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Compare 10 AI voice agents for real estate in 2026. Evaluate response time, CRM integration, multi-channel support, and scalability to find the right solution.

AI voice agents in real estate are all about response time, coverage and quick follow-through. If your system can't answer calls immediately, qualify intent, book tours and update your CRM without manual cleanup, it's not helping you win more deals; it's adding another layer for you to manage.

This guide isn't for browsing tools. It's for operators deciding whether to commit to AI voice agents in 2026 and ship something that actually helps you scale. We compare 10 platforms based on how they perform after signup, how fast you can go live, what breaks under real lead volume, and what it takes to keep them working week after week.

Top 10 AI Voice Agents for Real Estate (2026)

The goal here is simple: Helping you choose an option that you can launch confidently, not replace after the first integration headache.

1. Plivo

When aiming to build and scale AI voice agents for real estate, you care about two things: reaching prospects first and converting more inquiries into confirmed showings. Plivo excels here since it gives you production-ready AI voice agents that place instant callbacks, answer listing questions from your data, and book tours directly on your agents' calendars. They operate reliably across phone, SMS, WhatsApp and chat without stitching together telephony, AI models and messaging vendors.

Plivo is the AI agent builder platform for voice-first, omnichannel experiences—built on a carrier-grade telephony network trusted by Uber, Meta, Zomato, and thousands of businesses worldwide. Business teams can launch agents without writing code using Vibe agent. Engineering teams can orchestrate custom voice agents in code with full control. The foundation is Plivo's global communications infrastructure spanning 190+ countries: 15+ years of proven reliable infrastructure, low latency, and the call quality enterprises demand.

Core Capabilities:

Inbound & Outbound AI Voice Agents: Handle live calls end-to-end, qualify intent, route intelligently and escalate to human agents when needed.
Multi-Channel Agent Coverage: Run the same AI agent across phone, SMS, WhatsApp and chat with shared context across channels.
No-Code AI Agent Builder (Vibe): Build and deploy voice agents using plain-English instructions, no prompt engineering or coding required.
Build your way: Business teams launch with no-code tools; engineering teams build custom voice agents with full-code control. You're never forced into a single way of working.
Vertically Integrated Telephony (CPaaS): Voice runs on Plivo's own global telephony infrastructure, avoiding third-party carrier dependencies.
Low-Latency Voice AI Stack: Integrated TTS, STT and LLM orchestration enables sub-500ms response latency, critical for natural voice conversations.
Enterprise-Grade Reliability: Built on Plivo's proven CPaaS platform with 99.99% uptime, 15+ years of reliable infrastructure, and global carrier connectivity across 190+ countries.
CRM & Workflow Integrations: Pull customer context in real time and write call outcomes back to CRMs and support tools automatically. Connect Follow Up Boss, kvCORE, BoomTown, Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Calendar, Outlook, and your MLS/IDX feed.
You own the stack: You get to choose your speech-to-text (STT), text-to-speech (TTS), and LLM while keeping prompts and data portable and avoiding lock-in.

Best fit if you:

Need real-time voice agents that can operate continuously at scale.
Want to avoid stitching telephony, AI and messaging vendors together.
Plan to deploy across multiple channels, not voice alone.
Have defined workflows for lead qualification, routing or follow-ups.

Not a fit if you:

Only need a lightweight voice demo, basic IVR or short-term experiment.
Want a fully turnkey, real estate-specific tool with no configuration or workflow control.
Don't plan to integrate voice agents into your CRM, data stack or operations.

2. Luron AI

Luron AI is best suited for teams that need 24/7 AI voice agents that never miss calls and qualify leads automatically. It supports multilingual conversations and keeps pacing tight across accents and speaking styles. The system handles inbound and outbound voice conversations in dozens of languages and automates bookings and follow-ups without human staffing.

Core Capabilities:

Instant call answer & qualification: AI answers every call, gathers intent, and qualifies leads without hold times.
Multilingual support: Handles AI conversations in 45+ languages to cover diverse lead sources.
Inbound & outbound support: Manages both types of calls and can also run outbound follow-ups.
SMS, chat & email automation: Extends voice agents to text and messaging channels for a unified engagement approach.
CRM & integration options: Connects to existing phone systems via SIP trunking and can integrate with CRMs and ticket systems.

Best fit if you:

Want 24/7 lead capture and qualification without adding staff.
Need multilingual voice conversations for global or diverse markets.
Expect to automate bookings, follow-ups and reminders on voice and messaging channels.
Have a CRM or existing phone system you must integrate with.

Not a fit if you:

Only need a simple inbound answering or IVR replacement without automation.
Want a solution focused on voice only, with limited channel reach.
Prefer fixed, transparent pricing tiers publicly listed.

3. Callers AI

Callers AI is a platform for automating customer conversations with human-like voice agents that handle both inbound & outbound calls and messaging channels, powered by your brand's data and tone. It's focused on scaling high-volume voice interactions while maintaining contextual continuity across channels in a single branded voice experience.

Core Capabilities:

Omni-channel AI interactions: Voice agents run across phone, SMS, WhatsApp and chat from a central AI brain.
Human-like voice calls: Agents answer and place calls in a natural conversational style.
Lead workflows & use cases: Supports lead qualification, cold call automation, appointment confirmation, retention flows and more.
24/7 availability & language breadth: Designed to handle calls and messaging around the clock, in multiple languages.
Context remembering: Conversations carry context across voice and messaging so follow-ups feel continuous.
Integrations & automation: Connects to CRMs and tools (300+ integrations) so call outcomes can update your systems.

Best fit if you:

Want both inbound and outbound AI calling with consistent, natural-tone responses across channels.
Need an AI system that can qualify leads, confirm appointments and manage follow-ups automatically.
Are scaling high call volumes 24/7.
Prefer a central "brain" that keeps context across channels and workflows.

