time plus hold time plus after-call work, divided by the number of calls, and call centres use it to plan how many agents they need. Managers usually look at it together with FCR and CSAT, because very short calls do not always mean good service.

Example sentences

1. My average handle time is about six minutes, which is close to the team target.

2. Average handle time goes up every January because of billing questions.

Common collocations

• reduce average handle time
• AHT target
• high average handle time
• average handle time per call

Related terms

• after-call workThe tasks an agent does after ending a call, such as writing notes, updating the CRM and sending follow-up emails.
• first contact resolutionSolving a customer's problem completely in their first call, chat or email, so they do not need to contact the company again; also the percentage of cases solved this way.
• put on holdTo make a caller wait on the line, usually with music playing, while you check something or speak to someone else.
• response timeThe time between a customer contacting a company and receiving a reply, often measured in minutes for chat and in hours for email.

More terms: Call Centre Operations

• agent
• call centre
• supervisor
• queue
• script
• inbound call
• outbound call
• IVR
• shift
• abandoned call
• team leader