The customer service industry is constantly evolving, and one of the most important metrics to measure success is Average Hold Time (AHT). AHT reflects the amount of time a customer service representative spends on a call with a customer and is an important factor in customer satisfaction. It is also a reflection of customer service efficiency and productivity. Companies should strive to keep AHT low, as customers often feel frustration with long wait times. In this post, we will explore the importance of Average Hold Time, how to measure it, and best practices for reducing it. We will also offer solutions for companies looking to improve their customer service experience. By managing customer service calls efficiently and minimizing wait times, companies can ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Why is understanding the average hold time important?
It’s critical for call center managers to recognize areas for development and comprehend how team performance is affected by their metrics. It’s critical to comprehend the typical hold time for each team or call center for the following reasons:
What is the average hold time?
The amount of time a call center or operator keeps a client on hold is referred to as the average hold time. When a client is placed on hold, the operator cannot speak with them directly because they are usually engaged in other conversations or tasks. The client might hear music or company information while on hold.
How to calculate average hold time
To determine the typical hold time, follow these steps:
1. Determine the parameters for your calculation
Choosing the parameters for your calculation is the first step in calculating your average hold time. For instance, if you run a call center, you may need to decide whether you want to estimate the average hold time for all customers or just for particular teams or departments. Its also important to determine the timeframe for your calculation.
The average hold time over a week, month, quarter, or year can be determined. Calculating the average hold time for busy periods like the holidays can be useful occasionally For instance, you might decide that you want to determine the average hold time for your customer service department over the past week in order to set new objectives.
2. Gather information about hold times and calls
You can gather data on hold times once you’ve decided on the calculation’s parameters. Consider using a call system program to track and record each call your representatives take or answer in order to achieve this. This can increase accountability and make it simple for you to access details about the content of calls and their duration.
For instance, you might determine that your customer service department received 12,352 calls in the previous week when calculating the average hold time for that department. You can also infer that customers were on hold for a total of 693,799 seconds, or 11,528 minutes.
3. Divide the total hold time by the number of calls
You can calculate the average hold time once you’ve determined the total number of calls made during your time period and the total amount of time your clients were placed on hold. To do this, divide the overall hold time in minutes or seconds by the overall call volume. The process might be simplified by using seconds in the calculation because you can convert to minutes later, if necessary.
Average hold time per call equals total seconds on hold / total calls made during the week.
**12,352 calls per week / 693,799 hold times equals 56 09 average hold time per call**.
4. Use the average hold time to set goals
You can set objectives for how much you might like to reduce your average hold time per call once you are aware of it. To determine a suitable hold time, try to find out when callers who are on hold typically hang up or voice their displeasure. You might even think about trying to completely eliminate hold times, depending on the organization and the resources you have.
For instance, you might find that disconnections occur in your customer service department after a minute, or 60 seconds, of waiting. Your company’s customer service department has a 56-second average hold time. 09 seconds may be too close to a minute to guarantee that your customers stay on the line. Making it a priority to reduce that time to 30 seconds could boost team productivity and client satisfaction.
Tips for reducing your average hold time
You can use the following advice to cut down on the typical hold time in your call center:
Average Handle Time | Managing Metrics
FAQ
How long is acceptable hold time?
It’s important not to put your customers on hold more than once, so how long should a caller be kept on hold for? Additionally, don’t keep a customer on hold for longer than two minutes.
What is the average hold time for a call?
The typical call center hold time is 13 minutes, and most callers can tolerate two to three minutes before becoming impatient. However, 57% of customers find long hold times to be a frustrating part of the service experience
How do you calculate average hold time?
You can calculate the average hold time once you know the total number of calls made during the specified period of time and the total time that customers were placed on hold. To do this, divide the overall hold time in minutes or seconds by the overall call volume.
How long do people wait on hold before hanging up?
Hang Ups. According to research from Velaro, all it takes is waiting on hold for one minute and almost 60% of customers will hang up In a survey of %E2%80%9Cmore than 2,500 consumers, nearly 60% of respondents believe that one minute is too long to be on hold,%E2%80%9D PRWeb reports
