Ron Kinkade
Rich Communication Services (RCS) is transforming how businesses connect with customers, bringing interactivity and multimedia content into standard messaging. This evolution from SMS opens up a world of possibilities for more engaging customer interactions.
In this blog, we explore ten creative uses of RCS messaging that can help businesses take their communication strategies to the next level—from sending personalized promotions to automating customer feedback.
1. Product Catalog Updates
In addition to static images, RCS lets companies send dynamic, interactive catalogs to their customers. These allow customers to browse products via images while also seeing detailed product descriptions, comparing product features, and ordering directly through the message.
Sample text to adapt alongside images and videos in a carousel could look like this:
- “Hi [NAME]! Are you ready for [SEASON]? Browse our looks below”
- “Find the right tools for your next project in [CATALOG NAME]”
- “Since you bought [PRODUCT], we think you’ll absolutely love…”
User input is one of the main differentiators between RCS and SMS. Use it to your advantage and encourage users to purchase or view similar items with a single click right in the message.
2. Personalized Promotions
One of the best ways to lock in new customers and retain loyal buyers is to customize your promotional offerings to them. This could be as simple as including their name and other details about them in your messaging (i.e., tailoring content to their hometown) or as technical as using information about their interests gleaned from data analytics to guide links and references.
In particular, clothing retailers could send customized images or GIFs featuring articles similar to those customers have previously purchased, had in their cart, or browsed. These could also be paired with clickable discount codes unique to them.
3. Booking Confirmations
If you operate in a bookings-heavy industry, you can set yourself apart from your competition by embedding boarding passes or other utilities right into RCS messages. Some examples include:
- Airlines – Include a QR code for boarding, if possible, alongside text like:
- “Hi [NAME]! Here is your boarding pass for [FLIGHT NUMBER]. Your flight departs at [TIME] from [GATE], and boarding starts at [TIME]. You’re in [SEAT NUMBER].”
- Hotels – Include images of the room and links to check-in remotely, with text like:
- “Hi [NAME]! You’re all set to check in at [VENUE]. Click below for an interactive map, to browse amenities, request an upgrade, or chat with the concierge.”
Since this is RCS rather than baseline SMS texting, be sure to include user input options.
4. Appointment Reminders
Businesses that rely on customer appointments (doctors, dentists, beauty salons, and more) can use RCS messaging to provide vital information and options to their clients prior to a scheduled meeting. Be sure to include the date, time, and location of the appointment and, if possible, whom the client will be meeting. Other excellent options to add are suggested reply buttons that allow clients to confirm, reschedule, or ask a question about their appointment with ease.
Remember to keep these messages easy to interact with. Complexity is one of the leading issues with appointment reminders, especially in healthcare, leading to costly no-shows.
5. Education and Guidance
Reminders and notifications don’t need to be tied to appointments and other formal interactions. Providing clients and customers with useful information is a best practice for business messaging regardless of platform, and RCS allows for dynamic educational content.
For example, a healthcare provider could send a dynamic message like:
- “Flu season is here, [NAME]! Our patients who get a flu shot are [X%] less likely to get sick. Have you gotten your shot this year? Click below to learn more or schedule your appointment.”
For best results, you should tailor the content based on an individual’s history with your practice and/or demographic, location, and other information indicative of their needs or interests.
6. Customer Support
Businesses in any industry can and should provide robust customer support via RCS messaging. One way to streamline service is to provide near-instantaneous 24/7 support with a custom-built AI chatbot. This is best used for initial triage or diagnosing which departments or experts to connect a customer with if needed—and answering FAQs live at low resource costs.
These messages should contain visual aids and actionable steps with clickable links.
It’s also important to give customers an option to connect with a human expert, ideally from a clearly labeled button embedded in the RCS message. While automated responses can solve many simple problems, about 30% of customers are one bad bot away from abandonment.
7. Feedback and Surveys
With the capacity for user input that RCS supports, you can build surveys directly into your messages that users will be more likely to actually fill out and answer honestly. You can embed a link to a survey hosted on your website with text like:
- “Hi [NAME]! Click below to tell us about your time at [STORE]. We’d love to hear how we can make your next experience perfect!”
However, another option is to provide questions and answer buttons right in the messaging platform. RCS allows you to tailor which responses appear as clickable answers, provide flexibility with sliders or ranking systems, and give space for custom text responses.
8. Property Viewings
Real estate is one of the key industries where personalized RCS can make a difference. Agents can share listings with buyers via RCS and embed property images and videos. Furthermore, they can add interactive buttons allowing buyers to book viewings or request information.
Sample text to include alongside these features could look like:
- “Here are some properties we think you’ll love based on your browsing history.”
- “Click on any of the images below to book a viewing at your earliest convenience.”
- “Do any of these houses catch your eye? Come take a closer look with just one click!”
Other key capacities include branded contact information and turning on timed open/read receipts — especially crucial when messaging multiple potential buyers for the same property.
9. Order Updates
RCS empowers e-commerce retailers to push useful, engaging notifications to buyers. Send interactive order confirmations and embed tracking information (including delivery vehicle tracking) directly into your message. Provide access to features like reviewing a product, requesting a refund or exchange, or asking for support with easily clickable buttons. Be sure to call attention to these features in the message body with clear instructions like “click below.”
For best results, cater functionalities to those the customer has previously used or might otherwise be interested in. For example, you can prioritize one-click ratings or comments for super-reviewers or preemptively provide FAQs and support for complicated tech purchases.
10. Job Alerts
RCS can be used to great effect in recruitment and other outreach to potential employees, contractors, and strategic partners. Recruitment agencies can customize job notifications with infographics and clickable links that help candidates learn more about the company. Another option is embedding information about the current opening (i.e., role, salary package, etc.) or other similar postings they can apply to with just one click right in the messaging platform.
Advanced applications could allow job seekers to input key information or submit documents like a resume or cover letter either directly in the message or on a platform they access via a link.
Redefine Business Communication With RCS
RCS messaging is here to bring a fresh approach to business communication, making interactions more engaging than ever. By incorporating multimedia elements and interactive features, RCS allows businesses to create more meaningful connections with customers.
Text-Em-All is leading the way in RCS adoption for digital texting solutions. With custom branding, detailed analytics, and sender verification, we’ve created an effective and efficient RCS platform for business leaders.
Set up your account today and be among the first businesses to adopt RCS.