Average call handling time is used in call centres to measure the average duration of customer interactions. This includes the time spent talking to the customer and any additional time spent on follow-up actions.
Throughout this blog, we will explore everything you need to know about how to reduce average call handling times, how you can calculate AHT and much more!
What is AHT?
Before we jump into how you can reduce average handling times, it is important that you understand what exactly AHT is.
Average handle time is a key metric that helps businesses and organisations understand how efficient their teams are.
It is used to measure how long customers are on a call. Reducing average call handling times is a great way to improve customer service, which is why understanding what AHT is and how to reduce it is important.
How Can You Calculate AHT?
Calculating AHT is simple and requires a formula to understand the average call handling time. Here is the formula:
Let's say for example, you had a total talk time of 3,000 minutes, a total hold time of 500 minutes, a total of 700 minutes of follow-up time and 300 calls in total.
This would mean that your average call handling time would be 14 minutes.
Overall, the AHT should be as low as possible without negatively affecting the quality of the call. A good AHT time is usually around 6 minutes.
Anything above 6 minutes is generally classed as a bad AHT score. But how can you reduce AHT? Keep reading to find out.
How Can You Reduce Average Call Handling Time?
There are many factors that contribute to increased AHT, such as:
- Technical problems
- Lack of agent knowledge
- Ineffective automation
Now that you have a better understanding of what AHT is and how to calculate it, let’s explore how you can reduce your average call-handling times.
1: Provide Agent Training
One of the main ways you can reduce AHT is by providing the right training for your agents.
This is because well-trained agents are able to handle customer queries quicker and more efficiently, which reduces the amount of time spent on each call.
If some of your agents are unsure about something or don’t know the answer to a customer's question, then this can increase the average call time.
Providing your agents with training also allows them to understand technology better, therefore reducing the amount of time spent either asking for help or looking for answers.
2: Record Your Calls
Many call centres record their calls for training and monitoring purposes, which can come in handy if you want to train your employees or look for ways to improve your customer service.
Recording your calls will also allow you to pinpoint areas of improvement and what you could do to reduce average call handling times.
For example, if you notice that most calls take longer than needed due to agents not knowing how to answer certain questions, then you will know to provide more training to your employees to prevent this problem from happening again.
3: Make the Most of AI
If you work at a call centre that receives high volumes of calls, then you may want to consider implementing AI into your daily operations.
AI can analyse customer service questions and direct calls to the most appropriate agent, which can help reduce transfer time and agent idle time, therefore improving first-call resolution rates.
AI is a great way to reduce average call handling times without affecting the quality of calls.
4: Optimise Your IVR System
Effective IVR systems (interactive voice response) can massively reduce your average call handling times by directing customers to the right agent from the very start of their journey.
This is ideal as it removes the need for transfers and reduces agent idle time spent on gathering basic information.
5: Incorporate Call Scripts And Templates
Lastly, incorporating call scripts and templates is a great way to reduce AHT. This is because scripts allow agents to feel confident and have a thorough understanding of how to respond to certain situations and questions.
Call scripts have many benefits, such as:
- They can assist and guide agents through complex problems
- They ensure that all agents are providing consistent and accurate information at all times
- They reduce the time spent coming up with responses
What Are the Benefits of Reducing AHT?
Reducing AHT is a great way to improve customer service, as it can provide a wide range of benefits for both customers and agents alike. Here are some of the many benefits of reducing AHT:
- Reduced wait times: Reducing your average handle time means that agents can handle more calls, therefore increasing customer satisfaction.
- Increased customer satisfaction: Quicker and more efficient services often lead to happier customers, which is why reducing your AHT is important.
- Positive brand reputation: Companies that provide consistent and effective customer service can improve your reputation.
- Reduced customer complaints: Quicker resolution to problems and shorter hold times can massively reduce customer frustration.
- Better resource allocation: Improved average handle time allows for more resource planning, which ensures that all customer needs are met.
As you can see, reducing your average handling time has many benefits for your business. Whether it’s increasing customer satisfaction or building your brand reputation, lowering your AHT is ideal for all call centres.
Key Takeaways:
As you can see, reducing your average handling time has many benefits for your business.
Whether it’s increasing customer satisfaction or building your brand reputation, lowering your AHT is ideal for all call centres. Here are some key takeaways for you to remember:
- AHT measures the duration of calls using the following formula: total talk time + total hold time + follow-up times/total number of calls.
- Make sure to regularly review and analyse processes to maintain a low AHT score.
- The AHT should be as low as possible without affecting the quality of the call.
- A good AHT score is around 6 minutes.
Remember, don’t worry if you currently have a high AHT because following this blog will allow you to reduce your AHT without affecting the quality of your calls!
How Does MaxContact Help to Reduce AHT?
Here at MaxContact, we have a wide range of services available to simplify your call centre and reduce AHT, such as our scripting software and workforce management system.
We provide drag-and-drop scripting software that allows agents to access relevant information quickly and efficiently during customer interactions.
This helps to reduce AHT as it simplifies communications and reduces time spent on coming up with responses.
Our workforce management software provides call centres with real-time dashboards that can help with scheduling time and attendance, ensuring your call centre is able to meet customer demand and hit your targets.
For more information on the services we offer, don’t hesitate to contact us today. We look forward to hearing from you!
.png)
From the blog