Not a fit if you:

Only want a basic voice or outbound dialer with limited cross-channel logic.
Need a tool focused exclusively on simple IVR or basic routing without AI conversation layers.
Prefer a product you can set up and forget in minutes without upfront configuration or workflow definition.

4. SquadStack AI

SquadStack AI is best suited for teams that want AI-assisted sales and voice engagement workflows supported by configurable human-in-the-loop automation. It blends automated outreach and qualification with options to escalate to human agents where needed, helpful for revenue teams that are focused on pipeline speed.

Core Capabilities:

Automated Lead Engagement: AI enabled workflows proactively contact prospects and qualify them using data-driven sequencing.
Voice & Messaging Channels: Supports outbound dialing, ringless voicemail, SMS and multi-touch sequences.
Human-in-the-Loop Escalation: Configurable handoffs to live agents when conversations need human judgment.
Sales Workflow Automation: Built-in logic for lead routing, prioritization and follow-ups across channels.
CRM Integration + Data Sync: Sync outcomes and engagement data back to CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.

Best fit if you:

Want inbound and outbound automated voice interactions with natural conversation flows and multilingual capability.
Need AI that handles lead qualification, follow-ups and reminders as part of sales or customer engagement sequences.
Are automating sales outreach and conversational workflows alongside voice calls.

Not a fit if you:

Need an AI platform focused on low-latency, bespoke voice agent infrastructure tied tightly to your own telephony stack.
Are building a multi-channel bot with CRM/telephony hooks and developer control from the ground up at scale.

5. Telgent

Telgent leans into MLS and portal context. It is best for businesses that want always-on voice AI calling with automated scheduling, intelligent call handling and quick setup. Its platform emphasizes immediate activation, seamless integration with existing phone systems and natural AI responses that handle calls, schedule meetings and engage customers day and night.

Core Capabilities:

24/7 AI voice calling agents: Always-on call automation that answers and routes customer calls at any hour.
Lead engagement & scheduling: Automatically books appointments, meetings and showings based on natural language conversations.
Inbound call handling: AI answers incoming inquiries, qualifies intent and routes prospects with minimal human intervention.
Automated inquiry responses: Provides instant answers to property questions and responds to rental or sales leads.
Integration with real estate systems: Works with Zillow, Realtor.com, MLS platforms, Follow Up Boss, kvCORE, BoomTown, Salesforce and HubSpot for CRM continuity.

Best fit if you:

Need round-the-clock call handling that captures leads and books appointments without missing inquiries.
Want your voice AI to integrate with core real estate tools and CRM systems so client details are synced automatically.
Are focused on lead conversion and showing scheduling as part of your customer engagement workflows.

Not a fit if you:

Only require basic outbound calling with simple scripts rather than inbound + scheduling automation.
Expect a no-config, plug-and-play voice bot that requires zero setup or customization.
Want a platform that handles only one channel (voice only) without extending into SMS/WhatsApp/chat automation.

6. AIOnCalls

AIOnCalls is positioned as a virtual receptionist that never misses calls or opportunities. Best for teams that want an always-on voice AI assistant that handles inbound and outbound calls around the clock, engages callers in natural language, qualifies leads, books appointments and updates CRM data.

Core Capabilities:

24/7 Inbound & Outbound Voice Handling: AI answers and places calls around the clock across all hours and holidays.
Lead Qualification & Follow-Up Automation: Qualifies callers in real time and automates follow-ups via voice, SMS and email.
Appointment Scheduling & Calendar Invites: Books appointments and sends confirmations during calls.
CRM & Workflow Integrations: Integrates with CRMs like Zoho, HubSpot, GoHighLevel, Google Calendar for real-time lead syncing and activity logging.
Multilingual Conversations: Supports multiple languages and can handle simultaneous call sessions.
Live Agent Escalation: Transfers complex calls to human agents when needed.
Real-Time Analytics & Transcriptions: Provides live call monitoring, transcripts, sentiment analysis and dashboards.

Best fit if you:

Need an AI voice agent that never misses inbound calls and engages leads immediately, 24/7.
Want automated lead qualification, booking and follow-ups in voice, SMS, and email without human staffing.
Are integrating call outcomes and engagement data into CRM or calendar workflows.
Operate in industries where speed-to-lead matters and missed calls are costly.

Not a fit if you:

Only need simple IVR or on-premise call routing without conversational automation.
Prefer a pure telephony or developer API platform without built-in AI conversational layers.
Are looking for a voice agent with deep, specialized industry templates.

7. Brilo AI

Brilo AI is a business-focused AI phone and voice call agent platform that enables teams to automate real-time voice interactions across industries like real estate. It promises fast setup, natural human-like voice responses, 24/7 coverage, integration with business tools and built-in analytics, all without needing a technical team to get started.

Core Capabilities:

24/7 AI voice call agents: Always-on AI phone agents handle inbound calls and customer engagements at any hour.
Human-like voice interactions: Conversational voice responses built to sound natural and engaging.
Appointment booking & scheduling: Voice agents can book appointments with synced calendars and handle reminders.
CRM and business integrations: Integrates with a broad range of business apps (6,000+ app connections claimed) to sync customer context and outcomes.
Real-time analytics & insights: Live call transcripts, sentiment analysis, intent tracking and topic detection support actionable insights post-call.
Lead qualification automation: Agents engage prospects, capture intent and route high-value leads in real time.

Best fit if you:

Need 24/7 automated voice engagement that never misses inbound or high-volume calls for lead capture, scheduling or support.
Need a platform that books appointments, manages follow-ups and drives customer engagement without manual management.
Plan to integrate the voice agent with CRM, calendar tools and analytics pipelines to maintain context across systems.

