Interaction through messaging - be it person-to-person or business-to-customer -  is undergoing a significant shift. Ubiquitous nature of the internet and the reach of smartphones have transformed the way people communicate, making interactions faster, more dynamic and accessible to a global audience at any time. It’s like the world of interaction has evolved from morse code to live streaming.

Text message, which was once limited to 160 characters is now morphed to Rich Communication Services (RCS), the rich and interactive messaging interface that we experience today. Interestingly, the rich messaging landscape is poised to grow exponentially. In fact, growing penetration of 5G networks, global support from mobile carriers, device manufacturers and tech providers suggest that RCS will continue to accelerate. Market trends show RCS business messaging traffic to grow 50% in 2025 alone.

RCS Market Trend

If we go by market analysis, according to the IOT Global Network, RCS will reach 3.9 billion users by 2025 while Infobip shows Rich Communication Services (RCS) traffic will quadruple over the next five years.

Its dynamic and multimedia environment has elevated it to a serious and major competitor to OTT platforms like WhatsApp, iMessage & Viber. After all, the combination of SMS with sophisticated modern messaging apps has made it the most disruptive agent. The platform has already proved its efficacy for vendors.

What does it mean for Businesses?

To answer the above question, let's go through the following five use cases for RCS business messaging, with real-world examples, benefits, tech highlights and challenges.

1. Interactive Product Catalog

Let’s say, a clothing retailer creates an RCS campaign and sends the rich message to its niche segment. The campaign consists of a carousel of their new seasonal collection. To make things more engaging, the retailer has showcased the products in a slider format. Customers can view images, read descriptions and see & compare prices of each item in one place. Not only this, they can also add items to a cart directly in the message.

Benefits

• Increased sales: Since customers can browse and purchase products directly within the messaging platform, it will lead to higher conversion rates.
• Customer loyalty: Everything is available at one place, the shopping experience is seamless, which will make them revisit and might also trigger word-of-mouth marketing or referrals to their network.

Tech highlights‍

RCS functionalities provided the display of rich features like high-resolution images, carousels or sliders and embedded buttons - these will become instrumental in product selection and immediate purchase.

Challenges and solutions

‍Device and carrier compatibility can be a hurdle. Older models, especially those running older operating systems, may not be able to access the required functionality of RCS and secondly, not all mobile network operators have adopted or fully implemented RCS services. These can lead to fragmented user experience, what can the businesses do?

Enterprises, in this case, have to employ a unified messaging API that allows them to choose the best format (SMS, MMS or RCS) for each message, depending on the recipient’s device capabilities.

2. Order Tracking and Delivery Updates

Order tracking and delivery updates are important for any e-commerce business, especially for electronic stores, since, customers as always looking forward to receive high-value items. By leveraging RCS business messaging, let’s say, Electronica can provide real-time order tracking and delivery updates, as it would help customers staying informed from order placement to final delivery. For instance, the online electronics store sends an RCS message to a customer with with following details:

i) Order Confirmation

• “Thank you for your order, Anna! Your iPhone 15 Pro is being prepared. Track your order below.”
• [#IN98456231] (Quick Reply Button)

ii) Shipment Dispatch Notification

• “Good news! Your order has been shipped. Expected delivery: Feb10, 2025.”
• [Live Tracking] [Contact Support]
• Includes a rich map showing the current package location.

iii) Delivery Date Update

• “Your package is out for delivery! ETA: 2:00 - 4:00 PM.”
• [Notify Me When Nearby] (Opt-in for last-mile alerts)

iv) Delivery Confirmation & Feedback Request

• “Your package has been delivered! How was your experience?”
• [Good] [Bad]
• If the user clicks "Bad," a chatbot offers customer support options.

