As the world of mobile messaging continues to evolve, those of us in marketing and communications are constantly looking for new ways to engage our audiences. While SMS and MMS have long been staples in the industry, thanks to 98% open rates (within minutes!), Rich Communication Services (RCS) has some advantages and is rapidly gaining traction as a powerful alternative for businesses.
Is RCS the holy grail of text messaging? Will it take over all things messaging? Is it even available yet?! In this post, we explore the top 10 advantages of RCS business messaging over traditional SMS or MMS, the current status of RCS availability, and also scenarios where SMS or MMS may still be preferable.
1. Rich Media Capabilities
Display your products in a carousel, as well as cross- and up-sell
RCS is lovely to look at! It supports high-resolution images, GIFs, video, carousels, and even audio clips, offering a far richer experience than the text and low-quality images of SMS and MMS. It can look and act, in fact, more like an application (hence Commio’s new InstantAppTM product).
Example: Restaurants and retail brands can showcase a new product line through an interactive carousel of big, bright, beautiful images—allowing users to browse items without leaving your message.
2. Branding and Personalization
Unlike SMS, which displays messages from unknown numbers, RCS supports verified business profiles, allowing companies to present their brand name, logo, and color scheme, building trust and enhancing brand recognition.
Example: An airline can send branded boarding passes with flight updates and terminal directions, reinforcing their brand at critical touchpoints.
3. Interactive and Personalized Messaging
RCS supports interactive elements like buttons, quick replies, and suggested responses, making it easier for customers to engage directly within the message, reducing friction and improving conversion rates.
Example: A bank might send a fraud alert with ‘Confirm’ or ‘Report’ buttons, allowing customers to take immediate action.
4. Read Receipts and Analytics
RCS offers delivery and read receipts, typing indicators, and message open rates, providing marketers with critical insights into campaign performance, similar to popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and iMessage.
Example: An e-commerce company can track when a customer views a special offer, enabling precise follow-up strategies.
Share information updates and logistics
5. Improved Security and Trust
Any marketer or telecom professional can tell you how trust is paramount for getting customers to pay attention to communications. With verified sender identities and end-to-end encryption in some cases, RCS provides a more secure channel for sensitive communications compared to SMS.
Example: Healthcare providers can send appointment reminders and test results securely, maintaining patient privacy, helping to ensure that HIPAA requirements are met.
6. Cost Efficiency
Although RCS is expected to cost somewhere in the range of MMS, which is more costly than SMS, the higher engagement rates and reduced need for follow-up messages can make RCS more cost-effective in the long run.
Example: A subscription service can reduce churn by sending personalized renewal reminders based on user behavior.
7. Higher Character Limit
RCS messages can contain thousands of characters (yes, seriously!), eliminating the need to break up long messages, unlike SMS’s 160-character limit (or 70 if using Unicode). Additionally, SMS is billed per message segment, which can add up quickly. RCS may actually provide a direct cost savings in those scenarios.
Example: Event organizers can send comprehensive event guides or itineraries without worrying about message segmentation.
8. Chatbot and Automation Compatibility
RCS can seamlessly integrate with AI-powered chatbots, enabling automated responses and personalized customer journeys that improve the customer experience.
Example: An insurance company can guide customers through the claims process using interactive chatbots, reserving human resources for other business critical activities.
9. Location and Rich Media Sharing
RCS supports real-time location sharing and file attachments, making it ideal for services like appointment reminders, delivery updates, or travel notifications.
Example: A food delivery service can share live order tracking and real-time driver location updates.
10. Enhanced Customer Experience
The richer, more interactive experience provided by RCS leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty, which ultimately boosts long-term revenue.
Example: An automotive brand can share interactive maintenance tips or recall alerts based on vehicle history.
Current Status of RCS Availability
RCS has seen widespread support from major carriers and device manufacturers, including Google, Samsung, and Apple, but carrier adoption in the US is still in progress; the three major carriers are expected to be fully operational for RCS in the next several months. However, RCS can be set up to send an alternative SMS message to anyone whose carrier hasn’t enabled SMS as yet.
When SMS or MMS Might Be a Better Choice
While RCS offers numerous advantages, SMS and MMS still have their place. SMS is universally supported, making it the safest choice for critical alerts or reaching the widest possible audience. MMS, while less sophisticated than RCS, still provides basic multimedia support without requiring specialized device or carrier support.
Conclusion
As RCS continues to mature, it presents a compelling option for businesses looking to enhance customer engagement through rich, interactive messaging. However, understanding when to leverage RCS versus sticking with SMS or MMS will be key to optimizing your messaging strategy. Some indicators of when RCS is ideal for your business include:
- Visual products, such as food or clothing
- When you need to build trust with your customers and/or send information more securely
- Conversations with the client would be beneficial
- It would be useful to tie in information from other apps, such as local weather
- Messaging can be used as your point of sale
Ready to learn more? We’re happy to help; contact Commio today.
