First Response Time
Last updated March 25, 2026
First Response Time (FRT) is the duration between when a customer submits a support request and when they receive the first response.
First Response Time is one of the most important support KPIs measuring how quickly customers get an initial response. Industry benchmarks vary by channel: chat expects under 1 minute, email expects under 4 hours, phone expects under 30 seconds. AI support agents dramatically reduce FRT to near-zero for automated responses.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good first response time?
Under 1 minute for chat, under 1 hour for email, and under 30 seconds for phone. AI agents can respond in under 10 seconds.
How does AI reduce first response time?
AI agents respond instantly 24/7 with no queue times. Even for tickets requiring humans, AI can send an immediate acknowledgment.
Why does first response time matter?
Fast first response correlates strongly with customer satisfaction. Customers who get a response within 1 hour are significantly more satisfied than those waiting 24 hours.