# Basing First Response Time on human interaction

> 

Source: https://help.kustomer.com/en_us/basing-first-response-time-on-human-interaction-B1gmGTCsMl

Last updated: 2026-10-16T13:59:59.596Z

First Response Time (FRT) is an SLA metric that measures how long it takes your organization to send the first reply on a conversation. By default, any customer-visible reply satisfies FRT, including a reply from an AI agent.

When you want FRT to measure how quickly a person responds, use the **Based on human interaction** option. This option:

*   No longer counts conversations an AI agent handles as satisfying the FRT
*   The FRT deadline starts when the AI agent hands the conversation off to a human.

### In this article

*   [Understanding the Based on human interaction option](#understanding-the-based-on-human-interaction-option)
*   [How FRT works when an AI agent hands off](#how-frt-works-when-an-ai-agent-hands-off)
*   [Using the Based on human interaction option](#using-the-based-on-human-interaction-option)

### Understanding the Based on human interaction option

**Based on human interaction** only affects conversations that an AI agent handles. The following table compares FRT with the options both checked and unchecked.

Scenario

Unchecked (default)

Checked

An AI agent replies and hasn't handed off.

The AI agent's reply satisfies FRT.

The AI agent's reply doesn't satisfy FRT. FRT stays pending: it's neither satisfied nor breached, and no deadline is running.

An AI agent hands the conversation off to a human.

FRT was already satisfied by the AI agent's reply, so the handoff doesn't affect it.

The FRT deadline starts at the moment of the handoff. The first human reply satisfies FRT.

A human agent replies without a handoff.

The first reply, from whoever sends it, satisfies FRT.

The human agent's reply satisfies FRT. No deadline runs.

An AI agent isn't involved in the conversation.

FRT works as usual.

FRT works as usual.

### How FRT works when an AI agent hands off

With **Based on human interaction** checked, FRT moves through three stages on a conversation an AI agent handles:

1.  **The AI agent is engaged.** FRT is pending. The deadline hasn't started, so the conversation can't breach FRT.
2.  **The AI agent hands off.** The FRT deadline starts at the time of the handoff. The deadline is the FRT target for the conversation's priority.
3.  **A human agent replies.** The first human reply after the handoff satisfies FRT. If the reply arrives after the deadline, the conversation has breached FRT.

### Using the Based on human interaction option

Turn this option on for each SLA policy where you want FRT to depend on human replies. The option applies only to First Response Time. It's independent of the **Based on human interaction** option under Next Reply Time.

To turn on **Based on human interaction** for First Response Time:

1.  In the left navigation panel, click **Settings**.
2.  Under **Workspace**, click **Service Level Agreements**.
3.  Open the SLA policy you want to edit, or create a new one.
4.  Beneath **Set SLA Metrics**, check the **First Response Time** box, and set target hours and minutes for each priority level.
5.  Under **First Response Time**, check the **Based on human interaction** box.
6.  Save your changes.

To turn the option off, clear the **Based on human interaction** box and save your changes. FRT returns to its default behavior.