Not a fit if you:

Simply need a basic phone tree, IVR or traditional call routing system.
Are focused solely on developer-centric API telephony without AI built in.
Require industry-specific compliance guarantees (HIPAA, PCI, etc.) documented publicly.

8. VocalDesk

VocalDesk is an AI-enabled voice and contact automation platform that helps teams automate calling, lead follow-up, support interactions and scheduling. Its focus is on automated voice conversations and multi-channel engagement with CRM integration and configurable workflows that replace manual outreach tasks.

Core Capabilities:

Automated Voice Conversations: Handles inbound and outbound calls using AI to engage, qualify, and route callers.
AI-Driven Lead Qualification: Automated conversation flows that marks lead intent and priority.
Appointment Booking & Reminders: Schedules meetings and sends reminders as part of automated flows.
Multichannel Messaging: Engages customers across voice, text and messaging platforms.
CRM & Workflow Sync: Connects with CRM systems and business tools to log interactions and maintain records.

Best fit if you:

Want to automate call handling and lead follow-up without manual dialing.
Need a solution that combines voice and messaging outreach with CRM context.
Are focused on lead qualification and scheduling as part of broader sales engagement.

Not a fit if you:

Only need basic call routing or IVR without AI handling.
Require explicit developer control over telephony APIs.
Rely on hard metrics like latency, concurrency limits or multi-region telephony SLAs.

9. Calldock

Calldock is an AI voice agent platform intended for instant lead engagement, automatic qualification and scheduling. Its system calls leads within seconds of form submission, conducts natural conversations and integrates with calendars and workflows to automate follow-ups and booking.

Core Capabilities:

Instant lead callbacks: Calls website leads within ~60 seconds of a submission, boosting early engagement.
Calendar booking: Agents can book appointments directly to your calendar during live calls.
Multi-channel follow-up: Agents send SMS and email follow-ups as part of the call workflow.
Seamless handoff & callbacks: You can trigger human handoffs in natural language and schedule intelligent callbacks.
API, webhooks, & integration ecosystem: Support for APIs and pre-call webhooks lets you fetch context before calls and connect with Gmail, Google Calendar, Slack, Zapier and thousands more.
Developer playground & documentation: Provides API documentation and code examples for triggered calls and automated workflows.

Best fit if you:

Want immediate lead engagement that happens in seconds.
Need voice agents that qualify, book and follow up automatically across voice, SMS and email.
Plan to integrate voice engagements with calendar and business workflows.
Need a voice agent that works with easy templates for common industries with minimal setup.
Want a low-code or no-code setup that goes live with simple configuration.

Not a fit if you:

Need proper inbound/outbound calling with API integration.
Require deep telephony infrastructure control or enterprise telephony SLAs.
Are building highly custom dialogue systems that need proprietary LLM tuning beyond the existing templates.

10. Ylopo

Ylopo is a digital marketing and lead gen platform built for the real estate industry. It combines lead capture, nurturing, AI voice calling, AI texting, branded websites and marketing automation into one system that integrates with CRMs and helps real estate teams generate and convert leads.

Core Capabilities:

AI Voice Follow-Up: Automatically calls new and existing leads to qualify interest and connect them to agents.
AI Text Conversations: Runs two-way SMS conversations to nurture leads until they're ready to talk.
AI² Voice + Text System: Combines calling and texting into one coordinated follow-up engine.
Automated Appointment Transfers: Delivers live transfers or booked appointments when leads are qualified.
Lead Generation & Nurture: Includes PPC ads, remarketing and IDX websites to capture and feed leads into AI follow-up.
CRM & Website Integration: Syncs AI conversations and lead activity with CRMs and branded real estate websites.

Best fit if you:

Want lead capture with nurturing as a unified system rather than isolated voice interaction tools.
Are a realtor or team that wants AI to automatically engage leads by text and phone, not just manage manual contacts.
Need branded websites with IDX search and integrated lead capture feeding into automated follow-up.
Plan to keep leads engaged over longer time horizons (e.g., 90-day voice follow-up).
Value combined marketing + AI follow-up rather than a single channel (voice only).

Not a fit if you:

Are looking for pure AI voice agent infrastructure like a telephony-first CPaaS platform.
Need tools focused on enterprise-grade telephony performance, low-latency voice systems or custom telephony workflows.

What Matters Most in AI Voice Agents (Beyond the Basics)

1. Telephony Ownership vs. Vendor Stitching

Many AI voice tools rely on third-party telephony stitched together with AI layers. This often introduces latency, call drops and limited routing control at scale.

What to prioritize:

Built-in telephony with direct carrier connectivity
End-to-end control over call routing and quality
Fewer external dependencies

Plivo runs on its own global CPaaS and carrier-grade telephony stack, removing third-party voice dependencies.

2. Real-Time Performance (Latency & Uptime)

Voice conversations break down quickly when responses lag or calls fail. Sub-second latency and high uptime aren't "nice to have"—they're mandatory.

What to validate:

Sub-500ms voice response latency
99.99% uptime or better
Real-time STT, TTS, and LLM orchestration

Plivo's vertically integrated Voice AI stack is designed for low-latency, real-time conversations on proven infrastructure.

3. Multi-Channel Context, Not Disconnected Bots

Leads move between calls, SMS, WhatsApp and chat. Treating each channel as a separate bot creates broken experiences and duplicate work.

What to look for:

Shared context across voice and messaging
Unified conversation history
Seamless handoffs between channels

Plivo supports multi-channel agents that share context across phone, SMS, WhatsApp and chat from a single system.

4. Integration Depth (CRM, Calendars, Workflows)

Voice agents don't operate in isolation. Without deep integrations, they become another silo your team has to manage.