Benefits

• Enhanced customer experience: The rich media content in the message makes it more appealing and interactive, along with quick reply buttons for on-demand assistance.
• Higher engagement & open rates: RCS messages have higher read rates with respect to email and SMS. The interactive elements facilitate higher engagements and faster responses, for example, rescheduling deliveries.
• Automated & personalization: AI powered chatbots can act as a personal assistant who not helps in suggesting new collections (based on past history) but also handle real-time order queries.
• Secure & verified messaging: Verified business profiles build trust among receives and reduce fraud, like phishing scams, which is quite common with SMS.

Tech highlights‍

RCS Business Messaging API will play along with AI-powered chatbots for automated order queries coupled with GPS tracking integration for real-time delivery updates.

Challenges and solutions

‍Device and carrier compatibility may pose a challenge, due to which, the implementation might fallback on SMS or WA for non-RCS users.

Opt-in mechanisms for notifications are super important as the messages have to comply with GDPR, CCPA, and telecom regulations for customer data protection.

Lastly, pricing for RCS messaging varies according to carrier and region, so it’s important to take into account the location when calculating costs. so, there has to be a balance of SMS, RCS and other channels for cost-effective communication.

3. Customer Support and Assistance

A patient seeking medical help found the LifeCare website. They need help with scheduling appointments, receiving reminders and getting support. LifeCare offers RCS to deliver rich and interactive customer support, here’s how the messaging journey would look like:

i) Appointment Scheduling

• “Hello Nathan, how can we assist you today? Choose an option below to get started.”
• [Schedule Appointment] [Learn About Services]
  • If the patient clicks [Schedule Appointment], they receive a list of available doctors or specialties.
  • [Dr. Dereck Smith - Cardiologist] [Dr. Anna Robs - Dermatologist]
  • After selecting a doctor, the patient is prompted with available times for an appointment.
  • [Choose Time Slot] options appear as a (slider)carousel, allowing patients to easily select a time.

ii) Appointment Confirmation & Pre-Visit Instructions

• “Your appointment with Dr. Dereck Smith is confirmed for [6-Feb-25 at 11:00 AM]. Please arrive 15 minutes early and bring your ID and insurance information.”
• [View Map to Clinic] - A rich map for navigation to the clinic.
• [Call Clinic] - Option to contact the clinic directly if required.

iii) Post Appointment & Follow-Up

• “Thank you for visiting LifeCare! How are you feeling after your appointment?”
• [Feeling Great] [Need Assistance]
  • If the patient selects [Need Assistance], they are prompted to choose from common issues or concerns, such as medication-related questions or follow-up care.
  • [Medication Help] [Schedule Follow-Up] [Speak to a Nurse]
• The chatbot can guide the patient to helpful FAQs or connect them with the appropriate department.

iv) Appointment Reminder & Dosage Reminder Alerts

• “Reminder: Your follow-up appointment with Dr. Dereck Smith is tomorrow at 10:00 AM. Don’t forget to bring your test results!”
• [View Appointment]
• “Also, it’s time for your daily medication. Would you like a reminder set for tomorrow?”
• [Yes, Remind Me] [No Thanks]
• [Call Pharmacy] - Direct access to the pharmacy for prescription refills.

v) Patient Feedback and Satisfaction Survey

• “We value your feedback! How was your recent experience with LifeCare?”
• [Excellent] [Neutral] [Poor]
• If the patient selects [Poor], they are offered an immediate follow-up to address their concerns through customer support or a nurse chat.

Benefits

• Interactive and visually rich messages like appointments, maps & reminders helps users navigate the way seamlessly make healthcare interactions easier to follow.
• Quick-reply buttons are super convenient for scheduling, confirming or even rescheduling appointments. It helps in over all streamlining the process with ease.
• AI-powered chatbots can not only handle routine queries like follow-up care and medical instructions but they can also offer personalized assistance, which is based on the patient’s previous interaction.
• End-to-end encryption, ensures confidentiality for sensitive medical information and interaction. only messages that are HIPPA compliant can be delivered like reminders, prescription alerts and general healthcare information.

Tech highlights‍

RCS Business Messaging API coupled with AI-powered chatbots for automated initial interactions like appointment scheduling and follow-up care.

