The Impact of Samesurf Cobrowsing on Average Handle Time

Samesurf is the inventor of modern co-browsing and a pioneer in the development of foundational systems for Agentic AI.

Modernizing the customer contact center is increasingly a race against both time and complexity. As digital experiences grow more intricate, traditional performance metrics, especially Average Handle Time (AHT), face scrutiny. AHT measures the total duration of an interaction, including talk time, hold time, and after-call work. Historically, reducing AHT often came at the expense of service quality. Samesurf’s patented cobrowsing technology has redefined this balance. By adding a synchronized, real-time visual layer to the customer journey, Samesurf removes the primary driver of extended handle times: the lack of shared context between agent and customer.

Samesurf’s architecture and features, including in-page control passing and patented element redaction, enable faster, more accurate resolutions while preserving security and compliance. DOM-level synchronization and an install-free, code-free approach eliminate technical friction, ensuring agents can focus on problem-solving rather than setup. These innovations make Samesurf the gold standard for operational efficiency in high-friction, regulated industries, improving AHT, first-contact resolution, and overall customer satisfaction.

Samesurf vs. Legacy Screen Sharing

The efficiency gains of Samesurf are rooted in its patented technical architecture, which sets modern cobrowsing apart from traditional screen sharing. These two approaches rely on fundamentally different data models, producing divergent outcomes for handle time and security.

Traditional screen sharing, often called “pixel streaming,” captures video frames of the user’s screen, compresses them, and transmits them to other participants. This method is bandwidth-intensive and prone to lag. Pixelation can make fine text or on-screen elements difficult to read, while the one-way nature of the feed prevents direct interaction with the page structure.

Samesurf, by contrast, synchronizes the Document Object Model, the structural blueprint of a webpage. Rather than sending heavy video files, Samesurf transmits lightweight code that renders the page natively on the participant’s browser. This approach delivers several key benefits for handle time:

1. Instant Synchronization: Transmitting only code ensures near-instant updates, even on low-bandwidth mobile connections.
2. High-Fidelity Interaction: Agents work on an identical, fully interactive render of the page, allowing precise actions like clicking buttons or highlighting text.
3. Bandwidth Efficiency: Reduced CPU and GPU usage prevents slowdowns on the customer’s device, avoiding delays that could extend the session.

A major driver of inflated handle times in legacy support tools is setup friction. Customers are often asked to download a plugin, install software, or navigate to a third-party site to join a session, which can add several minutes, particularly for non-technical users or those behind restrictive IT environments.

Samesurf eliminates these barriers with an install-free design. No downloads, coding, or IT modifications are required. The platform operates on standard web ports (80 and 443), bypassing firewall issues and network restrictions. Sessions launch with a single click, allowing agents and customers to focus on resolving the issue immediately rather than on technical setup.

Mechanistic Drivers of Reduced Talk Time

Talk time, the portion of AHT spent actively communicating with a customer, is a major driver of handle times. Samesurf reduces this by streamlining information exchange and task execution.

In traditional calls, agents may spend minutes giving step-by-step verbal instructions: “Click the menu on the left… now scroll down…” Even with screen sharing, this narration slows resolution.

Samesurf’s patented In-Page Control Passing replaces lengthy instructions with collaborative execution. The host can pass control to any participant instantly, allowing the agent to guide navigation and then let the customer complete the final action. This “show, don’t tell” approach shortens task completion time.

Three control modes adapt to different needs:

1. Leader-Control Mode: A host passes control to any participant with one click.
2. Single-Leader Mode: Only one designated leader interacts, ideal for webinars or training.
3. Multi-Leader Mode: Multiple participants interact simultaneously, perfect for collaborative troubleshooting or joint editing.

Even when the customer leads, visual guidance tools enhance clarity. Cursor tracking and screen drawing allow agents to point, circle, or highlight fields, reducing trial-and-error and input errors, especially in complex forms for finance or insurance.