Prioritize platforms that:

Read from and write to CRMs in real time
Trigger workflows during live calls
Integrate cleanly with calendars and support tools

Plivo integrates directly with CRMs and business systems, allowing agents to act on live data and update records automatically.

5. Built for Scale, Not Just Launch

Many tools work well for pilots but struggle under sustained call volume or multi-region deployment.

Ask:

Can this run continuously without degradation?
Are pricing and performance predictable as usage grows?
Will this still work when channels or regions expand?

Plivo's AI agents are built on infrastructure that already powers enterprise-grade voice and messaging at global scale.

FAQs

What's the fastest way to go live without breaking existing operations?

Start with a single, contained flow like after-hours inbound calls or instant lead callbacks. Connect your phone numbers, CRM and calendar, define escalation rules and launch! You can expand coverage once live data validates the flow.

How do I ensure voice quality doesn't feel robotic or laggy?

Voice quality depends on latency and telephony control. Platforms with integrated telephony and real-time STT/TTS orchestration keep responses sub-second, which is critical for natural conversations that callers don't hang up on.

How does the agent stay accurate and compliant with real estate data?

The agent should pull from a restricted, curated knowledge source (MLS, IDX, listings) and operate within defined guardrails. When questions exceed scope like pricing nuance, legal terms, fair-housing-sensitive topics, it escalates to a human automatically.

What happens when call volume spikes or multiple leads call at once?

Calls don't fail—they should queue. High-intent conversations can be routed to live agents, while others are qualified, scheduled or followed up asynchronously. Every outcome is logged so nothing gets lost.

How does this fit into my CRM and follow-up workflows?

The agent reads live CRM data during calls and writes outcomes back automatically in the form of notes, disposition, next steps and booked appointments. Your team picks up conversations with full context instead of starting from scratch.

Try Plivo Free

Curious how an AI voice platform performs in your workflows, not just in theory? Plivo offers a free trial account with credits so you can experiment with voice, SMS, WhatsApp and chat services before committing. When you sign up, you get trial credits, can add a phone number and start testing features like real-time voice interactions and multi-channel engagement using APIs or visual tools like PHLO. This lets you validate performance, integrations, and call flows with your actual data—all without upfront cost.

Plivo's trial lets you test core capabilities immediately, making it easy to see how quickly you can build, launch, and refine agents that handle calls, qualify leads and update systems in real time.

Get started with your free trial now and begin building your first agent today.

Jan 20, 2026

5 mins

Best AI Voice Agents for Customer Support and Service (2026): What to Deploy Now

Compare 10 AI voice agent platforms for customer support. Get a practical 30-day pilot framework, implementation workflow, and outcome-driven selection guide.

1) Plivo — The fastest path to production-grade AI voice agents for customer support

A recent Gartner survey found that most customer service leaders plan to explore or pilot conversational GenAI in 2025—making a clear, near-term mandate to deliver something that works on the phone channel, not just in chat. That's your cue to build a reliable voice front door with an AI agent builder platform designed for voice-first, omnichannel experiences.

Why Plivo is #1

Plivo is the AI agent builder platform that lets you build your way. Whether you're a business leader who needs to launch fast or an engineering team building custom workflows, Plivo meets you where you are. Start with no-code tools that let non-technical teams deploy agents in hours. Go deeper with low-code orchestration for more control. Or build from scratch with full-code frameworks that integrate into your existing stack. You're never forced into a single way of working.

What it does for you

Plivo's Voice AI stack is modular by design. Want speed? Use the fully integrated platform—STT, LLM, TTS, and telephony—pre-configured and ready to go. Want control? Orchestrate your agents using code with Plivo's Agentic STT models and Telephony, alongside your preferred LLM providers. Want just the connectivity layer? Use audio streaming or SIP trunking and bring everything else yourself. You decide where Plivo ends and your stack begins.

Underlying it all is a reliable, carrier-grade telephony platform that scales for enterprises—global PSTN/SIP connectivity, number provisioning and porting, call routing with failover, recording with consent, and clean human handoff with full context into your CRM or help desk.

Segment-by-segment fit

If you're SMB, launch fast with no-code tools that let you deploy agents in hours, plus a simple dashboard and connectors for Shopify and Calendly. If you're mid-market, use low-code orchestration for more control, with a modular stack that lets you use what you need—swap in your preferred LLM, STT, or TTS. If you're enterprise, build with full-code frameworks that integrate into your existing stack, plus a modular Voice AI stack to pick-and-choose what you need, governance features (RBAC, audit transcripts, data residency), and contact center integration for high availability and reporting.

Start with Voice, go everywhere

Voice is the hardest channel to get right—and it's where Plivo leads. But the same flexible building experience extends to WhatsApp, SMS, RCS, and Chat. Build once, deploy across channels, and meet customers wherever they are.

Suitable for

Fintech customer service: consent-first flows, secure keypad capture, dispute status, and callbacks.
Healthcare scheduling: multilingual intake, appointment changes, escalations with a summarized handoff.
Retail and logistics: order status, returns, delivery windows, and SMS/WhatsApp follow-ups.

No more choosing between a locked-in platform that's easy but limiting, or a DIY approach that's flexible but painful. Plivo gives you both—simplicity when you want it, depth when you need it.

Explore the Voice API, check pricing, review compliance, handle numbers & porting, browse case studies, or jump into the quickstart.

2) Google Dialogflow CX — Complex, branching flows without spaghetti

Key features

Dialogflow CX uses a flow-and-page model to capture state and branching, so you can manage multi-step intents like returns, warranty claims, and multi-factor verification without dozens of brittle intents. It supports voice and text and includes versioning, experiments, and test tools. For telephony, you can use partner gateways or SIP; for global reach, put Plivo at the edge and connect to CX.

