Why lengthy calls are a problem?
High (AHT) Average handling time
AHT – Average call handling time is one of the most important metrics for measuring the efficiency of a call center it is very popular due to how easy and straightforward it is to calculate it. The formula for calculating AHT is
AHT = Average Talk Time + Average Wrap up Time (during or after the call). / total number of calls
Lowers the service level
Lower service level means callers will spend longer times on hold and the longer they stay on hold the angrier callers get so you end up with more angry customers waiting for you to pick up.
Higher call center cost
There is a direct effect of high average call time on total cost of running your call center leading to lower efficiency of the overall operation.