In the fast-paced attention economy, where capturing customer engagement is a constant challenge, businesses are turning to advanced messaging solutions to stand out. Rich Communication Services (RCS) emerge as a game-changer, combining the reliability of SMS with rich visuals and interactive capabilities to create more dynamic customer experiences.
The Asia-Pacific region claimed a notable 30 percent share of the global SMS market in 2023. At the same time, the number of active RCS users is on the rise, with Juniper Research forecasting it to reach 2.1 billion globally by 2025 - nearly half of the projected 5 billion SMS users worldwide.
For businesses focused on customer communication, overlooking this transformative technology is no longer an option.
Unlocking the potential of RCS and visual communication
RCS represents a major evolution from SMS, incorporating advanced capabilities akin to modern messaging apps. Features such as rich media messaging and in-text actions help businesses across sectors, ranging from banking and finance to retail and e-commerce, to deliver seamless, engaging customer experiences.
In today’s attention economy, where visual communication dominates, RCS emerges as a powerful tool. Consumers increasingly prefer dynamic, visually engaging formats, driven by shorter attention spans in a fast-paced digital world.
This trend allows RCS to thrive as a messaging format that allows businesses to create more immersive customer experiences through visually appealing content, interactive features and conversational flows.
We are already seeing it applied in our everyday lives - in the telecom industry, RCS has been widely used to guide customers in making plan upgrading decisions. With carousels and interactive guides, customers are presented with information on new plans, device options, or add-on services in an interactive manner that allows them to browse, compare, and make informed decisions.
As an experienced communication platform provider, Infobip works closely with telecoms globally to provide RCS to businesses.
For example, leading integrated telecommunications company Telekom Deutschland have worked with Infobip to leverage the full potential of RCS to communicate a subscriber perk offering free trials on Spotify Premium. Telekom Deutschland was able to create a rich media marketing campaign that sent eye-catching RCS messages straight into their customers default messaging apps.
This has resulted in two-fold improvements in engagement and conversions as compared to SMS-based campaigns at first launch.
Closer to home in Singapore, Infobip and telecommunications provider Singtel are empowering local businesses to connect with their customers in more meaningful and effective ways through RCS. This allows companies to transform ordinary mobile messages into rich, interactive messaging, delivering next-generation customer experiences that drive deeper customer engagement and boost conversions.
These examples highlight Infobip’s superior product and positioning, as well as enhanced capacity and capability, making it the top established leader in RCS Business Messaging by Juniper Research.
Optimising your omnichannel communication strategy
In this new era of mobile messaging, businesses must relook at their omnichannel communication approach and factor in RCS. Perfecting the balance of different communication channels and platforms can make or break the customer communication experience.
Each communication channel possesses unique strengths. To maximise their potential, a strategic approach is essential. For instance, SMS remains an indispensable tool for time-sensitive alerts and transactional messages due to its high open rates. Conversely, RCS shines in delivering visually appealing content and interactive experiences. Social media and email, while well-established, require careful consideration of target audiences and campaign objectives to ensure optimal impact.
An interesting example of this principle in action is in healthcare, where businesses are using RCS to enhance patient education, turning post-procedure follow-up instructions into rich medias in the form of images, videos for better comprehension.
Niva Bupa, a leading health insurance provider in India, partnered with Infobip to integrate RCS into their communication strategy, allowing them to enhance the way they reach their customers on their preferred channels with rich media content and personalised interactions, effectively capturing customer attention to generate leads.
The brand’s RCS messages saw a 75 percent return on investment (ROI), compared to 60 to 70 percent ROI on SMS and WhatsApp messages.
The Future of customer communication
While the channels and platforms used to reach customers have changed throughout the course of time, one thing remains constant: positive customer experiences are the cornerstone of building brand loyalty and fostering positive interactions is essential for customer satisfaction and long-term buyer relationships.
The world of communication technology is constantly evolving as consumers become more digitally savvy and increasingly reliant on rich channels. To stay ahead of growing customer expectations, it is crucial for businesses to embrace as an important channel, and go beyond to explore incorporating emerging technology such as AI bots to enhance user experiences.
By refining communication strategies to meet these evolving customer preferences, businesses can create seamless and engaging customer experiences that ultimately lead to brand advocacy and long-term growth.
Lim Jiun Kei is the Head of Operator Partnership Region at Infobip.
