What is average handle time (AHT)?
Average handle time (AHT) is the average time an agent spends on one contact from pickup to finish: talk time, hold time and after-call work, divided by the number of calls handled. The formula is AHT = (total talk time + total hold time + total after-call work) / calls handled. Time a caller spends in the queue or ringing before an agent answers is not part of it.
AHT is the handle-time input to Erlang C and most other staffing models. In the Erlang C calculator it multiplies call volume to give the workload in Erlangs, so an AHT that leaves out wrap time produces a plan that is short from the first interval.
The AHT formula
Take all four totals from your phone system for the same period and the same queue. Count only calls an agent handled: abandoned calls have no talk or wrap time, so putting them in the denominator makes AHT look shorter than the work really is. For a team figure, divide total handle time by total calls rather than averaging each agent's AHT. An agent with 40 calls and an agent with 400 should not get the same weight.
Worked example
A queue handles 1,200 calls in a week. Agents log 4,800 minutes of talk, 600 minutes of hold and 1,200 minutes of after-call work, 6,600 minutes in total. AHT = 6,600 / 1,200 = 5.5 minutes, which is 330 seconds or 5:30. Talk accounts for 240 seconds of that, hold for 30 and after-call work for 60.
Those are the calculator's default inputs and they are illustrative. The split is often more useful than the total. In this example hold and wrap together take 90 seconds a call, 27.3 percent of handle time. Tracking the three parts separately shows which one moved when AHT changes.
How AHT changes staffing
AHT and call volume together set the workload. At 100 calls in 30 minutes and an 80/20 service level target, the Erlang calculator gives these requirements, with 30 percent shrinkage and an 85 percent occupancy cap:
| AHT | Workload | Agents on the phones | Agents to schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 180 s (3:00) | 10.0 Erlangs | 14 | 20 |
| 240 s (4:00) | 13.3 Erlangs | 17 | 25 |
| 300 s (5:00) | 16.7 Erlangs | 21 | 30 |
| 330 s (5:30) | 18.3 Erlangs | 23 | 33 |
A minute of extra handle time on this queue, from 180 to 240 seconds, adds five people to the schedule. Use the link under the result to send your own AHT straight into the Erlang calculator.
AHT benchmarks, with sources
Call Centre Helper reports an average AHT of 6 minutes 3 seconds, taken from 190,702 entries into its Erlang calculator. That describes the handle times planners type in, so read it as a rough reference rather than a measured industry average. The same page reproduces sector figures it credits to a Cornell University report (Call Centre Helper, call centre industry standards):
| Sector | Average handling time |
|---|---|
| Telecommunications | 528 s (8:48) |
| Retail | 324 s (5:24) |
| Business and IT services | 282 s (4:42) |
| Financial services | 282 s (4:42) |
A lower AHT is only better when resolution holds. Trimming hold and wrap with better tools can shorten calls without hurting outcomes; rushing callers off the line shortens them and can bring the same customer back as a repeat call. Score AHT next to first call resolution in the call center KPI benchmarks.
Common AHT mistakes
- Leaving out after-call work. Talk time alone understates AHT, and the staffing plan built on it runs short.
- Averaging agent averages. Divide total handle time by total calls so high-volume agents carry their real weight.
- Counting abandoned calls. They add to the denominator without adding handle time.
- Mixing channels. Chat agents often run several conversations at once, so a chat AHT is not comparable with a voice AHT.
FAQ
What is average handle time?
Average handle time (AHT) is the average time an agent spends on one contact from pickup to finish, including talk time, hold time and after-call work. It is calculated as total talk time plus total hold time plus total after-call work, divided by the number of calls handled. Queue time before an agent answers is not included.
How do you calculate AHT?
Add total talk time, total hold time and total after-call work for a period, then divide by the number of calls handled in the same period. For example, 4,800 minutes of talk, 600 of hold and 1,200 of after-call work across 1,200 calls gives 6,600 / 1,200 = 5.5 minutes, or 330 seconds.
Does AHT include hold time?
Yes. AHT includes talk time, hold time and after-call work. Leaving hold or wrap time out makes AHT look shorter than the work really takes, and any staffing plan built on that number runs short.
What is a good average handle time?
A good AHT depends on what the calls are for, so compare against your own history and your sector. Call Centre Helper reports an average of 6 minutes 3 seconds across 190,702 entries into its Erlang calculator, and reproduces sector figures it credits to a Cornell University report: 528 seconds in telecommunications, 324 in retail and 282 in business and IT services and in financial services. A shorter AHT only helps if resolution holds.
What is the difference between AHT and average talk time?
Average talk time counts only the time an agent and caller are speaking. AHT adds hold time and after-call work on top, so it is always equal to or longer than talk time. Staffing models need AHT, because the agent is unavailable for the next call during hold and wrap as well.
How does AHT affect staffing?
AHT multiplies call volume to give the workload in Erlangs, so a longer AHT needs more agents. At 100 calls in 30 minutes with an 80/20 target, raising AHT from 180 to 240 seconds moves the Erlang C requirement from 14 to 17 agents on the phones, and from 20 to 25 on the schedule at 30 percent shrinkage.
Keep going
Send your AHT into the Erlang C calculator to size the queue, and work out the roster gross-up with the shrinkage calculator. New agents often take longer per call while they ramp, so high churn can show up in AHT too; measure it with the attrition rate calculator. Compare AHT with FCR and service level in the KPI benchmarks, read the AHT and FCR guide, or browse every free tool on the tools hub.