The spelling of the word "AHT" may seem confusing at first sight, but its pronunciation can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The phonetic transcription of "AHT" is /æt/, which consists of the vowel sound "æ" as in "cat" followed by the consonant sound "t" as in "tap". Despite its unusual spelling, the word "AHT" is commonly used as an abbreviation for "art history and theory" in academic circles. So, remember that next time you encounter the word "AHT" in a scholarly text!
AHT is an acronym that stands for Average Handling Time. It is a metric frequently used in customer service and call center environments to measure the average amount of time it takes for an agent to complete a customer interaction, from beginning to end. AHT is often considered a vital key performance indicator, as it helps to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of customer service operations.
To calculate AHT, the total talk time (the duration an agent spends actively engaged in conversation with the customer) is combined with any hold time and after-call work time (time spent on administrative tasks related to the call, such as documenting the interaction or scheduling follow-up actions). The sum is then divided by the total number of interactions handled within a specific timeframe to obtain an average.
AHT is crucial to monitoring operational performance as it can provide insights into workforce management, staffing requirements, training needs, and the overall customer experience. A lower AHT typically suggests quicker resolutions, reduced customer wait times, and improved customer satisfaction. However, it is crucial to strike a balance between AHT and quality, as excessively short AHTs may compromise the quality of service provided. Consequently, AHT is often used in conjunction with other metrics, such as First Call Resolution (FCR) and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), to gain a holistic understanding of customer service performance.