ClarivoxxBy Abdessamad Ghanem

Free tool

Average Handle Time (AHT) Calculator

AHT = (talk time + hold time + after-contact work) ÷ contacts handled. With 4,200 minutes of talk, 600 of hold, 1,500 of wrap-up and 1,200 contacts, AHT is 5.25 minutes, or 5:15. At 8,000 contacts a month, that is 700 hours of handling work before shrinkage.

Average handle time

5:15

The split between talk, hold and wrap looks balanced. Compare AHT by contact reason, not only as one team average.

Workload per month

700 h

Handling time only, before shrinkage and idle time.

Hold + wrap share

33.3%

AHT = (4,200 + 600 + 1,500) ÷ 1,200 = 5.25 min (5:15)
Workload = 8,000 × 5.25 ÷ 60 = 700 h

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate average handle time?
Add total talk or chat time, total hold time and total after-contact work for the period, then divide by the number of contacts handled. 6,300 minutes over 1,200 contacts gives an AHT of 5.25 minutes, which is 5 minutes 15 seconds.
Should after-contact work be included in AHT?
Yes. Notes, tagging and follow-up tasks take agent time just like the conversation itself, and leaving them out makes staffing plans too optimistic. In the example above, wrap-up is 1,500 of the 6,300 minutes, almost a quarter of the total.
How do you use AHT for staffing?
Multiply forecast contacts by AHT and divide by 60 to get the handling hours the work needs. 8,000 contacts at 5.25 minutes is 700 hours a month, and you then add shrinkage and target occupancy to get the hours you need to schedule.

About the author

Abdessamad Ghanem

Customer Experience & Customer Success Consultant · Founder of Clarivoxx

Abdessamad Ghanem works across Customer Support, Sales, Customer Success, Account Management and Partner Management. He writes Clarivoxx Insights for B2B SaaS professionals who own retention, adoption and customer outcomes.

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