49 tips for reducing average handling time

In most surveys that we conduct, average handling time (or AHT) is the most common metric that contact centres use to measure efficiency.  It is easy to measure and widely available.

We had a fantastic response to our request for ways to help to reduce AHT.  We have had so many tips sent in that we have had to split it into two articles, so here’s the first instalment.

1.    Gather all information at the start of the call

We encourage agents to gather as much information as possible at the start of the call.  This should be relevant and about the situation, in order to best resolve the issue instead of getting information filtering throughout the call.
Thanks to Nicola

2.    Put the regulatory information in the IVR

Include regulation information within the IVR, rather than agents continuously reading and confirming information from scripts or training updates.
Thanks to Robert

3.    Be there for your team

Be there to answer your team. If you can save them from searching through an online resource you will save them time. Be accountable for them.
Thanks to Luke

4.    Let agents listen to examples of low AHT

Allow agents with a high AHT to listen to calls of their colleagues with a low AHT to identify where they can reduce their own AHT.

5.    Recruit agents who speak concisely

During the recruitment process, identify candidates who naturally speak, ask questions and give answer concisely.
Thanks to Antony

6.    Identify silence on calls

1. Identify calls with a lot of silence
2. Train agents who generate silence
3. Reduce AHT and increase FCR & CSAT

Thanks to Denis from NICE Systems

7.    Identify silent times

Identify silent times and look at what is happening. Is the member of staff updating the system, is the system responding?
Thanks to Carole

8.    Buddy-up agents

Buddy-up agents with high AHT with agents that have low AHT to listen in, gain tips and share ideas.

Quality control is obviously important, so ensure that you have calibration between agents with low and high AHTs.
Thanks to Trisha, Charlie & Alexander

9.    Avoid buddying with bad agents

Avoid agents buddying with older or ‘bad’ agents as they pick up bad habits.
Thanks to Carly

10.    Use call and screen recording

Call and screen recording tools are very effective when coaching towards a lower average handling time.
Thanks to Bart

11.    Team champions

Have team champions for each call driver who can then disseminate key points to the rest of the team.
Thanks to Michael

12.    Get the basics right on the call

Ensure people follow a predefined call structure.  People need to listen; question; clarify back; use hold; give overviews and deliver the solution effectively.

Focus needs to be on giving the right answer, first time.

Adapt, be friendly, helpful and enthusiastic.
Thanks to Sarah

13.    Make sure agents have the right knowledge

Professionalise the workforce in their business area. The more knowledge agents have of their whole business, the easier it is to answer customer questions and reduce time to get the correct answer.
Thanks to Richard

14.    Simplify marketing materials

Simplify complicated marketing material that needs to be explained.

15.    The habits of highly effective agents

Examine what your top 10 agents do in regard to AHT that makes them consistently quick.  Then apply these tips to the slowest 10.   Improving the slowest agents’ AHT will have the biggest gains.
Thanks to Andrew

16.    Look carefully at the IVR

Problems can be caused by customers choosing the wrong options on the IVR.  Carefully examine your IVR options and see if there is a way of avoiding these problems.

17.    Keep customer profiles up to date

Update the customer profile at first point of contact. This way there is no confusion when giving feedback to the customer on services requested.

Ensure that the caller history is up to date with all previous conversations with the customer, no matter what agent has spoken to them.  The enquiry can be picked up so that this is seamless to the customer.  Staff can log on at different locations to reduce call handling time when a high volume of calls is being received.

18.    Share information on repeated questions

Staff should share information to minimise repeated questions.

19.    Promote the website and text alerts

Promote website and text alerts for service disruption.

20.    Record all of your calls

Record 100% of calls received for training purposes.

21.    Involve staff and supervisors in creating training materials

Staff should be involved in the training, along with supervisors to refresh themselves at the same time.

22.    Appoint staff champions

Give staff champion roles within a specific service.  Make staff aware of who is the champion for each service.  Advisors should attend meetings with back office within their champion role and bring back updated information, for example street scene, bad weather warning, etc.

23.    Use the same advisor for call-backs

Use the same member of staff to deal with call-backs from the original call.  The customer will be talking to the same advisor and will feel more valued.

24.    Don’t send out updates by email

Hold sessions for providing information direct to advisors, rather than using email.  Make sure this is a two-way session, rather than managers telling advisors what to do.  Empower the agent.

25.    Create friendlier forms

Create more user-friendly service request forms for every scenario with a specific service.  This gives a more consistent approach for the customer.

26.    Allow access to management information for all advisors

Ensure that all advisors can view the management screen on a plasma screen.  This will help them manage their unavailable status and see the whole picture.  This will also allow the agent to see what calls are coming in and how long they have waited.
Thanks to Lynn

27.    Process all information on the call

Encourage agents to process information whilst the customer is talking
After-call work (ACW) should be replaced with admin time, where advisors log the main points of the call and then they are given admin time to process all the calls they have taken.  – NO more ACW!

