Macha
CX & Support Metrics

First Response Time (FRT)

Définition

First Response Time (FRT) is the average time between when a customer submits a support request and when they receive the first human or meaningful reply.

Aussi connu sous : FRTfirst reply timeinitial response time

How to calculate it

FRT = sum of (time of first response − time of ticket creation) across tickets ÷ number of tickets, over a chosen period. Most teams measure it against business hours only, so overnight gaps don't inflate the number.

Example: three tickets get first replies after 10, 20, and 30 minutes. FRT = (10 + 20 + 30) ÷ 3 = 20 minutes. Automated acknowledgements are often excluded so the metric reflects a genuinely useful first reply.

Why it matters

First response time is one of the most visible drivers of customer satisfaction — a fast first reply reassures customers they've been heard, even before the issue is solved. It's frequently written into SLAs, and it's one of the metrics AI agents improve most directly by responding instantly to routine requests.

Questions fréquentes

What is a good first response time?

Expectations depend on the channel — minutes for live chat, an hour or a few hours for email, longer for lower-priority queues. Match it to the SLA you've set and your customers' expectations.

Is first response time the same as resolution time?

No. First response time measures how quickly you reply first; resolution time measures how long until the issue is fully solved. A ticket can have a fast first response and a slow resolution.

Passez à l'action

Macha est une couche d'agents IA qui se pose sur le help desk que vous utilisez déjà, Zendesk, Freshdesk, Front, Intercom ou Gorgias.

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