CX & Support Metrics

Wait Time

Definition

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.

Also known as: queue timehold timetime in queue

How it works

Wait time is measured from when a customer enters the queue to when an agent engages them. On phone and chat it's the time in queue; on email and tickets it maps closely to first response time. Averaged across contacts on voice channels, it's often reported as Average Speed of Answer (ASA).

It's distinct from handle time, which starts only once the agent is engaged — wait time is the delay before help begins.

Why it matters

Wait time is one of the biggest drivers of customer frustration and abandonment: the longer people wait, the more likely they are to give up. Reducing it — through better staffing, routing, or automation that answers instantly — directly improves satisfaction and lowers abandonment.

Frequently asked

What is the difference between wait time and handle time?

Wait time is the delay before an agent engages the customer; handle time is how long the agent then spends resolving the contact. Wait time is dead time for the customer; handle time is active help.

How does automation reduce wait time?

An AI agent can respond instantly to routine questions, so many customers never enter the queue at all — leaving human agents free to reach the remaining contacts faster.

Related terms

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..

First Response Time (FRT)

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..

Handle Time

Handle time is the total time an agent spends handling a single customer contact, including the active conversation plus any after-contact work like notes, tagging, or follow-up..

Abandonment Rate

Abandonment rate is the percentage of customers who leave a support queue — hanging up a call or closing a chat — before ever reaching an agent..

Service Level

Service level is the percentage of contacts answered within a defined target time, most often expressed as an "X/Y" goal — for example, answering 80% of calls or chats within 20 seconds..

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