RCS (Rich Communication Services) is a new way for businesses to communicate with their customers.
RCS business messages are more engaging and interactive than traditional SMS. RCS business messages are more like other messaging applications like WhatsApp and Facebook messages.
What is RCS Business Messaging
RCS business messages is an updated version of SMS, Google has started RCS business messages as a mobile communication channel that creates rich and interactive messages. By using rich text messaging businesses not only send a simple text message to customers but also include high-quality images, videos, and audio files in a single message.
It’s a new experience for customers where they can act within the message by tapping on CTAs. For example, a restaurant can send the RCS business message to their customers with a “Book Now” button, allowing customers to make a reservation without leaving the messages. RCS business messages give a seamless experience to the customer.
Key Features of RCS Business Messaging:
1- Rich Media Content
As mentioned, the above RCS Business messages allow the business to send rich media content to their customers. It can include images, videos, audio, carousels, GIF files up to 105MB. RCS business messages get the attention of the customer and convey the complex information effectively.
2- Interactive Messages
In RCS business messages, a customer can easily interact with the business through suggested replies, CTAs, location, etc. RCS business gives two ways of communication which help for a better engagement and more understanding with the customer.
3- Verified and Branded
Google verifies RCS Business Messages. RCS business messages always come with the business details like business logo/, address, website link, sender details with a verified checkmark. All these features build a trust in customers that they are receiving the message from a trusted source.
4- Analytics Reports
In RCS business messages, a business can track the customer interactions and responses on the messages and get the insights of delivery, open rates. Based on these insights, businesses can change their communication strategies and improve the effectiveness of their campaigns.
Benefits of RCS Business Message for Business and Customers:
Business Perspective
1- Businesses can send the relevant content to the customers, based on the customer activity, behaviour, locations on the website or application. Businesses can send tailored RCS business messages to individual customers, and it can be customised offers, reminders & updates.
2- RCS business messages can easily integrate with the Chatbot and AI for a smooth support function or can say that response on the common queries. This not only increases efficiency but also improves customer satisfaction.
3- RCS business messages also reduce the customer churn rate. By providing timely and relevant information or solutions, businesses can engage the customer. It helps the business to reduce the churn rate of customers.
4- RCS can easily integrate with other omni channels like emails, and social media and develop an associative and omni-channel strategy. It’s able to give a seamless customer experience across all platforms.
5- The performance of RCS Business messages is comparatively high from an email campaign or SMS marketing. The interactive and visually appealing look encourages customers to interact with the messages.
User Perspective
The interactive nature of RCS business messages, which include read receipts, typing indication, time stamp, suggest replies gives an engaging experience. Customers feel more connected to the business and enhance their overall satisfaction.
The key drawback for traditional SMS is the lack of security & they were not encrypted which was a loophole in the user’s privacy and security. But in RCS Business messages there is an advantage of end-to-end encryption (not set as by default). It protects the sensitive information/data of the customer.
RCS messages don’t require any 3rd party application in Android mobile phone and by default it works on the android mobile’s native messaging application. The advantage of it is that customers are very familiar with the native messaging application, so they can use RCS business messaging very easily.
RCS Business Use Case
Here are some use cases where a business can opt for the RCS Business messaging according to their requirement.
E-Commerce Industries
RCS Business messaging allows E-commerce businesses to send the rich carousels (maximum 10) in RCS messages. Customers can browse and select the product by view the image, description, colour, price and take buying decisions within the RCS Business Messages.
Customers can get the order tracking details over the RCS Business Messaging. E-commerce companies can give the CTAs features in the RCS messages which can allow the customer the current status or real-time updates on the messages.
RCS Business messages can be also used as a customer support system by providing pre-ask questions or Chatbots.
Travel and Hotel Industries
A travel agency or airline can send an RCS business message offering an offer or discount on the flights which a customer was checking on the website. These messages can be included with flight times, price, availability. Customers can book the flight ticket directly from the RCS business messages.
Customers can reschedule the flight booking and can get the Boarding pass directly from the airlines on the RCS business messages by giving the booking details.
Hotels can send the personalized RCS business messages to their customers who were searching the hotel rooms on a specific date, location, budget, single/double occupancy. Based on these criteria hotels can send personalised packages on the RCS business messages and customers can book the room over the RCS business messages.
Hotels can use RCS business messages to notify their customers about the room reservations details i.e., check-in/ check-out date and time, services included, location, room upgrade options.
HealthCare Industries
RCS Business Messages can streamline the patient appointment with the doctor. Hospitals can send the appointment reminder, rescheduling, next availability appointment or cancellation features through RCS Business Messages.
Hospitals can send health-related tips, prevention care reminder, post-procedure follow ups, do or don’ts during any treatment by RCS business messages.
Path Labs can share the available test list in a carousels form with their customers via RCS business messages and according to the requirement any patient can book the appointment, get the details of pre-procedure of any tests.
RCS Business messages can also be very helpful in pharma. With the help of RCS business messages any patient can check the availability of required medicine and can directly order it from the RCS Business messages. Pharmacies can coordinate with customers on the medicine delivery via RCS business messages.
Banking Insurance Sectors
RCS business messages can be designed according to the banking sector usages with the help of RCS messages a customer can generate a request for the issuing new cheque book, debit cards, nearby branch locations, bill payment, customer support or for other banking related services.
In the Insurance sector, companies can send the RCS business messages to their customer for multiple services like, renewal of insurance policy, add-on in the insurance policy, or settle the insurance claim by uploading the claims documents directly to the insurance company by RCS business messages.
Limitations of RCS Business Messages
RCS business messages are only limited with the Android based devices only, currently Apple iOS are not using RCS messages on their devices.
RCS Business messages can be more expensive than SMS messages to a user who doesn’t have the unlimited data packs
RCS is capable of sending the Rich media in the messages, but it has a maximum limit of 10 rich cards and companies cannot send more than 4 RCS messages per user in a month.
RCS depends on the internet connectivity, if any device is not connected with the internet, it then RCS business message loses the mail purpose.
RCS business message is a combination of text, image, video, gif, attachments which make it a complex message, for a budget-conscious business it’s become very complicated to use.
RCS Business messages is a more complex technology and working on the internet connectivity and due to this it becomes more sensitive for malware or phishing attacks.
Conclusion:
By moving ahead after reading this article, we can easily understand that RCS business messages have the potential for a drastic change in the engagement between business and customers. With the collective efforts of Google, Carrier partner, Mobile brands RCS Business messages become a trustful channel of the marketing ecosystem.
In future Apple will also adopt the RCS messages features in their iPhones and the presence of RCS business messages will be increased globally and more businesses will adopt this channel for different business purposes.
RCS is the modern age communication channel and today brands can use this to leverage the high engagement and retention rates.
Customers are available at almost every channel. When it comes to RCS, Its new and innovative communication channel. To know more about how to open the RCS Account, Please login to www.enrcloud.com and write us at hello@enrcloud.com
We are happy to assist you!
Also Read- 6 Obstructions that can Derail a Customer Buying Journey
Amit Bhateja is the co-founder of enrcloud and helping brands and Unicorns from the last 15+ years and overachieve their Engagement and Retention goals. He is passionate about solving customer problems with modern technology, new age solutions, and consultancy approach. Besides Building ENR, He enjoys reading books, spending time with his family and Teammates, traveling, meeting new people, learning new things, and love to close the business deals.
