Metrics Troubleshooting Part 2-Average Handle Time

AHT

AHT is a not only a measure of performance but also a measure of profitability (for accounts that bill clients on a per call/per minute basis). Not to mention its direct impact on Service Level and Billable Utilization.By improving quality, leadership and innovation, we can make sure calls are handled efficiently, leading to less talk time.

1. Process Improvements- identify wastes, and redundancy of steps within the process. Look for steps that can be done while multitasking and remove steps that do not add value to the customer.

2. Scripting- create scripts for every situations in a call where agents are not confident to handle. (i.e, closing the call,referral, handling product limitations, inc). Through this you can also eliminate sentences that agents make that are too wordy thus, decreasing the average words per call of every agent.

3. Identify trends and common issues- post and send steps to the team

4.Check Standard Deviation-If there is large variance in terms of agent AHT then there is definitely an issue. Monitor your low AHT agents as well as your high AHT agents. Look for how the low AHT agents process the calls, and if the quality of the call is good, then implement the process to the rest of the floor. If there is low variance then you need to send the analysis to the client and re-adjust the SLA.

5. Empower agents- The number of escalations must be tracked. Agents learn best through experience, and sometimes through process reistrictions, wherein they need to call their supervisors for approval, the talk time is compromised along with the quality. Agents should know where to access information, and should have the decision on what to do next based on the information gathered.

6.Check for scope creeps in ACW and hold. Are the agents over documenting? Are the agents multi tasking?

7. Train- some skills that could have a huge effect on handle times are:

a.Knowledge of Support

b. Analytical Skills

c. Probing

d. Instructional Skills

e. Listening

8. Check staffing- due to a large call volume, agents are more prone to human fatigue, increasing stress levels, resulting to futility in handling calls.

9. Client standards may be too high- Conduct a time and motion study if pre assessment includes small variation of handle time.