What is Average Handle Time (AHT)?

Average Handle Time (AHT) is the average total time it takes to handle a single customer contact — including talk or chat time, any hold time, and the after-contact work like notes and follow-ups. It's a core efficiency metric, but it should never be optimized at the expense of resolution quality.

What AHT includes

AHT isn't just the conversation. It covers the full effort per contact: the active interaction, any time the customer was on hold or waiting, and the wrap-up work afterward (logging the ticket, updating records, sending a follow-up). Measuring all three is what makes AHT an honest read on capacity.

How to lower AHT the right way

Cut AHT by removing friction, not by rushing customers: saved replies, a complete customer view in one place, and fewer tab-switches all help. Deflecting repetitive questions to an AI agent also lowers AHT indirectly — agents spend their time on complex issues where the time is well spent, instead of retyping the same answer.

Formula

AHT = (Total talk/chat time + Hold time + After-contact work) ÷ Number of contacts

Example: If agents spent 600 minutes total across 100 chats, AHT = 600 ÷ 100 = 6 minutes per chat.

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Questions about Average Handle Time (AHT)

Should I try to minimize AHT?

Not blindly. A very low AHT can mean rushed, unresolved interactions that drive repeat contacts and hurt FCR and CSAT. Optimize AHT alongside resolution and satisfaction, not in isolation.

What's a good average handle time?

It varies by channel and complexity, so there's no universal target. Benchmark against your own history and segment by issue type — a billing question and a technical bug shouldn't share one AHT goal.

Related terms

First Response Time (FRT)

First Response Time (FRT) is the average time between a customer reaching out and getting the first human (or AI) reply. It's a first impression metric: a fast first response reassures customers their issue is being handled, even if the full resolution takes longer. It strongly influences satisfaction.

First Contact Resolution (FCR)

First Contact Resolution (FCR) is the percentage of customer issues fully resolved in a single interaction — no follow-ups, no callbacks, no reopened tickets. It's one of the strongest support metrics because high FCR correlates with both lower costs and higher satisfaction: customers get their answer once and move on.

Resolution Rate

Resolution rate is the percentage of support tickets that get resolved out of all tickets received in a period. It's a fundamental throughput metric — are you actually closing what comes in? A resolution rate consistently below 100% means a growing backlog of unresolved issues.

Browse the full customer support glossary →