⚡ In short
- First response time is how long a visitor waits for the first reply.
- Aim for under a minute when you show as online.
- Comm100’s 2020 benchmark of 56 million chats found an average first wait of 46 seconds.
- Saved replies, an AI Agent and phone alerts are the easiest ways to speed up.
What counts as response time
- First response time: from the visitor’s first message to your first reply. This matters most.
- Average response time: the time between each of their messages and your reply.
- Resolution time: from the first message to a solved problem.
What is a good live chat response time?
Customers open chat because they want speed. When Comm100 analysed more than 56 million chats for its 2020 Live Chat Benchmark Report, the average wait before the first agent reply was 46 seconds. (Help Scout summary of Comm100’s report) Zendesk’s CX Trends 2026 report says 88% of customers expect faster response times than the year before. (Zendesk CX Trends 2026)
A practical target for a small business: reply within a minute while you show as online, even if the first reply is “Let me check that for you”.
8 ways to reply faster
- Only show as online when you can reply. Use opening hours.
- Get phone alerts. The Android app rings for every new message.
- Use saved replies for your top questions. Canned responses.
- Let an AI Agent answer first. It replies instantly from your content. AI Agent.
- Send a quick first reply, then the full answer.
- Use the chat rescuer: an automatic reply if nobody answers in time.
- Move long cases to tickets so chats don’t pile up. Help desk.
- Check the visitor’s page first. You often know the question before they finish typing.
What to do when you can’t reply quickly
Be honest. An away message that says “We reply within 2 hours” is better than a bubble that says “online” and stays silent. Collect an email and follow up.
FAQ
What is first response time in live chat?
The time between a visitor’s first message and your first reply.
Is a 5-minute reply too slow?
For chat, usually yes. Visitors may leave. Send a short first reply sooner.
Does an automatic reply count?
It reassures the visitor, but they still want a real answer soon.