Why it matters

Complicated support journeys need explicit state. CX gives you that structure. If your "Where's my order?" workflow forks based on identity checks, fulfillment method, and policy windows, you can keep logic readable and testable. CX also plays well with multilingual experiences and mixed initiative, so callers can change course mid-conversation.

Implementation steps

Start with a single high-volume journey and draw it as a CX flow. Add a fallback page with a short menu for noisy lines. Ground the bot in your knowledge base and order system, then add handoff rules. Put Plivo in front for numbers, routing, and recording consent, and pass summaries back to your ticketing system.

Suitable for

Teams with multiple brands or product lines, where branching grows quickly and consistency matters across regions.

3) Amazon Lex + Amazon Connect — AWS-first voice automation that ops can own

Key features

Lex handles the speech and NLU for voice and text. Connect adds the contact-center fabric: routing, IVR, call recording, and agent desktop. It's a natural fit if your data and apps live in AWS and security prefers IAM-managed access. For global numbers or bring-your-own carrier control, front with Plivo and route into Connect.

Why it matters

Staying inside AWS accelerates procurement, security reviews, and monitoring. You can call Lambdas for tool use, search knowledge with Kendra, and use Connect metrics and contact flows your ops team already knows. That shortens time to value and concentrates governance in one place.

Implementation steps

Define one call flow in Connect (ID&V → status lookup → handoff). Build Lex intents from your top FAQs. Add Plivo for number management, routing, and failover. Send summaries back to your CRM or help desk. Keep a barge-in plan for noisy environments and a keypad fallback for payment flows.

Suitable for

IT-led programs where AWS standardization, auditability, and a single pane of glass for monitoring are priorities.

4) IBM Watson Assistant — Governance-first deployments in regulated industries

Key features

Watson Assistant supports omnichannel conversations with documented security and governance options, including deployment paths designed for regulated workloads. If your risk office leads the decision, IBM provides clear guidance on audit logging, data handling, and architectural choices. Add Plivo to handle PSTN/SIP, call consent prompts, and compliant recording policies.

Why it matters

Financial services and healthcare teams often need auditability from day one. When you need clear data-handling boundaries and deployment models that align with internal controls, IBM's documentation and support track help you pass reviews without months of back-and-forth.

Implementation steps

Map your data-classification rules to Watson's deployment options. Keep contact recordings and transcriptions in your approved storage. Use Plivo's routing and consent prompts to standardize intake across regions. Summarize calls into your case system for full traceability.

Suitable for

Organizations with heavy compliance needs, strict data residency, or formal audit trails for every customer interaction.

5) Cognigy.AI — IVR modernization with fine-grained voice control

Key features

Cognigy combines a visual designer with a voice gateway that supports streaming ASR, interruptibility, and transfer control. It integrates with multiple speech providers and enterprise systems like SAP and Salesforce. This lets you tune barge-in sensitivity, error handling, and handoff cues rather than living with a one-size-fits-all IVR.

Why it matters

If callers still hear a menu tree, you're wasting time and goodwill. Cognigy helps you replace rigid menus with natural conversations and graceful escalation. You keep the levers you need—timing, sensitivity, fallback prompts—so the agent feels human, not scripted.

Implementation steps

Start with the two intents that create the most queue time. Set barge-in thresholds conservatively and widen them after you test in live traffic. Put Plivo at the edge to manage numbers, recording policies, and failover. Send summaries with disposition tags to your CRM.

Suitable for

Enterprises with legacy IVRs, high call volumes, and a clear need to reduce effort without ripping out the contact-center core.

6) Salesforce Agentforce — CRM-native service automation where your team works

Key features

Agentforce brings AI agents into the Salesforce console and data model. Your service team stays in the view they know, while the agent handles common intents, drafts summaries, and routes cases. Add Plivo for calling so every phone interaction lands in Salesforce with the right context.

Why it matters

When everything you need to resolve an issue already lives in Salesforce, keeping the agent there shortens integration time and improves analytics. Supervisors can coach on the same dashboard and review case summaries, while admins maintain clear governance over data and automations.

Implementation steps

Pick one queue with repetitive calls. Tie identity checks to account data and warranties. Keep a "press 0 for a human" fallback and make sure the agent passes a clean summary with next steps. Use Plivo for the phone edge so call recordings and consent are consistent across regions.

Suitable for

Service teams that treat Salesforce as the system of record and want automation to feel native—not bolted on.

7) Zoom Virtual Agent for Phone — A 24/7 receptionist and concierge

Key features

Zoom's Virtual Agent for Phone handles greetings, routing, and the most common requests. You train it from existing docs and site content, then turn it on for after-hours or full-time reception. It's built for quick wins like appointment scheduling, store hours, and simple status checks with transfers when needed.

Why it matters

If reception lines clog your switchboard, a front-door voice agent can deflect simple questions without new headcount. As you add skills, you can expand from triage to completing tasks. For broader reach, connect Plivo to add global numbers and transactional notifications via SMS or WhatsApp.

Implementation steps

Start with greeting, business hours, and routing. Add appointment booking next. Keep live-agent transfers one click away. If you outgrow the PBX perimeter, bring Plivo in to manage numbers and cross-channel follow-ups.

Suitable for

Single-number switchboards, high-volume reception desks, and teams that need a quick, always-on front door.

8) Sierra — Enterprise "autonomous" agents with category momentum

Key features

Sierra focuses on enterprise-grade AI agents for customer service with an emphasis on agentic workflows. The leadership and market traction give executives confidence to back bigger bets. If you're evaluating multi-channel automation with rigorous SLAs, Sierra is a credible short-list option. Plug it into Plivo for reliable telephony, recording consent, and global routing.

Why it matters

Momentum reduces perceived risk. When you need cross-functional buy-in, a vendor that's already in enterprise production helps. You still need the phone edge right: numbers, routing, and failover that won't buckle under peaks.

