Average Handle Time (AHT)

Average Handle Time (AHT) measures the average total time an agent spends working on a single customer interaction, from start to finish. It includes all the time spent investigating, responding, and resolving the issue.

Why Average Handle Time Matters

AHT helps you:

• Forecast capacity — Predict how many tickets your team can handle
• Identify complexity — High AHT may indicate difficult issues or training needs
• Balance efficiency — Ensure agents aren’t rushing or spending too long
• Calculate costs — AHT directly impacts cost per ticket

How to Calculate AHT

For ticket-based support:

AHT = Total Time Spent on Tickets / Number of Tickets Handled

This typically includes:

• Reading and understanding the issue
• Research and investigation time
• Writing responses
• Any follow-up until resolution
• After-contact work (notes, categorization)

AHT Considerations

Be careful with AHT because:

• Quality matters — Rushing to lower AHT can hurt resolution quality
• Complexity varies — Different issue types have naturally different AHTs
• Context is key — Compare similar ticket types, not just overall averages

Optimizing AHT

Balance efficiency with quality:

• Knowledge bases — Help agents find answers faster
• Templates — Pre-written responses for common issues
• Training — Better-trained agents resolve issues more efficiently
• Tools — Streamlined interfaces reduce time spent navigating systems
• Specialization — Route complex issues to experts

AHT Analysis in TicketBoard

TicketBoard provides insights into handle time through:

• Resolution time analysis
• Agent performance comparisons
• Ticket complexity indicators via reopen and touch metrics