Average Handle Time (AHT): definition and how to read it
Average handle time (AHT) is the mean time spent on a customer call from pickup to finish, including talk time, hold time and after-call work. It is a cost and capacity measure, not a quality score.
Also known as: AHT, average call duration, handle time
How it is calculated
AHT equals total talk time plus total hold time plus total after-call work, divided by the number of calls handled. After-call work, such as writing notes or updating a CRM, is the part automation often removes first, since an AI agent can log the call as it ends.
Why chasing it backfires
Pressure to cut AHT leads human agents to rush callers and close tickets early, which pushes repeat calls up. It should be read alongside first-call resolution and satisfaction. For AI agents, AHT also changes meaning: with no queue and parallel calls, a longer, more thorough call costs little capacity.
Common mistake
Comparing AHT across call types. A balance enquiry and a complaint are different jobs. Segment AHT by reason for the call, then compare the AI and human handling of the same reason, otherwise the average hides which cases the AI is actually taking.
Where this shows up at Vaami
Vaami's voice intelligence provides call transcripts and outcomes that teams can use to analyse call duration by call type.
See it on a real call.
Hear how a Vaami voice agent handles this on a live conversation in your language and your use case.