Your customer has just sent a message. How long will they wait before receiving a response from you? That's exactly what first response time measures.
This indicator is crucial because it defines the first impression of your customer service. In this guide, discover how to measure, interpret, and, above all, optimize it.
First response time (FRT) measures the time between when a customer submits a request and when they receive the first response from an agent.
Please note: this is the first human response, not an automatic acknowledgment of receipt. The customer wants to feel that a real person is taking care of them.
This KPI is often included in SLAs (Service Level Agreements) because it represents a concrete commitment to customers.
The formula is simple:
Average first response time = Sum of first response times / Number of tickets
Over the course of a day, you handle 5 tickets with the following first response times:
Average FRT = (15 + 45 + 30 + 60 + 10) / 5 = 32 minutes
The average can be skewed by a few tickets with very long times. The median often gives a more realistic view of the typical customer experience.
Expectations vary considerably depending on the channel:
Important: these benchmarks are changing. Customers are becoming increasingly demanding, particularly on digital channels.
The FRT sets the tone for the interaction. A customer who waits two hours for a first "hello" is already frustrated before you've even started to help them.
Studies show that a quick initial response significantly increases customer satisfaction, even if the resolution takes time.
A customer who does not receive a prompt response will follow up, creating multiple tickets for the same issue and overloading your team.
In a fast-paced world, being the most responsive in your industry is a powerful selling point.
An important distinction in the calculation:
The clock is always ticking, including weekends and nights. More demanding, but reflects the customer's real experience.
The timer only runs during your opening hours. More realistic for sizing your teams.
Recommendation: communicate with your customers in business hours ("response within 4 business hours") but also measure in calendar time to understand the actual experience.
A system that automatically categorizes and prioritizes tickets allows agents to handle the most urgent ones first.
Customizable templates allow you to respond faster while maintaining a human touch.
Analyze your volume peaks and adjust staffing levels. Not enough agents during peak hours = FRT skyrockets.
AI can suggest responses to agents or even automatically answer simple questions.
Klark drastically reduces first response time by providing instant, accurate answers.
Automatic notification when a ticket approaches the SLA limit. The agent or manager can intervene before it is exceeded.
A good knowledge base reduces the number of tickets, thereby reducing the workload and the FRT on the remaining tickets.
The most "tolerant" channel, but expectations are decreasing. Aim for 2-4 hours in B2B, less than 1 hour in premium B2C.
No tolerance. More than 2 minutes = the customer leaves. AI is almost essential to maintain this channel.
The waiting time in line is equivalent to the FRT. After 30 seconds, frustration sets in.
Public = more pressure. A comment that goes unanswered for hours, everyone sees it.
"We have received your message" is NOT an initial response. The customer expects real support.
A quick response that doesn't answer the question is more frustrating than a slightly longer wait.
An average FRT of 2 hours can hide peaks of 8 hours on Monday mornings. Analyze the distributions, not just the averages.
If your actual FRT is 4 hours, tell the customer. An informed wait is less frustrating than uncertainty.
The FRT is part of an ecosystem of metrics:
It depends on your definition. Specify "business hours" or "calendar hours" in your SLAs.
The FRT only measures the first response. The average response time includes all responses in the conversation.
Automation, improved sorting, response templates, and self-service are your main tools.
Yes! Premium customers can have a shorter guaranteed FRT. This is a common selling point in B2B.
First response time is your first opportunity to show your customers that they matter. It is a simple but powerful indicator.
The keys to a good FRT:
Need to reduce your first response time? Discover how Klark can help.
