What is Average Agent Response Time & How to Reduce it

Tired of customers hanging up before you even pick up the phone? Are you fed up with losing business due to slow response times?

Don't let slow AART ruin your reputation.

One key metric that directly impacts customer experience is Average Agent Response Time (AART). AART measures the average time a customer service agent takes to respond to a customer's inquiry.

In our previous blogs, we have discussed about Automated Customer Service, Customer Self-Service and AI-Powered Customer Service—all with the purpose of having a low AART.

A low AART indicates quick and efficient service, while a high AART can lead to customer frustration and dissatisfaction.

In this blog, we’ll learn how to slash response times to keep your customers happy.

What is the Average Agent Response Time (AART)?

Average Agent Response Time (AART) refers to a customer service agent's average time to respond to a customer inquiry or support request. This is typically measured from when a customer submits their query to when an agent replies through live chat, email, phone, or social media.

AART is a critical metric in customer service because it directly reflects how quickly customers can get the help they need. Think about the last time you had an issue with a service and had to wait forever for a response—it probably wasn't a great experience, right?

Now imagine the opposite: quick, friendly, and helpful replies. That's the ideal scenario AART is meant to measure and improve.

Let’s take a quick look at what an optimal and unacceptable AART is, according to Gorgias, an e-commerce software solutions provider.

Figure 1. Average Response Time Across Communication Channels

To understand the graph:

Categories on the x-axis are the benchmarks, which are divided into five levels.
- Unacceptable: The slowest response time category.
- Below average: Slightly faster but still needs to meet expected standards.
- Average: What would generally be expected as a standard response time.
- Above average: A faster response time, indicating better performance.
- Stellar: The fastest response, representing an exceptional service level.
Response Time on the y-axis: The y-axis shows response times in hours with a logarithmic scale. This scale allows us to compare response times that vary significantly easily.

Overall, this graph shows how fast different communication methods—like email, social media, SMS, and live chat—respond to customers based on the Average Response Time.

Email:

In the Unacceptable and below-average categories, Email can take up to 24–48 hours (or even multiple days) to process.
It performs better in the Stellar category, responding in about 1 hour.

Social Media:

In Unacceptable and Below Average, it may take a day or more to get a response.
In the Stellar category, Social Media responses are much faster, taking as little as 15 minutes.

SMS:

SMS has consistently fast response times, with the Stellar level being under 1 minute and even its Unacceptable responses happening within an hour.

Live Chat:

Live Chat matches SMS in response speed, with responses as fast as under a minute at the Stellar level.
Even in the Unacceptable category, responses are within an hour, making it one of the fastest channels overall.

Why Average Agent Response Time (AART) Matters

Impact of Long Response Times on Customer Satisfaction

The impact of long response times on customer satisfaction cannot be overstated. According to a report by HubSpot, 90% of customers rate an "immediate" response (within 10 minutes) as necessary when they have a customer service question. However, if customers are left waiting too long, their frustration can rise quickly.

53% of customers will likely abandon their online purchase if they don’t receive quick answers to their questions (Forrester Research).

Correlation Between AART and Customer Loyalty

Fast response times are one of the leading factors that drive customer loyalty. A study by Zendesk revealed that 35% of customers rate fast support as the most crucial element in their experience with a company.

Furthermore, 82% of consumers have stopped doing business with a company after a single bad experience, often linked to slow or unhelpful responses (PwC).

Industries Where AART is Crucial

Due to the nature of their services, some industries rely more heavily on quick response times. In e-commerce, for instance, Statista reports that 68% of online shoppers say that fast customer service improves their shopping experience.

In healthcare, where timely responses could impact patient safety, studies show that 71% of patients expect healthcare providers to communicate quickly and conveniently (Accenture).

AART and Other KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)

A low AART positively influences other KPIs, such as First Response Time (FRT) and resolution time. According to SuperOffice, companies that manage to respond to customer inquiries within the first hour of contact see a 7x higher likelihood of customer satisfaction compared to those that respond after one hour.

In contrast, McKinsey found that companies with long AART experience higher customer churn rates and see an average drop in Net Promoter Score (NPS) by as much as 20%.

Key Strategies to Reduce Average Agent Response Time

Now that we have discussed the Average Agent Response time and how it can impact a business, let’s transition to the key strategies you need to keep in mind.

Invest in Better Training and Onboarding

One of the most effective ways to reduce Average Agent Response Time (AART) is by ensuring your customer service agents are well-prepared and confident in their roles.

A well-organized knowledge-sharing platform, like a company wiki or internal FAQ, can dramatically reduce agents' time to find information. A study by McKinsey found that employees spend nearly 20% of their workweek searching for internal information or tracking down colleagues to help with specific tasks. That’s one full day a week spent searching for answers!

