ITSM Glossary of Terms

Visit the ITSM glossary for the definition, history, and uses of key industry terms, including standard operating procedures (SOP), risk management, and more.

Posts about Response time:

Response Time

Sep 24, 2022 4:23:25 AM

What is Response Time? 

Response time refers to how long it takes for a tech or server to respond to a client’s ticket request or inquiry. Response time is a widely tracked KPI for MSPs and its two most emphasized varieties are: 

  • First response time (FRT): How long does it take for an MSP to first respond to client correspondence? 
  • Average response time: What’s the average time it takes to respond to any client correspondence? 

To calculate average response time, follow this formula: 

Total time taken to respond during X period  

__________________________________________ 

# of replies sent during X period 

The average response time in the IT industry is about 3-5 hours.