GlossaryMetrics & Measurement
AHT (Average Handle Time)
The average time an agent spends actively working a contact, including after-call work.
Formula
AHT = (total talk + hold + after-contact work) / number of contactsAHT sums talk/handling time, hold time, and after-contact wrap, then divides by the number of contacts. It is fundamentally a capacity-planning input — you need it to forecast staffing — not a quality score.
Problems start when it is used as a quality score. Push AHT down and agents learn to rush, transfer, or close prematurely, which quietly feeds reopens and lowers FCR.
What it hides: a low AHT can mean efficient help or abandoned customers, and averaging erases the hard, high-value cases that legitimately take longer. Treat it as a budgeting metric, not a target on a rep's scorecard.