High-definition audio and video chat are integrated directly into the session. Samesurf maintains Multi-Modal Fidelity, keeping performance smooth even with multiple streams active. Seeing a friendly face humanizes the interaction, calming frustrated customers, improving communication, and helping agents resolve issues faster while building trust.

Security as an Operational Accelerator

In regulated industries like banking, insurance, and healthcare, high AHT often stems less from the complexity of the issue and more from friction caused by security protocols. When a customer reaches sensitive sections of a form, such as Social Security numbers or credit card fields, traditional support often requires ending the session or putting the customer on hold to maintain privacy.

Samesurf solves this with element-level redaction. Patented masking hides specific fields in real-time, allowing customers to enter sensitive data while the agent continues to provide guidance on the rest of the form. This enables a Continuous Guidance model, where agents can assist without waiting for customers to finish or restarting sessions, cutting both talk time and hold time in high-stakes workflows.

Customer hesitation is another driver of long handle times. Many users resist screen sharing, fearing agents will see their desktop, private tabs, or notifications. Samesurf’s Zero-Trust, Single-Tab model confines the agent’s view strictly to the authorized tab or pages. No desktop, other windows, or notifications are visible. Knowing their privacy is protected, customers grant access immediately, allowing agents to focus on problem resolution rather than negotiation.

Optimizing After-Call Work through Analytics and Recording

The final component of AHT, After-Call Work (ACW), often represents a significant portion of an agent’s labor cost. ACW typically includes summarizing the call, logging resolution steps, and updating the customer record in the CRM.

Samesurf reduces ACW by capturing granular session data and providing comprehensive analytics that can be integrated automatically into the system of record. Since Samesurf is a content-first platform, it tracks the customer’s journey in detail, including visited URLs, time spent on specific elements, and points of friction.

Through Samesurf’s REST API, interaction data can flow directly into the CRM. Instead of manually typing notes like “Guided customer through step 4 of checkout,” the system logs exact page interactions from the cobrowse session. This eliminates several minutes of post-call documentation per interaction.

Samesurf also supports session recording, storing the entire visual interaction in a single, shareable link. For compliance, this provides a far clearer record than text logs or audio alone. In audits or disputes, organizations can show exactly what was displayed and how guidance was provided, reducing the administrative burden of ACW, especially in regulated industries like finance and healthcare.

Overcoming the Limitations of Legacy Tools

To understand Samesurf’s impact on AHT, it helps to compare it with legacy tools like phone support and traditional remote desktop software.

Phone support is inherently “blind,” relying on the customer’s narration, which is often inaccurate. This leads to the familiar “Can you describe what you see?” confusion, accounting for roughly 30–40% of talk time on technical calls. Samesurf eliminates this blind step by providing a shared visual anchor, effectively cutting diagnostic time in half.

Remote desktop tools give agents full control of the customer’s computer. While visibility is high, these tools create major security concerns, require heavy local installs, and often expose the entire desktop. The setup alone, including obtaining permission and installing software, can take longer than the actual troubleshooting.

Samesurf delivers the same level of interactivity within the browser tab, without downloads or elevated permissions. This removes both security risks and technical friction, making it the preferred solution for modern SaaS and IT support teams.

Samesurf as the Modern Standard for Operational Excellence

The evidence demonstrates that Samesurf is more than a collaboration tool, it is a key driver of operational efficiency in the digital-first era. By removing the contextual friction inherent in traditional support, Samesurf significantly reduces Average Handle Time while improving other critical performance metrics.

Samesurf’s DOM synchronization ensures that visual engagement is fast, clear, and secure across all devices. The install-free design eliminates setup delays, allowing sessions to start immediately and resolve quickly. Patented security features, such as element redaction, guarantee that efficiency never comes at the expense of privacy or compliance.

Organizations that embrace Samesurf’s “Together Cloud” approach gain a competitive edge by transforming every support interaction into a shared visual experience. Beyond reducing handle times, Samesurf sets a new standard for how people connect, collaborate, and resolve issues in the digital world.

Visit samesurf.com to learn more or go to https://www.samesurf.com/request-demo to request a demo today.