What is AHT (Average Handle Time)?
Average Handle Time
Definition
Average Handle Time (AHT) is a key call center metric that measures the average total time an agent spends on a customer interaction, including talk time, hold time, and after-call work (ACW). It is calculated as: AHT = (Total Talk Time + Total Hold Time + Total After-Call Work) / Total Number of Calls Handled.
Why AHT (Average Handle Time) Matters for Insurance
For insurance call centers, AHT balances efficiency against quality. Too-short AHT may indicate agents are rushing through compliance disclosures or not properly qualifying prospects. Too-long AHT wastes resources. Industry benchmarks for insurance calls typically range from 6-10 minutes for outbound sales and 4-8 minutes for service calls.
Key Points
- Includes talk time, hold time, and after-call work (ACW)
- Industry benchmark for insurance sales calls: 6-10 minutes
- Lower AHT isn't always better—compliance disclosures take time
- Used for workforce planning and staffing calculations
- Should be analyzed alongside conversion rate and compliance scores
How AgentTech Handles AHT (Average Handle Time)
AgentTech tracks AHT automatically with breakdowns by talk time, hold time, and ACW. AI-powered after-call summaries reduce ACW by 40-60%. Real-time dashboards let supervisors identify agents with outlier AHT for coaching. Compliance features ensure reduced AHT doesn't come at the cost of required disclosures.
Frequently Asked Questions
See AHT (Average Handle Time) in Action
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