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Average Handle Time Calculator

AHT Formula

(minutes)

1. What is the Average Handle Time Calculator?

Definition: The Average Handle Time (AHT) Calculator computes the average duration of a customer service interaction across different channels (phone calls, live chat, email). AHT is a key performance indicator for assessing support team efficiency.

Purpose: It helps businesses optimize workforce management, control costs, and enhance customer experience by analyzing interaction times. Industry-standard AHT is approximately 6 minutes.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the following formulas based on the communication channel:

Formulas:

  • Phone Calls: \[ \text{AHT} = \frac{T_t + H_t + F_t}{N_c} \]
  • Live Chat: \[ \text{AHT} = \frac{C_t + F_t}{N_h} \]
  • Email: \[ \text{AHT} = \frac{F_t}{N_e} \]
Where:
  • \( \text{AHT} \): Average Handle Time (minutes)
  • \( T_t \): Talk Time (minutes, seconds)
  • \( H_t \): Hold Time (minutes, seconds)
  • \( F_t \): Follow-up Time (minutes, seconds)
  • \( C_t \): Chat Time (minutes, seconds)
  • \( N_c \): Number of Calls
  • \( N_h \): Number of Chats
  • \( N_e \): Number of Emails

Unit Conversions:

  • Time (\( T_t \), \( H_t \), \( C_t \), \( F_t \)):
    • 1 minute = 1 minute
    • 1 second = \( \frac{1}{60} \) minutes

Steps:

  • Select the communication channel: "Phone Calls", "Live Chat", or "Email".
  • Enter the required values with their units:
    • For "Phone Calls": \( T_t \), \( H_t \), \( F_t \), and \( N_c \).
    • For "Live Chat": \( C_t \), \( F_t \), and \( N_h \).
    • For "Email": \( F_t \) and \( N_e \).
  • Convert all time inputs to minutes.
  • Calculate AHT using the appropriate formula:
    • Calls: \( \text{AHT} = \frac{T_t + H_t + F_t}{N_c} \)
    • Live Chat: \( \text{AHT} = \frac{C_t + F_t}{N_h} \)
    • Email: \( \text{AHT} = \frac{F_t}{N_e} \)
  • Display the result with 2 decimal places.

3. Importance of AHT Calculation

Calculating AHT is crucial for:

  • Efficiency Analysis: Evaluates support team performance for better staffing decisions.
  • Cost Management: Monitors operational costs by tracking time per interaction.
  • Customer Experience: Ensures quick resolutions to meet customer expectations.
  • Process Improvement: Identifies inefficiencies, such as inadequate training or automation gaps.

4. Using the Calculator

Example (Phone Calls): Calculate AHT for 150 calls with \( T_t = 3000 \) minutes, \( H_t = 700 \) minutes, and \( F_t = 500 \) minutes.

  1. Select the channel as "Phone Calls".
  2. Enter \( T_t = 3000 \) minutes, \( H_t = 700 \) minutes, \( F_t = 500 \) minutes, \( N_c = 150 \).
  3. The calculator computes:
    • Total time = \( 3000 + 700 + 500 = 4200 \) minutes
    • AHT = \( \frac{4200}{150} = 28 \) minutes
  4. The calculator returns:
    • \( \text{AHT} \): 28.00 minutes
Example (Live Chat): Calculate AHT for 100 chats with \( C_t = 400 \) minutes and \( F_t = 200 \) minutes.
  1. Select the channel as "Live Chat".
  2. Enter \( C_t = 400 \) minutes, \( F_t = 200 \) minutes, \( N_h = 100 \).
  3. The calculator computes:
    • Total time = \( 400 + 200 = 600 \) minutes
    • AHT = \( \frac{600}{100} = 6 \) minutes
  4. The calculator returns:
    • \( \text{AHT} \): 6.00 minutes
Example (Email): Calculate AHT for 50 emails with \( F_t = 250 \) minutes.
  1. Select the channel as "Email".
  2. Enter \( F_t = 250 \) minutes, \( N_e = 50 \).
  3. The calculator computes:
    • AHT = \( \frac{250}{50} = 5 \) minutes
  4. The calculator returns:
    • \( \text{AHT} \): 5.00 minutes

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is Average Handle Time?
A: AHT is the average time taken to handle a customer interaction, including talk/chat time, hold time (for calls), and follow-up work, divided by the number of interactions.

Q: Why is AHT important?
A: AHT measures support efficiency, helps manage costs, and improves customer satisfaction through faster resolutions.

Q: How can AHT be reduced?
A: Enhance agent training, implement self-service options, streamline workflows, and use automation like chatbots.

Q: What is a good AHT?
A: A typical AHT is around 6 minutes, varying by industry, channel, and issue complexity.

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