Implementation steps

Define two end-to-end journeys (e.g., ID&V + order update; returns approval). Keep human handoff one step away and capture every call summary in your case system. Instrument containment and transfers, then iterate weekly.

Suitable for

Large teams planning multi-channel agents and looking for vendor accountability with clear deliverables and timelines.

9) Tidio (Lyro) — SMB eCommerce chat that pairs well with voice

Key features

Tidio blends live chat, an AI agent, and eCommerce integrations. It's a practical way to resolve repetitive questions, free up your team, and capture intent while buyers are on your site. Add Plivo for a simple order-status line and SMS/WhatsApp updates so customers get answers by phone as well as chat.

Why it matters

eCommerce teams need fast coverage more than complex architectures. You can start with FAQs, then add checkout and account questions. When phone calls spike—promos, holidays—route a basic voice flow through Plivo and keep your agent consistent across channels.

Implementation steps

Load your top FAQs and shipping policies, add a returns flow, and set clear handoff rules. For voice, route a single Plivo number to a lightweight agent that authenticates by order ID and ZIP code, then offers a callback option during peaks.

Suitable for

Lean teams that want to reduce repetitive chat volume now and add phone coverage without standing up a full contact center.

10) Robylon — Multi-channel AI agents focused on support teams

Key features

Robylon specializes in AI-driven customer support across voice, chat, email, and messaging. It integrates with help desks like Zendesk and Freshdesk, supports multiple languages, and offers analytics dashboards designed for service leaders. It's a pragmatic fit if your help desk is the hub of your operation.

Why it matters

You want human-like conversations that escalate cleanly. Robylon's positioning around support workflows means your ticketing, SLAs, and dispositions stay intact. For reliable calling, use Plivo for numbers, routing, and recording consent so your phone channel matches the quality of your chat channel.

Implementation steps

Start with account updates and appointment scheduling. Ground the agent in your help-desk knowledge base and macros. Track resolution time and transfer reasons; refine weekly.

Suitable for

Mid-market support teams who want a focused system that plugs into existing help-desk processes and expands to voice without heavy lifting.

How to run a safe, high-signal pilot in 30 days

Define success first

Pick three metrics: containment, transfer rate, and average resolution time. Write a one-line target for each and a go/no-go threshold. Everyone should know what "good" looks like before you take your first call.

Start with narrow, high-volume intents

"Where's my order?", appointment changes, returns, account updates. These are predictable, frequent, and measurable. Script your handoff sentence so agents never start from zero.

Build the right guardrails

Add a consent prompt, a keypad fallback for sensitive inputs, and a short backup menu for noisy environments. Keep the escalations simple: one route for billing, one for everything else.

Ground every answer

Connect the agent to your CRM/help desk and knowledge base. If the answer doesn't exist in your source of truth, escalate. Summarize every call into the ticket with disposition and next steps.

Iterate weekly

Review 20 call transcripts together. Fix the top three friction points. Update prompts and knowledge. Ship changes. Repeat.

FAQ

What's the fastest way to launch a voice agent without changing my stack?

Keep your telephony and routing on Plivo, connect your preferred conversation engine, and ground it in your CRM/help desk and knowledge base. Start with one number, one intent, and a simple fallback.

How should I measure success in the first 30 days?

Track containment, transfer rate, and resolution time. Listen for barge-in moments and interruptions—they reveal prompt and timing issues that you can fix quickly.

How do I implement consent, recording, and PCI/PHI safely?

Play a clear consent prompt before any recording. Use keypad input for payments or sensitive data. Store recordings and transcripts in approved systems and keep audit logs.

When is Dialogflow CX better than Lex, IBM, or Cognigy?

Choose CX for complex branching flows and multilingual journeys; Lex when your team standardizes on AWS; IBM when governance and deployment control are paramount; Cognigy when you're modernizing IVR with fine-grained voice settings.

How do I handle accents, noise, and barge-in in production?

Use a robust ASR, tune your barge-in sensitivity, and keep a keypad fallback. Test in noisy environments and shorten prompts. Summaries help human agents pick up without asking callers to repeat themselves.

Conclusion: Build the voice edge once, then scale what works

A measured result to anchor ROI. McKinsey reported that, at one company with thousands of agents, applying generative AI raised issue resolution and lowered handling time—small percentage gains that compound into real savings at scale. That's the kind of lift your leadership expects—and the reason to start with a focused pilot that moves one metric.

Bring your "brain" of choice, but keep the phone edge on Plivo so every call connects, every consent is captured, and every handoff carries context. Define three KPIs, pick one journey, and go live with a human fallback. Review transcripts weekly, then scale to the next two intents.

Ready to hear what real-time voice feels like? Build your agent or talk to an expert today.

Jun 19, 2025

5 mins

RCS Marketing 101: Your Complete Guide

Discover how RCS marketing delivers rich, branded messages that drive engagement for your business.

SMS marketing works, but let’s be honest: it feels a bit outdated compared to modern apps.

But what if you could send rich, interactive messages with branded content, images, buttons, and carousels straight to your customers’ native messaging apps?

Rich communication services (RCS) makes that possible.

If you’re ready to explore how RCS marketing can transform your engagement strategy, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know. Let’s get started.

What is RCS marketing?

RCS marketing uses rich communication services to send interactive, branded messages through a customer’s default messaging app. It’s a modern upgrade to SMS that lets businesses share images, buttons, carousels, and more — all without needing third-party apps.

A user on Reddit summed up this perfectly:

Screenshot of a Reddit comment explaining what RCS is — *RCS explained by a Reddit user*

RCS lets you send messages that are visually branded with logos and colors while remaining interactive. This turns static updates into an app-like experience inside a message.

