Free tool
Free average handle time calculator
Evoriqa's free average handle time calculator shows how long a typical call takes. Enter your total talk time, hold time and after-call work for a period, plus the number of calls. You get the average in minutes and seconds. The maths runs in your browser, and nothing you type is sent anywhere.
All time spent speaking with callers in the period.
Time callers waited on hold. Leave blank for none.
Notes and follow-up done after the call ended. Leave blank for none.
The calls those totals cover, as a whole number.
Average handle time 7:30 (450 seconds) over 10 calls
- Average handle time
- 7:30min:sec
- In seconds
- 450s
- Talk per call
- 5:00
- Hold + after-call
- 2:30per call
Enter the average in seconds into the Erlang C calculator to estimate how many agents your phone line needs.
Fewer calls that need a person on the line
Evoriqa’s AI agent answers some calls itself and passes the rest to your team, so your agents may see fewer. Turn your average into a team size with the Erlang C staffing calculator, then add cover with the shrinkage calculator.
How average handle time is worked out
Three kinds of time added together, then divided by the calls. The calculator uses totals for the period.
- Talk time
- Time spent speaking with the caller.
- Hold time
- Time the caller waits while the agent looks something up.
- After-call work
- Notes and follow-up the agent finishes after the call ends.
The formula
AHT = (talk + hold + after-call) ÷ calls
3,000 seconds of talk, 600 of hold and 900 of after-call work over 10 calls is 450 seconds, or 7:30.
What it leaves out
An average hides the spread. A few long calls can pull it up. AHT also says nothing about whether the caller got help.
How to calculate average handle time
- 01
Pick a period and pull the totals
Take a day, a week or a month from your phone system. You need total talk time, total hold time and total after-call work. - 02
Convert the totals to seconds
Type each total in seconds. One hour is 3,600 seconds, so five hours of talk time is 18,000. - 03
Enter the number of calls
Type how many calls those totals cover. Use the same period for the times and the count. - 04
Read the average and use it
The result is the time per call. Use it to plan staffing, and watch the trend rather than one day's figure.
Frequently asked questions
What is average handle time?
Average handle time, or AHT, is the average time an agent spends on one call, including the work that follows it.
How do you calculate average handle time?
Add total talk time, total hold time and total after-call work. Then divide by the number of calls. All times must use the same unit.
What is after-call work?
After-call work, also called wrap-up, is what an agent does once the caller hangs up. Examples are notes, tickets and follow-up messages.
Is a lower AHT always better?
No. Rushing calls can hurt the quality of help and send callers back. Read AHT next to a satisfaction measure such as CSAT.
What is a good average handle time?
There is no single target. It depends on what your callers ask about. Compare your AHT with your own past figures and call types.
How is AHT used for staffing?
AHT sets how much work each call creates. With calls per hour, it gives your traffic, which the Erlang C calculator turns into a team size.
Should I count calls that were not answered?
No. Count only calls an agent handled, since unanswered calls have no talk, hold or after-call time to average.
Does the calculator save my numbers?
No. The maths runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent to Evoriqa. Site analytics records only that a result was copied.
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