CX & Support Metrics

First Response Time (FRT)

Definition

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.

Also known as: 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.

Frequently asked

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.

Related terms

Average Resolution Time

Average Resolution Time is the average length of time it takes to fully resolve a support ticket, measured from when it's created to when it's marked solved..

Average Handle Time (AHT)

Average Handle Time (AHT) is the average total time an agent spends handling a single customer interaction, including talk or chat time, hold time, and after-contact work..

Average Speed of Answer (ASA)

Average speed of answer (ASA) is the average time a customer waits in the queue before their contact is answered by an agent, measured from entering the queue to connection..

Service Level Agreement (SLA)

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a defined commitment to respond to or resolve support requests within a set time, often varying by priority, channel, or customer tier..

Wait Time

Wait time is how long a customer waits before their contact is answered by an agent — the time spent in a queue, on hold, or waiting for a reply after reaching out..

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