28.    Make your knowledge base searchable

Put a search engine on the knowledge database.  It will make it much easier to find information.
Thanks to Yasmeen

29.    Encourage cross-functional working

Encourage cross-functional working together to ensure outside service areas understand the impacts of their actions, e.g. R&D.
Thanks to Karl

30.    Allow the agents to control the call

Put in place a structured call opening, allowing the agent to control the call from the outset.  This is called a call structure, a vision of the call flow, which in turn gets the agent to think about system navigation.
Thanks to Robert

31.    Produce a set of troubleshooting questions

Design a structured question/flow for the agents so they have a set of questions to ask the users and troubleshoot accordingly, rather than coming out with their own set of questions.
Thanks to Maheswaran

32.    Share agent best practice

Encourage your top agents with the best call control to share their experiences/strategies with colleagues in team briefings. It’s more powerful than coming from a team leader or manager as they can see it really works.
Thanks to Victoria

33.    Agent self-reviews

We think self-reviews are crucial in reduction of AHT – this encourages the agent to identify the problem and provide the solution.
Thanks to Vickie

34.    Put information at the agents’ fingertips

I ensure that the agents have the information at their fingertips and use the internal chat feature so that they can get information from other agents where necessary.

What I find is that agents do not have time to do a lot of reading, so really the most effective way is to probably split the team and bring them into a sit-down setting where the interpretation will remain the same.
Thanks to Tanya

35.    Keep the customer in the loop

If it is absolutely necessary to go silent when processing things, advisors should keep the customer ‘in the loop’, e.g. “Sorry to keep you waiting, I’m just updating the account.”  That way the customer doesn’t feel the need to fill the silence with conversations that can ultimately prolong the call and distract the advisor.
Thanks to Gina

36.    Use web chat to process more customers

Introduce a chat function to handle concurrent customers, therefore dealing with more customers within the same amount of time.

37.     Use frequently asked questions

Channel your customers through the FAQs so that they already have clear answers and will either chat call or email based on their query.

38.    Use personality profiles

Profile the agents with personality profiles to allow you to understand if they are extrovert/introvert, analytical, etc. Then place them in the right queue that fits their personality.
Thanks to Sarah

39.    Use screen pop to identify callers

Invest in a good IVR screen pop and ensure that it gives the agent and customer what is actually required.

40.    Review your IVR call flow

To reduce AHT and improve customer experience you must regularly review your IVR call flow to keep it simple for the customer.
Thanks to Neil

41.    Don’t scrimp on induction training

Invest in your staff’s technical knowledge, rather than rushing them through a short induction.  Invest in educating staff over a period of time, teaching them background information. This should remove the need for referrals to team leaders and help the staff member take ownership of their customers’ needs.

42.    Implement a knowledge base

Introduce a knowledge database.  I have just spent a year setting up ours.  It’s only been live a few weeks and is already helping to reduce our AHT and increase staff confidence, consistency of answers and customer satisfaction.
Thanks to Rebecca

43.    Let agents listen to recorded calls

Agents should feel the support by listening to recorded calls.  If you coach them after listening, this has the added benefit that they will learn from their mistakes.
Thanks to Mohammad

44.    Don’t chase the number

Don’t chase the number; get the experience right first and the scores will take care of themselves.
Thanks to Jerry

45.    Mini briefing sessions

Conduct mini briefing sessions in small managing groups to update on changes in service.
Thanks to Lin

46.    Create a good opening question

My tip for reducing the AHT is to create a good opening question to have control of the conversation directly from the start.  An example could be: “Good day, my name is…..did you call us before?”  Whether this is answered with a yes or no, you can take control over the conversation.
Thanks to Richard

47.    Don’t confuse quality with efficiency

Never jeopardise call quality for AHT as you will not only provide bad service but also encourage ‘bad behaviour’ in the advisor population.
Thanks to Jurgen

48.    Challenge all aspects of AHT

My top tip to manage AHT is ‘just because it is doesn’t mean it should be’.  This means challenging every aspect of AHT, including clear visibility at daily, weekly, monthly levels, at both agent and department level. Also let the agent know that they have the power to reduce AHT.
Thanks to David

49.    Quick ‘how to’ guides

Have quick ‘how to’ guides for your most regular enquiries which you can send through to the customer and enable them to self-help.
Thanks to Chris

What tips do you have for reducing average handling time?  Why not drop us a line and we can see if we can add them into our next article.  Stay tuned for the next article.

13 Feb 2013 - Filed under Hints and Tips , Average Handling Time

Liked this article? Why not get our free newsletter.