For example, if an agent receives a question about a product feature, they can search the wiki and find an accurate, ready-to-go response within seconds.

Training shouldn’t stop at onboarding. Encouraging continuous learning through mentorship programs or regular training sessions can make a big difference in agent performance. LinkedIn shows that 94% of employees would stay longer at a company if it invested in their learning and development.

Use Self-Service Customer Systems

A great way to reduce Average Agent Response Time (AART) is to empower customers to solve problems independently before contacting a support agent. This can be achieved through a well-structured knowledge base and dynamic FAQs.

A well-maintained knowledge base is like an always-on library that provides customers with answers to their questions, solutions to common problems, and step-by-step guides. According to Harvard Business Review, 81% of all customers attempt to solve their issues independently before reaching out for support. When businesses provide clear and comprehensive self-service options, customers can find what they need without waiting for an agent.

This also means customers can access help anytime— during business hours or the middle of the night.

Figure 2. Data showing the top benefits of using Self-service tools

The pie chart shows the key benefits businesses and customers experience from adopting self-service options. The highest are issues resolved 3x faster, increased Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), avoided customer conflict, reduced customer support, and increased repurchase likelihood.

Implementing Dynamic FAQs

A dynamic FAQ system uses customer behavior data to adjust and optimize the most frequently asked questions in real-time. These FAQs can be updated based on what customers are searching for or what common issues arise, making the system more thoughtful and relevant.

According to a study by Forrester, customers who use self-service options report 67% higher satisfaction rates than those who don’t because they can quickly and easily find the answers they need quickly and easily.

Take Frequentli.ai, for example. Its dynamic FAQ widgets ensure that customers always see the most relevant information, making it easier for them to solve issues themselves. This leads to faster problem-solving and fewer tickets for your support team.

Chatbots and AI-Driven Support Systems

Still powered by AI, Chatbots can instantly handle a wide range of customer queries, making them a perfect solution for managing initial interactions and handling common questions. According to a report by Juniper Research, chatbots are expected to save businesses over $8 billion annually by 2024 by reducing response times and improving operational efficiency.

This frees agents to focus on more complex or high-priority issues, which helps reduce AART.

3. Optimize Internal Processes

Improving Average Agent Response Time (AART) isn’t just about how quickly agents reply to customers—it’s also about how efficiently internal systems and processes are set up.

Automated ticket routing is one of the most effective ways to reduce AART. In many companies, tickets are manually assigned to agents, which can cause bottlenecks if the process isn’t streamlined. Using automation tools, customer inquiries can be instantly routed to the most appropriate agent or department based on the issue type, urgency, or complexity.

According to Zendesk, companies that use automation for ticket routing see a 20% reduction in response times.

Streamlining Communication Between Departments

Another key to reducing AART is improving communication between departments. Support agents often need to collaborate with other teams, such as tech support or billing, to resolve customer issues. However, if communication channels are slow or disorganized, this can create significant delays.

Implementing collaborative tools like Prompteam.ai, Slack, Microsoft Teams, or integrated customer support platforms can help break down silos between departments, allowing agents to get the answers or approvals they need without delays.

Use of SLAs (Service Level Agreements)

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are another powerful tool for controlling AART. They set clear expectations for response times, providing both agents and customers with guidelines on how quickly inquiries should be addressed.

Gartner shows that companies with strict SLAs for response times see an improvement in overall service efficiency. SLAs can also be used to categorize inquiries, ensuring that urgent matters (like security issues or significant product malfunctions) are dealt with immediately.

4. Adopt Multichannel Communication

Customers want options, and businesses that provide a range of communication methods are more likely to satisfy them. A study by Microsoft found that 66% of consumers use at least three different communication channels to contact customer service. Whether through email, live chat, phone calls, or social media, offering multiple channels ensures your customers can reach you through their preferred method.

For instance, some customers might want quick answers via chat, while others prefer detailed support through email. By catering to these preferences, you reduce frustration and make it easier for customers to get help—ultimately lowering AART.

According to Aberdeen Group, companies with robust omnichannel strategies can achieve 91% higher year-over-year customer retention rates than those that don’t.

Conclusion

Reducing Average Agent Response Time (AART) is essential for businesses and customers. A low AART enhances customer satisfaction, fosters loyalty, and strengthens your brand’s reputation. For businesses, improving response times can lead to higher retention rates and more efficient customer service operations.

It’s clear that faster responses aren’t just a nice-to-have—they’re essential for providing a top-tier customer experience in today’s competitive landscape.

One of the best ways to empower your customers and reduce response times is to leverage self-service tools like Frequentli.ai. With dynamic FAQs and an AI-driven knowledge base, Frequentli.ai helps customers find answers instantly, reducing the need for agent intervention and keeping response times low.

Ready to reduce your AART and improve customer satisfaction? Start today!