What is Average Call Handle Time?
Average Call Handle Time is the sum of all call interactions such as, total talk time with a customer plus the total time that customer was on hold, and the time taken to complete any call related tasks after the call has ended. This total is then divided by the total number of calls to provide the Average Call Handle Time.
This can be an important KPI for looking at the overall efficiency of the call center, specific performance of call handlers and a good metric to use as a base for benchmarking.
Although Call Handle Time is an indicator of the speed in agents and operators to handle customers enquiries quickly, it is not a key indicator of the quality of the call or service. It can equally be used to see how hastily agents are resolving calls without providing all the information they need and contribute to additional future call volumes or 2nd call resolution rates.
Reducing Average Call Handling Times
Reducing Call Handling times can provide the call center with an indication of efficiency. Here are a few key steps to reducing this average:
- Increase agent's product and technical knowledge through training so they are equipped to handle more calls independently, without having to transfer calls to other departments or agents.
- Create an extensive Hub or Knowledge base that allows customers to get to all the information they need without having to resort to calling the Center.
- Utilize call routing software and automation on inbound calls. By sending the caller to the right department, sales representative or technical expert will have a positive effect on handling times.