This shift is part of a broader industry move, led by Google and backed by major mobile carriers, to upgrade messaging infrastructure and make RCS the default standard on Android devices.

As support continues to grow, businesses are adopting RCS as part of their customer engagement strategy. Platforms like Plivo make that adoption easier with a reliable, enterprise-grade gateway to deliver rich, reliable RCS campaigns at scale.

RCS vs. SMS marketing: A quick comparison

Marketers today are looking for ways to deliver more interactive and visual communication, and RCS is clearly leading the way.

While SMS still works well for simple alerts, it lacks the creativity and engagement that RCS marketing offers.

Let’s take a quick look at RCS vs. SMS marketing.

Key feature	SMS marketing	RCS marketing
Message length	Limited to 160 characters; with longer messages split	Up to 8,000 characters in a single message
Multimedia	Supports only plain text and links; needs MMS for multimedia	Natively supports high-resolution photos, videos, audio, and GIFs
Security and verification	No built-in sender verification	Includes verified sender profiles with business name, logo, and custom colors
Read receipts	No standardized way to know if a message was delivered or read	Provides delivery and read receipts for real-time engagement tracking
Typing indicators	Doesn't show when the other party is typing	Displays typing indicators, creating a more conversational feel
Interactive buttons	Not supported; calls to action (CTAs) are limited to plain text links	Allows interactive buttons with predefined replies and actions
User experience	Static, text-heavy, and transactional	Dynamic, visually rich, and conversational — feels more like a mobile app
Analytics and reporting	Basic delivery tracking (if supported by carrier)	Advanced analytics: opens, clicks, conversions, and user behavior tracking

4 key benefits of RCS marketing

RCS marketing makes messaging feel more natural for both you and your customers. And since you can see what’s working and what’s not, it’s easier to pivot your strategy and get better results.

Here are its four key benefits.

1. Improved user interaction

One of the biggest advantages of RCS marketing is how seamless it makes the experience for your customers. Instead of typing out replies or clicking a link to open a website, users can just tap a button right inside the message.

Want them to book a demo, check order status, or browse products? It’s all possible with just a tap.

Fewer steps mean less effort, and that leads to more people following through. In fact, individuals spend up to 37 seconds engaging with RCS messages, which is a lot longer than most other types of mobile messaging.

Image showing the engagement results of RCS messaging — *People engage more with RCS than any other platform*

That extra time and interaction can make all the difference when you’re trying to convert interest into action.

2. Consistent brand experience

RCS marketing doesn’t just tell people who you are — it shows them.

Verified business profiles help people know they’re getting messages from the real brand. Every message shows your brand’s logo, name, colors, and a checkmark. These small details make it clear that the message is coming from a genuine source.

Image showing that MAYI - HOMES sends a verified RCS message with branding — *Verified RCS message from MAYI - HOMES*

This consistency matters because 88% of people are more likely to buy from a brand they trust.

3. In-depth analytics

With RCS marketing, you can track open rates, button clicks, and how people interact with each part of your message.

You get clear visibility into what’s working and where users are dropping off.

This makes it much easier to measure the return on investment (ROI) and fine-tune your campaigns. The more you understand how people engage, the better you can shape your messaging for results.

4. Higher conversion potential

RCS marketing makes it easier for customers to take action — whether that’s browsing products, booking a service, or making a purchase — all within the message itself.

With fewer clicks and no need to switch apps, the path to conversion feels effortless. And when it’s that easy, more people follow through.

For example, EaseMyTrip used RCS to run a post-COVID travel survey. They added quick-tap answer options and followed up with a thank-you coupon. The campaign saw a 4x higher click-through rate than email, 10x more survey completions, and a 2.7% increase in conversion rate.

5 major use cases of RCS marketing

Here are five major use cases showing how brands are using RCS marketing effectively.

1. Product promotions

RCS makes product promotions feel more like browsing a store than reading a message. Brands can send image carousels that customers can swipe through to explore new arrivals, check product details, and see what’s available without leaving their messaging app.

Verified RCS message highlights a 25% off promotion on all items — Verified RCS message from Daily-donuts

Example: A fashion retailer promoting its spring collection could send an RCS message featuring a carousel of outfits with styled images, prices, and buttons like “View Lookbook” or “Shop Now.”

Tapping a button could open a mini product page inside the chat, letting customers browse and buy without switching apps.

2. Abandoned cart reminders

The average cart abandonment rate is over 70%, which means most shoppers never make it to the finish line. RCS marketing can help bring them back by making the reminder more engaging and easier to act on.

You can send a message that shows exactly what they left behind, along with a clear button to complete the purchase. It’s visual, straightforward, and the entire experience stays within their messaging app.

Example: A home electronics store could follow up with customers who left a pair of wireless earbuds in their cart. The RCS message might include a product photo, the price, and a “Buy Now” button that takes them straight to checkout.

3. Appointment confirmations and reminders

A PhD thesis from Manchester Metropolitan University found that forgetfulness is the most common reason people skip their appointments.

RCS makes it easier for both businesses and customers to stay on the same page. You can send a message that shows the appointment details along with a simple calendar view. Add buttons to confirm, reschedule, or cancel — all within the chat.

Image depicting an interactive RCS booking confirmation message — Booking confirmation via RCS with quick action buttons

Example: A dental clinic could use RCS to remind patients of upcoming cleanings. The message might show the date, time, and location of the appointment, plus a “Confirm” button and options to “Reschedule” or “Cancel.”

Patients can respond instantly, helping the clinic manage its schedule more efficiently.

4. Customer surveys and feedback

Getting feedback is important, but most customers lack the time or patience to complete lengthy forms. RCS marketing makes it easier by allowing brands to ask short, targeted questions and receive quick responses.

Plus, the rich features of RCS let you include images, ratings, or multiple-choice options, making feedback feel more like a conversation.

