Back in 2007, most retailers didn’t sell on mobile.
Fast forward to today, and smartphones now drive 78% of global retail traffic and generate 68% of online orders. To match this shift in behavior, your messaging needs to meet customers where they are and how they prefer to engage.
SMS still delivers results with extremely high open rates and a 90-second average response time. However, it lacks the interactive, visual experience modern users expect.
Apps, meanwhile, offer rich functionality—but most users abandon them quickly, with 77% uninstalling or going inactive within three days. That’s where RCS comes in.
RCS (Rich Communication Services) combines the reach of SMS with the rich features of apps with images, buttons, and video without needing a download.
In this blog, we cover how RCS compares to traditional SMS and other messaging platforms, along with 14 practical use cases your business can start using today.
RCS vs traditional SMS: What’s the difference?
To put it simply, SMS is rudimentary, whereas RCS is built for modern mobile users.
For example, with SMS, you’re limited to 160 characters of plain text. It doesn’t have any branding, media, buttons, or delivery insights. It works, but doesn’t stand out.
RCS messaging changes that. It lets you send messages that look and feel like mini apps within the default messaging app on Android.
Think images, videos, product carousels, quick reply buttons, and more with your business name and logo.
Here’s how they compare:
RCS compared to other rich messaging channels
If you’ve used WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or Apple Business Chat to engage customers, you’re already familiar with rich messaging: images, buttons, and fast replies.
But each of these platforms comes with limitations around reach, access, and control.
Benefits of using RCS for businesses
With over 1.4 billion global users and nearly 30% smartphone penetration, RCS gives you the scale of SMS with the functionality of an app. If you’re aiming for higher engagement, stronger branding, and quicker conversions, these benefits show why RCS deserves your attention.
Higher engagement than SMS
We are visual creatures. With rich visual elements and interactive content, customers are more likely to engage, explore, and act. This makes your messages harder to ignore and easier to convert.
Better branding with verified sender and media support
RCS messaging lets your business appear with a verified name, logo, and brand color. You can include product images, promo banners, and even videos directly in the message. This builds trust instantly and reinforces brand identity across every customer touchpoint.
Increased interactivity
With RCS, you’re not limited to static text. You can add buttons for checkout, support, or store locator, or display a carousel of products right inside the message. You can guide the customer journey step by step with no external links or confusion.
Frictionless experience
Unlike WhatsApp or mobile apps, RCS doesn’t need an app install or account login. It works natively in the Android messaging app, meaning your customer can view, interact, and buy without leaving the conversation.
The result? Lower friction, faster action, and better results.
14 RCS messaging use cases
Here are some top practical ways you can use RCS to improve communication, boost conversions, and enhance the customer experience:
1.Order confirmations and delivery updates
RCS helps you send interactive, real-time order confirmations and delivery updates that look and feel like app notifications without requiring your customers to download anything.
That means, instead of plain SMS like “Your order #1234 has shipped,” you can send an RCS message with your brand logo, product image, estimated delivery date, a “Track Package” button, and even live updates if the status changes.
2.Appointment reminders and rescheduling
RCS lets you send appointment reminders that go beyond basic SMS alerts. You can include branded visuals, dates, times, and quick-reply buttons like Confirm, Reschedule, or Cancel within the same thread.
This not only reduces no-shows but also streamlines the rescheduling process without needing a phone call or a separate app.
3.Product promotions and flash sales
Grab attention during sales periods with RCS messages that feature product images, discounts, limited-time banners, and tappable CTAs like “Shop Now” or “Add to Cart.”
Rich media helps offers stand out and drive faster conversions.
4.Cart abandonment recovery
Recovering abandoned carts is easier with visuals and interactivity. RCS allows brands to send reminders with product thumbnails, prices, and direct checkout buttons. This also removes extra steps and brings users back into the buying journey, instantly reducing friction and increasing recovery rates.
5.Customer support follow-ups
Instead of email back-and-forth or disconnected phone calls, RCS enables support teams to send follow-ups in the same conversation thread. You can include options like “Issue Resolved,” “Still Need Help,” or “Talk to Agent,” allowing for faster resolution and better customer experience.
6.Feedback and reviews collection
Asking for reviews or feedback becomes more effective when it’s quick and interactive. With RCS, you can send star-rating prompts, multiple-choice questions, or open-text feedback forms within the message.
