The benefits of RCS include sending media-rich content full of interactive features with secured end-to-end encryption to prevent data loss and boost customer engagement.
Effective outreach and customer engagement is at the heart of every successful brand. With new channels, apps, and technology continuing to evolve, you must adopt modern tools that enhance your ability to engage with customers, collaborate with teams, and streamline operations.
One such channel that is a game-changer in mobile communication is RCS messaging. Often referred to as the next evolution of SMS, RCS takes basic text messaging to new heights by incorporating multimedia, branding, and interactivity.
For brands leveraging a multichannel communication approach, RCS adds a layer of sophistication to customer engagement. That being said, in this article, I will explore 11 key benefits of RCS and how it can optimize outreach, including insights into how using platforms like Zixflow can greatly enhance its integration and let you make the most of this amazing messaging channel.
As I said before, RCS is the better version of SMS, offering a wide range of capabilities to enhance your conversations to the next level. So, let’s take a look at some of the advantages of using RCS, allowing you to streamline your outreach activities.
Traditional SMS is limited to text, which often fails to capture attention in today’s visually-driven world. With messaging apps including robust multimedia functionality, SMS fell behind external apps like WhatsApp or Messenger.
On the other hand, RCS allows you to send images, videos, GIFs, and audio files, creating a more engaging communication experience. Imagine sending a customer product tutorial videos or sharing a dynamic carousel of new arrivals in your apparel e-commerce store.
Furthermore, by using RCS service providers like Zixflow, you can seamlessly create and send rich multimedia messages across RCS using either the native campaign functionality or make use of the RCS API to integrate Zixflow with your existing communication framework.
One of the standout features of RCS is its ability to include branding within messages. For example, with the RCS conversation thread, your customers can see your company’s logo, name, and brand colors, elevating your professionalism and ensuring legitimacy.
This way, recipients can tell whether you are an authenticate business by going to your profile or seeing a verified checkmark next to the logo. Knowing whether a business is real, greatly increases the chances of them giving a response or performing an action directly from the message.
RCS brings interactivity directly to customers’ fingertips. Features like quick reply buttons, carousels, and actionable links make it easier for customers to interact with your RCS messages. They can browse products, book services, or confirm orders, all without leaving the messaging app.
These interactive capabilities increase the likelihood of getting conversions by allowing customers to take quick action, resulting in upselling and cross-selling opportunities.
With the lack of security features of SMS and the growing concerns about external messaging apps regarding their data handling policies, security is a growing concern for customers around the world. Plus, with the rise of phishing fraud and spam messages, mobile communication requires solid protocols for safeguarding customer data.
This is why, RCS includes sender verification, ensuring customers know they are communicating with an actual business. This is especially valuable for industries like banking, healthcare, or e-commerce, where sensitive information is exchanged.
While SMS and email remain essential communication tools that can be used as backups when modern alternatives are not available, they cannot compete with RCS when it comes to engagement rates.
The visually appealing and interactive nature of RCS messages naturally attracts more attention, leading to higher open rates and faster responses. In fact, RCS messages have a 35x higher chance of being read by customers in comparison to emails.
Modern consumers expect personalization, and RCS offers various means to achieve that. By leveraging customer data and past interactions, you can send tailored messages that speak directly to individual needs or preferences.
For instance, an online store can send personalized product recommendations based on previous purchases or send complementary recommendations that go along with recent orders.
Another thing to note is that, since RCS supports numerous kinds of messages, you can leverage its versatility to choose between plain text, rich media, or carousel messages to engage customers.
On top of that, Zixflow’s RCS messaging platform, lets you enhance this capability by crafting customized messages via its code-free template editor. Simply fill in the relevant information and upload corresponding attachments based on the type of your message. Once they are ready, you can permanently save them for repeat use and run your RCS campaigns efficiently.
The provider you use for your RCS efforts provides you with insights about your initiatives like delivery receipts, read confirmations, and click-through rates. This level of detail empowers you to assess the effectiveness of your campaigns in real-time and make data-driven adjustments whenever required.
Once again, with Zixflow, you can keep an eye on all of your marketing campaigns across multiple channels, including RCS, WhatsApp, SMS, and email. This unified view ensures that RCS is part of a cohesive strategy rather than a standalone effort.
Although RCS can be a primary channel, it doesn't need to operate in isolation. It complements other communication tools like traditional platforms and social media sites, making it a perfect fit for multichannel strategies.
You can take advantage of this aspect of RCS to integrate it with these channels, ensuring consistent messaging and connection across platforms.
For example, a customer who starts a conversation via RCS can continue it on WhatsApp or email, creating a seamless, all-around customer experience.
Another big factor that separates RCS from SMS is the real-time conversation. If you are running a business, you must be aware of the importance of delivering timely updates and their ability to build customer trust.
With RCS, you can send real-time notifications, such as order updates, delivery tracking, or appointment reminders. Not just that. You can engage in a full-on 1:1 conversation with customers or create a group chat for your internal team members like you would do on external apps like WhatsApp. Plus, the ability to include rich media, such as live maps or tracking links, takes this a step further.
Customer support is another area where RCS shines. With features like chatbots, multimedia sharing, and quick replies, you can resolve issues faster and without needing constant human intervention. For instance, a customer, facing a product issue can share a video of the problem, enabling quicker diagnosis and resolution.
Automating your RCS conversations is the next step in autopiloting customer service and taking it to the next level. Utilizing the AI-powered engines of platforms like Zixflow, you can set up a custom RCS chatbot to handle customer inquiries and deliver tailored resolutions with lightning speed.
The drag-and-drop automation builder allows you to efficiently create a chatbot that is capable of both initiating a conversation after a user opt-ins and responding to a customer looking for some answers.
As carriers worldwide continue to adopt RCS and major Android manufacturers have already started supporting this functionality, it is clear this technology is here to stay. On top of that, Apple has included RCS into its iPhone devices (from iOS 18 onwards), after long and continuous demands from its customers.
So, it goes to show that by incorporating RCS into your communication strategy now, you are positioning your business as an early adopter of future-proof solutions. Once RCS becomes the universal standard for mobile communication, the reason it is developed for, you will already be in a situation where you won’t have to worry about following your competitors to implement it into your outreach framework.
Rich Communication Services is changing how you engage with customers, streamlining processes, and enhancing team collaboration. Its ability to combine rich media, interactivity, branding, and analytics makes it an essential tool for modern business communication.
When paired with equally modern marketing tools like Zixflow, which specializes in multichannel communication, RCS becomes even more powerful. By integrating RCS with other channels, automating workflows, and leveraging detailed analytics, you can achieve a new level of communication efficiency and effectiveness.
Whether you are looking to improve customer engagement or reduce operational costs, RCS is a solution worth exploring. So, start optimizing your business communications today with us. Sign up for a 7-day free trial with no payment information or talk to our sales team for a personalized demo to see the application in action.