Average Handling Time
The average time an agent spends handling a conversation from start to resolution.
Glossary/Average Handling Time
Average Handling Time (AHT) is the mean duration agents spend on conversations, from the moment they engage to resolution. It's a core efficiency metric: lower AHT (without hurting quality) means a team can help more customers with the same resources.
AHT falls when agents spend less time searching for information and drafting replies — exactly what AI copilots and canned responses address by surfacing answers and drafting responses in context. It should always be read alongside quality metrics like CSAT, so speed isn't achieved at the cost of good outcomes.
Related terms
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