The Active Conversation Handle Time by Agent by Channel can help you understand how efficient and timely your Agents are in handling Customer Conversations across your communication Channels.
Metrics and Key Concepts #
The Active Conversation Handle Time by Agent by Channel report uses the following metrics and concepts to quantify the reported data.
| Name | Description |
| Average Conversation Handle Time | Conversation Handle Time divided by Conversations Closed grouped by Agent and by Channel |
| Agent | Agent who was assigned when Conversation was last closed |
| Channel | Channel of the first inbound Contact, otherwise “Outbound” |
| Date | The timestamp of when the Conversation was last closed |
| Closed Conversations | Conversations that have ended and are considered historical |
| Conversations | See Conversations definition |
| Agents | See Agents definition |
Understand the Basics #
When to use the Active Conversation Handle Time By Agent By Channel report #
Use the Active Conversation Handle Time by Agent by Channel report if you have questions around:
- How long is it taking an Agent to handle a Conversation on each Channel?
- How is Active Conversation Handle Time changing over time on each Channel?
- Does Active Conversation Handle Time by Agent increase or decrease with the number of Conversations that are closed on each Channel?
How often to view the report #
Review this report weekly to gain valuable and actionable insights.
Note
Keep the following points in mind regarding Active Conversation Handle Time:
- ACHT is attributed to when the Conversation closes.
- ACHT is attributed to the Agent that closed the Conversation.
- Inbox attribution is the Inbox in which the Conversation/Customer is currently assigned.
- Channel filters apply to the first inbound Channel. For example, a Conversation that starts on an email and moves to a chat is considered an email Conversation.
- Conversations assigned to a user who was logged out when a Rule or another user (someone not assigned to that Conversation) closed the Conversation are not included in the counts for this report.
Take Action #
Once you understand the report, you can take action and make improvements.
Active Conversation Handle Time By Agent By Channel is Increasing #
If ACHT is increasing, and if you are seeing the ACHT increase for a particular Agent on a specific Channel, this means your Agent(s) are taking longer to handle each Customer Conversation. Look into why it’s taking longer to handle a Conversation. Here are some points to think of:
- Check your Topics report. Are you seeing a particular Topic appear more often than others that could be increasing your Agent’s handle time? This usually happens when Agents are handling more complex issues.
- How knowledgeable are your Agents? If specific Agents have higher handle times, look into their knowledge skills and tenure. It could be that they need a little bit of training to be more successful. You can also look into your Answers and make sure your Agents have all the information they need when helping Customers.
- For specific Agents with higher than average handle times, check to see how they are doing in other Channels. For example, they might be doing great handling Emails but need a little coaching for Voice.
- Look into your Channels. For example, if ACHT is unusually high for email, it could help decrease your email handle time if Agents call instead. They can also reach out to the Customer on another Channel such as SMS, where Customers are likely quicker to respond.
Active Conversation Handle Time By Agent By Channel is Low #
A lower ACHT means agents are closing conversations more quickly on this Channel. Look into the following items and understand why this is the case.
- Low ACHT is excellent, but make sure it’s not at the expense of other metrics. Make sure your First Contact Resolution and CSAT scores remain high while quickly helping Customers.
- Are there particular Agents that are closing Conversations quickly? Work with them and perhaps learn how they maintain efficiency.
Good to Know #
- This report can also be generated via API. See our Developer Docs for more details.
- Listed below are related reports we recommend you use alongside this report:
- Active Conversation Handle Time by Channel
- Active Conversation Handle Time by Topic
- Active Conversation Handle Time
- Active Conversation Handle Time by Agent
- Topics
