Plain-language questions
Ask for average handle time (AHT) per month, customer or product in the SQL Explorer with AI. The AI writes the SQL, you see the query and run it yourself; the AI only receives metadata.
KPI · Customer service
Average handle time (AHT): formula and example.
Average handle time (AHT) is the average time an agent actively spends on a single customer contact. For phone calls it is talk time plus hold time plus after-call work. AHT is a key input when calculating the staffing you need.
Average handle time (AHT) formula
(Total talk time + total hold time + total after-call work) ÷ number of handled contacts
Worked example
In March Acme Groothandel's customer service team answered 2,000 phone calls. Total talk time including hold was 280,000 seconds and after-call work was 80,000 seconds. AHT is (280,000 + 80,000) ÷ 2,000 = 180 seconds, or 3 minutes.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
A shorter AHT means each agent can handle more contacts. Shorter is not always better, though: if calls are rushed, more customers call back. So read AHT alongside FCR and customer satisfaction, and compare by type of request.
Pitfalls with average handle time (AHT)
- Forgetting after-call work, which makes AHT too low and the staffing plan wrong.
- Counting transferred calls twice, or not at all.
- Managing agents on a low AHT, so questions are not fully resolved.
SQL & DAX
Calculating average handle time (AHT) in SQL and DAX
Two examples on a fictitious data warehouse for Acme Groothandel: a PostgreSQL query and a measure for a Power BI model. Adjust table and column names to your own model.
SELECT date_trunc('month', started_at)::date AS month,
COUNT(*) AS answered_calls,
ROUND(AVG(handle_seconds), 0) AS aht_seconds,
ROUND(AVG(handle_seconds) / 60.0, 1) AS aht_minutes
FROM calls
WHERE NOT abandoned
AND answered_at IS NOT NULL
AND started_at >= current_date - interval '12 months'
GROUP BY 1
ORDER BY 1;Answered Calls = CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Calls), Calls[Abandoned] = FALSE())
AHT (seconds) = DIVIDE(CALCULATE(SUM(Calls[HandleSeconds]), Calls[Abandoned] = FALSE()), [Answered Calls])In ENABLE
Tracking this KPI in ENABLE
In your Power BI dashboard
Define the KPI as a measure in your Power BI model and show it in the portal, with "Last refreshed" next to it. Access profiles and optional row-level security decide who sees which figures.
Custom dashboards (pilot)
Add the KPI as a tile to a custom dashboard, compared with last year. The Dashboard Builder is a pilot and can be switched on per client.
Monthly targets
With the built-in Targets app you set a target for the KPI per month, so you see actuals and target side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate average handle time?
Add up talk time, hold time and after-call work for all handled contacts and divide by the number of contacts. With 360,000 seconds across 2,000 calls, AHT is 180 seconds, or 3 minutes.
What is the difference between handle time and resolution time?
Handle time is only the time an agent actively spends on a contact. Resolution time is the total elapsed time of a request, including waiting on the customer or other departments. A request with an AHT of 3 minutes can therefore have a resolution time of a day.
What counts as after-call work?
After-call work is what an agent does straight after a call to finish it off, such as writing notes, updating a ticket or creating a return. It is part of handle time, because the agent cannot take a new contact during that time.
Further reading
- KPI libraryCustomer service KPIs: formulas and examplesCustomer service KPIs measure how quickly and how well customers are helped. The data comes from your help desk and telephony, and becomes more useful next to customer and order data.Read more
- ResourcesHow to build a KPI dashboard: steps and examplesA KPI dashboard is an overview of the key figures you use to steer towards your goals, such as revenue, margin, on-time delivery or absenteeism. A good KPI dashboard does not start with the software, but with the decisions it needs to support. You then choose a limited number of KPIs, define them, sketch the dashboard and only then build it.Read more
- SolutionPower BI dashboard portal: share dashboards securelyShare your Power BI dashboards securely in your own portal, with role-based access.Read more
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