PART 3
COACH’ S CORNER
PART 3
BY MARK PEREIRA
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE STOCK
AVERAGE HANDLE TIME VS. HUMAN TIME FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE IN THE CX AGE.
In today ' s call and contact centers, agents are caught in the middle of a quiet- but constant- tug-of-war. Leadership wants faster calls, tighter metrics, and improved efficiency. Customers want patience, empathy, and solutions. Agents are expected to deliver both: all while navigating complex systems, expanding queues, and performance metrics that rarely reflect the realities of the work. But the issue isn ' t that agents are spending too much time with customers. The real problem is where that time is being spent.
12 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE
In this three-part series, I’ ve explored how contact centers can reduce average handle time( AHT) without rushing either the customer or the agent.
• Part 1 focused on removing customer friction before the call.
• Part 2 examined agent performance strategies and in-call support.
• Part 3( this article) looks at staffing, tools, and leadership choices, and brings the conversation to a close.
TOOLS AND PROCESSES CAN SUPPORT AGENTS. BUT THE WRONG HIRING DECISIONS WILL UNDERMINE THE BEST-DESIGNED OPERATION.