Communication
First Response Time
First Response Time (FRT)
The time between when a customer sends a message and when they receive the first response. A key customer service metric.
What is First Response Time?
First Response Time (FRT) measures how quickly customers receive an initial response to their inquiry. Fast FRT significantly impacts customer satisfaction.
FRT benchmarks by channel:
- Live chat: < 1 minute
- SMS: < 5 minutes
- Social media: < 1 hour
- Email: < 4-8 hours
Strategies to improve FRT:
- AI-powered auto-responses
- Canned response templates
- Efficient routing and assignment
- Adequate staffing
- Prioritization by urgency
Why First Response Time Matters
Fast first responses significantly improve customer satisfaction, even if full resolution takes longer.
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