For route & location guidance to clinics, hospitals and pharmacies, it would require map integration.

Electronic medical records for tracking appointment schedules, patient data and follow-up remind and medication management systems to send medication reminders and alerts to patients.

Challenges and solutions

Not all patients may have access to RCS enabled devices, in such cases, the rich messages will fall back on SMS.

Since, there are strict HIPAA guidelines and patient privacy regulations, the messaging services need to be HIPAA compliant.

In presence of a large volume of patients there has to be an intelligent routing to manage patient flow, which can prioritize urgent cases and automatically reschedule appointments depending upon the requirement.

4. Personalized Recommendations and Offers

Glamora uses RCS business messaging to interact with customers. Its interactive features include images, carousels, buttons and quick replies. It also sends order updates, personalized promotions and offer customer support through RCS messaging. It’s prerequisite is that the customers have to opt-in to receive RCS messages from Glamora, generally through SMS opt-in or app settings. Now, let’s walk through the messaging journey:

i) Customer Opts In for RCS Messaging‍

The customer registers on Glamora and opts-in to receive the following messages via RCS messaging:

1. promotional messages
2. order updates
3. customer support notifications .

• Glamora stores data such as customer’s product categories of interest and preferred communication channels.

ii) Personalized Product Promotions via RCS

‍Based on the above data, the platform sends personalized RCS message to the customer about a new makeup collection or exclusive sale.

“Hi Rita! Your favorite brand Maybelline just released a new line of matte lipsticks. Tap here to check them out with 20% off today only!”

• The message includes a carousel for easy navigation, as it offer more direct view the collection just by swiping; along with  use or redeem the discount being offered.

iii) Order Confirmation and Delivery Updates via RCS

After the customer places an order, Glamora sends a rich, branded RCS order confirmation message with details like product images, estimated delivery time, and a "Track My Order" button.

• Example: “Your Glamora order is on its way! You’ve ordered Maybelline Matte Lipstick. Expected delivery: [13-Feb-25]. Track your order here.”
• If there are any issues with the delivery, RCS can instantly inform the customer and provide options to resolve the issue.

iv) Customer Support and Queries via RCS Chat

If the customer has some issues with the product or requires any assistance, they can initiate a conversation via RCS chat itself. The message can include instant replies and buttons for common queries, like "Track My Order" or "Product Recommendations."

Example: “Hello! How can we assist you today? ”

• [Track Order]
• [Product Help]
• [Returns & Refunds]

v) Customer Feedback and Surveys via RCS

After receiving their order, Glamora sends an RCS survey asking the customer to rate their experience and provide feedback, with easy-to-click buttons to collect feedback.

1. Example: “How was your Glamora shopping experience today? We’d love to hear from you! Tap to rate: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”
2. Glamora can also offer incentives for filling out the survey, some thing like, a discount on the next purchase or a small tester.

Benefits

• Customized messages: RCS helps in delivering personalized messages to each and every customer. Its rich content like images, buttons, carousels and interactivity keeps customers engaged.
• Embedded CTAs: Options such as direct calls-to-action (CTAs), “Buy Now” or “Track Order”, within the message can lead to increased sales and order tracking convenience.
• Customer retention: Instant access to product updates, promotions and customer support fosters customer loyalty and growth.
• Brand visibility: The branding options provided by RCS help capture more attention and create a more memorable experience compared to standard text messages.

Tech highlights‍

RCS infra can help Glamora in tracking open rates, click-through rates and customer actions. And its integration with CRM platforms can help in creating personalized offers and customer support based on the customer’s profile.

Using specific customer data such as past purchases and browsing behavior can help in creating highly targeted messages.

Challenges and solutions

Not all customers may have RCS-enabled devices, and not all carriers support RCS messaging so the implementation might fallback on SMS or WA for non-RCS users.

Customers must opt-in to receive RCS messages, which can again, limit initial adoption rates.

