Why Contact Centre Leaders Should Be Paying Closer Attention to AHT Outliers

Every contact centre runs on metrics – but with so much data flying around, knowing where to focus your limited attention is often the real challenge.

That’s especially true with Average Handling Time (AHT) – one of the most common metrics in our industry.

It’s familiar. It’s measurable. It’s easy to report on.

But what it often fails to show is the agents who are operating well outside the norm – and that’s where the gold lies.

The Power of Relative Performance

Most dashboards will show you the team’s AHT, or maybe each agent’s individual AHT.

But unless you’re manually reviewing the list or running extra formulas, you’re probably missing the standouts – the ones who are significantly above or below the team’s average.

And that’s where outliers can reveal real insight:

• A higher AHT might signal an agent who’s struggling with systems or knowledge.

• A lower AHT could indicate shortcutting, poor documentation, or unresolved issues being pushed back into the queue.

• In some cases, outliers are not performance issues at all – but opportunities to learn from high performers.

When you’re managing 15+ agents and juggling coaching, meetings, and fire drills, it’s easy to miss these trends.

Especially when all you’re seeing is a list of averages.

How a Call Centre AHT Outlier Report Can Help

Rather than treating AHT as a flat number, an outlier report gives you context. It helps you:

• Compare each agent’s AHT against the team, not just in isolation.

• See which agents are drifting away from expected performance ranges.

• Prioritise your time and energy by knowing who to focus on first.

• Spot early warning signs of performance or process issues before they affect KPIs.

Think of it as a performance radar – quietly scanning for blips so you don’t have to.

It’s not about micro-managing.

It’s about working smarter with the limited time and attention you’ve got.

Why This Matters in the Real World

As a Team Leader or Manager, your time is pulled in a hundred directions.

You want to do deep-dive coaching, but firefighting, escalations, back-to-back meetings, and reporting often get in the way.

That’s where a good AHT Outlier Report becomes a game-changer.

Instead of scrolling through spreadsheets or pulling up multiple dashboards, a well-structured report lets you scan your team’s AHT results at a glance and instantly identify who’s worth a closer look.

And that’s exactly why we created the ACXPA AHT Outlier Tool!

Introducing the ACXPA AHT Outlier Tool

It’s a simple but powerful Excel-based tool designed to save time and reduce noise.

• You enter your agents’ names and their AHT results—daily, weekly, whatever suits.

• It automatically calculates the average AHT and the standard deviation.

• Then, using clear visual highlights, it flags the agents who are performing outside the expected range – either significantly higher or lower than the team average.

It won’t tell you why they’re an outlier – but it quickly shows you who needs your attention first.

How it Helps You Lead with Focus

You could build your own version of this in Excel – but why would you?

This tool acts like a performance radar:

• Got 25 AHT numbers to review? It’ll show you the ones that matter today.

• Need a fast snapshot before a performance meeting or WFM session? Done.

• Want to back up coaching with data? You’ve got it—visually and instantly.

A Small Insight That Can Make a Big Impact

Great leadership isn’t about monitoring every number – it’s about knowing which ones matter right now.

In a world of dashboards and data dumps, the Call Centre AHT Outlier Tool helps you cut through the noise.

It gives you just enough insight to take meaningful action, without the burden of overanalysis.

And if you’re ready to sharpen your leadership edge even further, check out our Call Centre Management Courses on CX Skills – designed to help Team Leaders and Managers like you elevate performance, boost engagement, and drive real results.

Because when you’re short on time and juggling a team, sometimes the smartest thing you can do… is focus.