Response time of an AI agent to a received email

When a customer sends you an email, you want it processed quickly. Not in three days, not at the agent's next scheduled run. Right away. That's exactly what happens with a well-configured AI agent: the arrival of a message triggers its processing without waiting for the usual formula pace. But then, what's the point of that pace? That's what we're going to clarify.

IA received email triggers the agent immediately

Here is the fundamental principle: each email received by the agent causes it to switch without waiting its next turn. It doesn't matter whether you chose the 19 euros per month formula (once a week) or the 349 euros one (every hour). An incoming message is processed as soon as it arrives. A plumber receives a quote request on Tuesday at 2pm? The agent processes it within minutes, even if the formula provides for a weekly visit on Thursday.

IIWhat is the difference between reactivity and formula rhythm?

The confusion often comes from there. The formula's rhythm (once a week, every day, every four hours, every hour) concerns the proactive work of the agent. This is when it gets going on its own to complete scheduled tasks: send unpaid invoice follow-ups, check deadlines, prepare reminders. This pace does not apply to incoming emails.

Reactive work (email received)Proactive work (formula pace)

Triggered by an incoming message

Triggered by the formula's clock

Immediate processing

Processing at the next scheduled time

Responds to a customer request

Executes a scheduled task

Example: processing a received quote

Example: sending follow-ups on Thursday

IIIA concrete example to understand better

Let's take a consulting firm that uses two agents. The first responds to appointment requests. The second follows up on unpaid invoices every Thursday. The firm chose the 19 euros per month formula, meaning a weekly visit. Here's what happens in practice.

1. 1
   Tuesday 10am: a prospect writes

   An email arrives requesting an appointment. The appointment booking agent processes it immediately, suggests available slots, and responds within minutes.

2. 2
   Wednesday 3pm: a customer question

   A client asks a question about a service. The agent in charge handles it immediately, without waiting until Thursday.

3. 3
   Thursday morning: scheduled run

   It's the day of the weekly rhythm. The overdue payment recovery agent gets to work and sends the scheduled reminders for late invoices.

4. 4
   Friday 9am: new quote requested

   A quote request email arrives. Immediate processing by the agent, without waiting until the following Thursday.

You see the logic: incoming emails are processed as they arrive, proactive work follows the formula's schedule. The two coexist without conflict.

IVWhy does this distinction exist?

An agent that waited for its next turn to process a client email would be unusable. Imagine a restaurant that receives a reservation on Monday and only processes it on Friday. The customer would have gone elsewhere. Immediate responsiveness to incoming messages is therefore non-negotiable. However, some tasks don't need to be executed continuously. Following up on an unpaid invoice every hour would be excessive. Sending a weekly summary every minute would make no sense. The formula's pace allows you to schedule this background work.

VWhat consumes tokens in each case

Whether the agent works in reactive or proactive mode, it consumes tokens from your monthly reserve. An incoming email processed consumes tokens. A follow-up sent at the formula's pace does too. The difference is not in consumption, but in the trigger. If you receive many emails, your reserve will empty faster, even with a weekly formula. This is normal: the agent works on each message received.

• An incoming email triggers the agent immediately, regardless of the formula
• The formula's pace applies only to scheduled proactive work
• Both modes consume tokens from the same reserve
• A customer who writes to you never waits for the next scheduled visit

Check what applies to you: the list remembers your answers on this device.

VIHow do you choose your formula taking these two modes into account?

If your agent works mainly in reaction to incoming emails (answering requests, processing orders), the formula's pace matters little for this part. However, if you have frequent proactive tasks (daily follow-ups, reminders every four hours), a formula with a tighter pace becomes necessary. The 19 euros per month formula suits a craftsperson who receives a few requests per week and wants a weekly follow-up on unpaid invoices. The 99 euros formula suits a business that wants daily follow-ups in addition to immediate email processing.

VIIFrequently asked questions about response time

?Questions we're asked

Can my agent take several hours to process a received email?

No, unless your token reserve is empty. In that case, the agent stops and notifies you. As soon as the reserve is replenished (on the 1st of the month or by upgrading to a higher formula), it resumes processing. In normal operation, an incoming email is processed within minutes.

If I choose the weekly formula, will my clients have to wait a week?

No. The weekly pace applies to proactive work (follow-ups, scheduled reminders). Every email received triggers the agent immediately, even with the 19 euros formula. Your customers don't wait.

Can I disable immediate processing of incoming emails?

This is not planned. Immediate processing is the standard operation. If you want the agent to ignore certain emails, you can specify in its mission the types of messages to process or to leave aside.

Will an email received at night be processed immediately?

Yes. The agent doesn't sleep. A message received at 3am is processed within minutes, just like during the day. If the agent needs to send a response, it will go out immediately, unless you have enabled manual validation.