How to Reduce AHT and Improve CX

Average handling time (AHT) is a key measure of the efficiency of your BPO call centre. Very simply, the faster calls are dealt with, the more you can get through and – theoretically – the happier your clients and their customers will be.

We say theoretically, because there’s a caveat here. Reducing AHT mustn’t happen at the expense of service. Rushing calls simply to improve AHT is a recipe for dissatisfaction and, ultimately, lost contracts.

But it doesn’t have to be one or the other. In the rest of this blog we’ll find out how to lower AHT and at the same time maintain or even improve customer satisfaction (CSAT).

What Are the Benefits and Pitfalls of AHT?

As a general rule, the lower your AHT, the better. It means you can handle more calls, improve efficiency and reduce costs. If lower costs lead to more competitive or flexible pricing, your BPO will be more attractive to prospective clients.

AHT also gives you the information to improve resource management, and to help agents improve performance. Taken together, it is one of the key metrics of any call centre operation.

But you should never measure AHT in silo. A focus on call times at the expense of other indicators can certainly lead to a low AHT – but also to crashing customer satisfaction ratings. Agents should never be incentivised to end calls prematurely or rush through conversations.

Agents who feel pressured to end calls quickly are more likely to make mistakes or give bad advice. When that happens another key call centre metric – first call resolution (FCR) rates – also suffers.

And if your AHT starts to rise, it doesn’t necessarily mean your call centre is less efficient. It could be that your agents are handling more complex calls that require longer to resolve. It’s important to check what is leading to longer call times before deciding what to do about them.

But AHT is important and if you do need to bring it down, there are ways of doing so that won’t undermine the experience of your customers.

How to Reduce AHT in Your Contact Centre:

Automation Is Key to Reducing Contact Centre AHT

Good technology allows you to serve customers more efficiently and more effectively. The right tech can remove bottlenecks in the customer journey and provide a seamless path to improved AHT rates.

Scripting

Many customer interactions are similar in nature. By producing and refining call centre scripts that are easily accessible, you give your agents the smoothest route through any customer conversation. That means calls end sooner, but without agents cutting any corners.

Self-Serve

Many calls don’t require agent contact at all. When customers can self-serve with interactive voice response (IVR), chatbot services or a comprehensive FAQ/knowledge base, agents don’t get bogged down answering time-sapping but unnecessary calls.

IVRs

Talking of IVRs, use them to direct customers to exactly the right person for their challenge or query. When customers are accurately routed to specialist agents, calls are handled more efficiently and AHT is reduced.

Call Recording and Training

Use call recordings to pinpoint conversational cul-de-sacs. Regularly review recorded calls with your agents to identify possible improvements. Skilled agents can handle calls more quickly and also more effectively.

Workforce Management

Workforce management (WFM) systems help ensure you have the right resources in the right place at the right time.

By optimising staffing levels for every client or shift, you reduce wait times and improve the overall performance of your call centre. At the same time, you’re not paying for staff hours you don’t need.

This blog post has been re-published by kind permission of MaxContact – View the Original Article

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Author: MaxContact