This increases response rates and helps gather insights without redirecting users to external sites.
7.Event invitations and RSVP management
Drive participation in events by sending visually rich invites through RCS. You can also include event images, time, location, and quick actions like RSVP Yes or Add to Calendar.
With reminders in the same thread, you can boost attendance while keeping the experience friction-free.
8.Loyalty program updates
Keep your most valuable customers engaged by sharing point balances, rewards status, or tier upgrades through RCS. You can even embed CTA buttons to redeem offers, view rewards catalogs, or join challenges. This keeps customers informed while enhancing their overall experience with the brand.
9.Real-time order tracking
Deliver live updates on your customer orders directly via messages. Real-time order tracking provides customers with live information about their order status, including exact location, estimated delivery times, and direct tracking links.
This not only streamlines operations by minimizing the volume of customer inquiries but also reduces customer anxiety about their purchase.
10.Product recommendations based on behavior
Send personalized product suggestions using browsing or purchase history. RCS supports carousels with product images, prices, and CTA buttons, making it easy to go from message to purchase. Behavioral targeting combined with rich messaging leads to higher engagement and upsell potential.
11.Interactive payment processing
Enable your customers to make secure payments directly via a chat interface. RCS can integrate with various payment gateways, allowing a smooth transaction experience without redirecting users to external sites or apps. You get to offer a more integrated and efficient service while reducing cart abandonment rates.
12.Feedback & surveys
RCS lets you send short, visual surveys right inside your customer’s messaging app. You can include star ratings, multiple-choice options, or a quick text box that requires no redirects or logins.
It makes giving feedback feel effortless, so you’re more likely to get honest, timely responses.
13.Retargeting
Think of the last time you got a discount code via text from a store you visited months ago. Now imagine that message with your name, product images, and buttons to claim the offer instantly.
That’s where RCS Business Messaging stands out. It brings together the visual appeal of display ads, the customization of email, and the reach of SMS in one message.
14.One-time passwords (OTPs)
Security and speed matter when you’re verifying a user. One-time passwords are essential for actions like logging in, making payments, or updating account info. But plain-text SMS OTPs often blend in with other messages and don’t always feel secure or user-friendly.
RCS makes OTP delivery clearer and more trustworthy. You can brand the message, verify the sender, and include visual elements like your logo or a status icon. The message appears in a trusted thread, reducing the risk of phishing.
Start creating richer conversations with Plivo
Whether you’re sending order updates, promoting products, or collecting feedback, RCS is a better way to reach your customers where they already are
Plivo makes it simple to get started. It is an all-in-one AI-powered cloud communication platform that helps you send verified, rich messages at scale.
Plivo’s RCS turns plain texts into branded, two-way conversations.This drives stronger engagement and better business results. It gets even better when paired with Plivo’s AI agents and unified customer data platform CDP, becoming a powerful tool for personalized, automated, and scalable marketing.
Here’s what you get with Plivo:
- Real-time personalization: AI agents dynamically adjust RCS conversations based on unified customer profiles and real-time behavior triggers resulting in higher engagement, better conversion rates
- Multi-channel fallback: When RCS isn’t supported by the user’s device or network, messages automatically switch to SMS guaranteeing message delivery and maintaining consistent communication across all devices
- Conversational automation: AI agents seamlessly handle FAQs, process orders, schedule deliveries, and escalate complex queries, all within RCS. This reduces support costs, improves response times, and ensures a smooth, always-on customer experience
- Comprehensive omnichannel Platform: Manage SMS, WhatsApp, Voice, Chat, and RCS from a single dashboard streamlining operations and reducing vendor complexity.
- Enterprise-grade reliability: With 99.99% uptime and global infrastructure, Plivo ensures your campaigns and conversations are always on.
- Built-in security and compliance: Stay protected and compliant with support for GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2, ideal for businesses in regulated industries.
- Plug-and-play integration: Easily connect Plivo to your existing CRMs, marketing automation tools, and support systems to get started quickly without heavy development effort.
- Future-ready capabilities: Stay ahead of the curve with a platform built for evolving customer engagement needs positioning your brand as an early mover in conversational commerce.
Ready to go beyond basic SMS and reach customers at speed and scale?
.jpg)
