15 tips to reduce Average Handling Time (AHT) and make your Customer Service shine

The Average Handling Time in the contact center measures a transaction from the beginning to its end. This includes talk time, hold time, and After Call Work (ACW). You can see that it is fundamental for the image that your customers have of you. Find here 15 tips that you should follow to always keep this metric under control.

Technology and AHT

In addition to technology, all the measures implemented to improve daily operations are also important in Customer Service.

A metric that indicates the success or failure of your strategy is the Average Handling Time.

1. Gather as much information as possible when starting the call or transaction.
2. Help your agents with the right tools. With a software like EVOLUTION the agent will be able to control everything from a single interface. This will speed up customer service.
3. Evaluate your self-service.
4. Create some customized scripts for calls or other channels.
5. Record all your calls.
6. Identify which calls have long silences, and train agents to reduce it.
7. Offer training and show with examples to your agents how the AHT can be reduced, to try to get ideas and reduce theirs.
8. Do your agents know their business area well? Make sure your agents are masters of their entire area. This will make it easier to answer queries.
9. Offer your agents simplified and understandable marketing materials. Work together with other departments. No more working in silos!
10. Keep the customer aware of each step. If you must look for information or consult a colleague, it is advisable that the agent tell the customer that he/she will put the call on hold.
11. Hold briefings sesions in small management groups to inform your agents of the latest updates to the service.
12. Automate processes.
13. Measure and analyze errors.
14. Anticipate questions and offer information before the customer asks a question.
15. Develop an additional bonus system for the maximum number of interactions accepted and successfully solved per shift.

Don’t compromise call quality to improve AHT

But, watch out! Don’t compromise call quality to improve AHT. A higher AHT is better if you make sure that with a single call the problem is solved and the customer is completely satisfied, and they do not have to call several times due to lack of resolution. And remember: small daily actions make your contact center productivity improve exponentially, start applying these changes today!