RCS messaging requires internet connectivity, that could be either Wi-Fi or mobile data, which means in areas with limited connectivity, messages might fail to deliver or experience delays.

5. Abandoned Cart Recovery

Coffee Beans was facing a common challenge - cart abandonment! Finally, they decided to try RCS Business Messaging.  They initiated rich, interactive reminders to customers who left coffee products in their cart and encouraged them to complete their purchase. Along with the high-quality images and product carousels they also added personalized discounts, and one-tap checkout buttons, making the process more engaging and effective. Here’s how their messaging journey for abandoned cart recovery looked like:

i) Customer Adds Coffee to Cart

A shopper browses Coffee Beans’ online store and adds following items to their cart but exits before completing the order:

1. Espresso blend
2. French press
3. Coffee grinder
   ‍

ii) Automated RCS Reminder (First Attempt - Friendly Nudge)

After a few hours, Coffee Beans sends an RCS message reminding the customer about their cart.

Something like:

“Still craving the perfect brew? Your cart is waiting! Complete your order now and get free shipping. [Complete Purchase]”

Message includes:

1. Product images
2. “Buy Now” button
3. Quick reply options for “View Cart” or “Ask a Question

iii) Follow-Up with Personalized Offer (Second Attempt - Incentive)

If the customer still hasn’t checked out, Coffee Beans’ RCS chatbot offers assistance.

• “Need help choosing the perfect roast? Our coffee experts are here to help! Chat with us now.”

Includes:

• Quick reply options for FAQs
• “Chat with an Expert” button

iv) Live Chat Assistance (Third Attempt - Customer Support)

If the cart remains abandoned after 24 hours, Coffee Beans sends a personalized discount offer to encourage checkout.

Example:

1. “A special treat for you! Complete your purchase within the next 12 hours and enjoy 10% off your coffee order. Use code: BEAN23. Tap below to claim your discount!”

Includes:

1. Discount details
2. Countdown timer (creating urgency)
3. “Apply Discount” button

v) Final Reminder & Scarcity Tactic

After 48 hours, Coffee Beans sends a last-chance reminder, emphasizing limited stock availability.

Example:

• “Hurry! Your favorite Espresso Blend is almost sold out! Complete your purchase now before it's gone!”

Includes:

• Stock availability alert
• “Buy Now” button

Benefits

Rich visuals: RCS offers product images, buttons and quick replies, these makes reminders visually appealing and action-driven.

Seamless shopping: Brands (like Coffee Beans) can use browsing history, offer dynamic discounts, and provide instant support via RCS chat, which means customers can instantly buy from the RCS message without needing to open a separate app or webpage.

Sales recovery: By proactively reminding and incentivizing customers, brands can recover a significant percentage of lost sales.

Tech highlights

RCS has to be integrated with AI chatbots to assist customers and automate cart recovery reminders.

Brands can refine RCS campaigns by tracking open rates, clicks and conversions.

The checkout process becomes seamless, with one-click purchase, a feature that is offered by RCS.

RCS also works with email, push notifications, and text messages to provide several ways to stay in touch for recovery.

Challenges and solutions

Not all customers have RCS compatible devices, hence, the rich messages may fall back on SMS and email reminders.

Most importantly, users have to opt-in for RCS business messaging, otherwise, the message will not be processed.

Too many reminders can annoy customers, hence, an AI timing optimization is required for sending messaging strategically.

Elevate your Customer Experience, Here’s How!

RCS Business Messaging is a powerful tool to stay ahead in today’s competitive messaging landscape. By integrating interactive product catalogs, real-time order tracking, personalized recommendations, AI support and automate cart recovery reminders businesses can transform their messaging into an engaging and customer-centric experience.

From seamless order support to personalized offers, RCS messaging covers almost everything, ensuring users have all they need in one place. This makes it a game changer for businesses looking to stand out in the digital marketplace.

so, are you ready to elevate your customer experience and optimize your sales strategy? Learn more about integrating Conversive’s RCS platform into your tech stack and unlock the full potential of your business communications, today!