holdtime

Hold time, in the context of telephony and customer contact centers, is the duration a caller spends on hold during a single interaction. Hold time begins when the call is placed on hold by an agent or an automated system and ends when the hold is released, whether the agent resumes the call, the call is transferred, or the caller hangs up. Hold time is a component of total call duration and is distinct from after-call work.

Measurement and reporting: Hold time is typically measured in seconds or minutes per call. Common metrics include average hold time (the mean duration of hold segments) and hold time as a share of total call time. Some organizations track the percentage of calls that include hold and the distribution of hold durations. Telephony systems, automatic call distributors, and contact center analytics platforms collect these data.

Implications and causes: Longer hold times can reduce customer satisfaction and increase abandonment rates. Causes include insufficient staffing, imbalanced routing, complex or ineffective IVR menus, and delays in agent availability. Real-time monitoring and historical trend analysis help identify bottlenecks and set service-level targets and staffing plans.

Strategies to reduce hold time: optimize routing and staffing with workforce management, offer call-back options or virtual hold, simplify IVR menus, and expand self-service options. Training for agents to resolve common requests quickly, transparent queue messaging, and proactive updates can also improve perceived wait times.