Example: A restaurant could send an RCS message after a meal asking customers to rate their experience with simple buttons like “Excellent,” “Good,” or “Needs Improvement.”

The message might also include a photo of the dish they ordered and a quick question like, “What did you like most?” This quick interaction makes it easy for customers to respond and gives the restaurant valuable insights.

5. Customer support follow-ups

After a support request is resolved, following up shows customers you care and helps close the loop on their experience. But if the follow-up message gets buried in an email inbox or goes unnoticed, that opportunity to connect is lost.

With RCS marketing, you can send a quick message to check if everything’s working fine. You can include helpful buttons like “Change Password,” “Manage Account,” or “Talk to Support.”

Support bot provides instant replies and follow-ups for customer queries — AI-powered support for account management

RCS marketing myths and realities

Despite RCS marketing’s growing adoption and proven results, some common misconceptions still hold businesses back from trying it. Let’s look at a few of the biggest myths and what’s actually true.

Myth 1: RCS marketing is too expensive

At first glance, RCS business messaging can seem like a pricey upgrade. Rich visuals, tap-to-action buttons, and branded layouts look premium, so it’s easy to assume they come with a hefty cost.

But cost alone doesn’t tell the full story.

What you get in return matters more. RCS drives significantly stronger engagement with higher click-through rates, increased interactions, and better overall outcomes.

Take Club Comex, the loyalty program of North American paint brand Comex. They sent two rich and interactive RCS campaigns to their members and saw a 10x higher click-through rate, which helped increase revenue by 115%.

That’s the value side of the equation. Better targeting and richer content mean more people click, engage, and convert.

Myth 2: RCS marketing doesn’t reach enough users to be worth it

This concern made sense in the early days of RCS, when adoption was still catching up. But the landscape looks very different now.

In June 2024, the 12-month growth of RCS users reached 36.3%, showing faster uptake than other messaging channels. More Android devices support RCS by default, and it’s being rolled out across more networks globally. Even Apple has announced support, which means RCS is on track to reach a massive number of smartphone users worldwide.

With that kind of growth and widespread support, the hesitation around RCS is starting to fade. Brands can confidently invest in RCS marketing knowing it will connect with more customers than ever before.

Myth 3: RCS gets treated like spam and ends up ignored just like emails

Unlike email, RCS messages appear directly in the user’s primary messaging app alongside personal conversations. They include rich media and interactive elements, making them more engaging and less likely to be ignored.

This creates a more natural, conversational experience that drives higher open and response rates than traditional marketing channels.

Why choose Plivo for your RCS marketing needs

With RCS, you can turn simple messages into rich, branded conversations that feel more like chatting than broadcasting.

Plivo gives you the tools to make that shift without the hassle. From verified messaging to smart automation, everything works together to help you connect better and respond faster.

When combined with AI Agents and a unified customer data platform, RCS becomes more than just messaging. You can deliver personalized experiences at scale, automate everyday interactions, and keep conversations flowing without lifting a finger.

Here’s what you get with Plivo’s RCS API:

Real-time personalization: AI Agents tailor conversations using customer profiles and behavior triggers to improve engagement and conversions.
Multi-channel fallback: If RCS isn’t supported, messages automatically switch to SMS to ensure delivery and maintain consistent communication.
Conversational automation: AI Agents handle FAQs, process orders, schedule deliveries, and route complex queries within RCS.
All-in-one messaging platform: Manage RCS, SMS, WhatsApp, Voice, and more from a single dashboard.
Reliable performance: 99.99% uptime and global infrastructure keep your campaigns running smoothly.

With Plivo’s no-code tools, you can quickly launch AI-powered RCS messaging across channels and deliver a consistent customer experience from day one.

See how you can launch your first RCS marketing campaign with Plivo by requesting a demo today!

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May 13, 2021

5 mins

Your Guide to Getting Started with SMS Marketing

You’re probably wondering how to reach your customers, no matter where they are. Enter SMS marketing. Here’s how to build a Grade A SMS marketing strategy.

SMS Marketing

What if you could reach your customers, whenever and wherever they are, with relevant information and get an immediate response? That’s the kind of power and measurability that appears in marketers’ dreams.

As it turns out, dreams do come true, and the answer has been in our collective pockets for decades.

Though it’s not new, SMS marketing has seen a surge in popularity recently. Companies like Disney and Amazon take advantage of its power and use it to connect with their customers in ways they never could before.

If you’re not already using SMS marketing to reach your customers, you should give it strong consideration. If you are using it, there’s always room for improvement. In either case, this guide gives you what you need to know to take your SMS marketing to the next level.

Why use SMS for marketing?

Why SMS? The simple answer is that it just works.

For proof, you need only to look at the 90% open rate SMS marketing enjoys and compare it to email marketing, which gets about a 20% open rate on the high end of the scale. SMS is so effective at reaching people because it’s immediate, ubiquitous, and mobile-first.

With SMS, you’re reaching consumers on a device that’s in their pockets and that buzzes to let them know when they receive a message. While smartphone notifications can also signal incoming email messages, people tend to put off reading email until later — but we’ve all been conditioned to view text messages as soon as they arrive.

Another feature that makes SMS unique is that in both iOS and Android devices, messages can be displayed over other apps, so even if someone is playing a game, reading news, or watching videos, they won’t miss your message.

But open rates are just the beginning of what makes SMS so powerful. It also allows you to be ultra-relevant to your customers, reaching specific people at specific moments. For example:

You can send messages to conference attendees during a presentation to prompt them to sign up for a speaker’s newsletter or buy their book.
After a consumer leaves a restaurant, you can send them a message thanking them for coming and offering them a coupon for their next visit.
In ecommerce, you can send messages to customers who abandon their shopping carts, or, when their payment fails, help them complete their purchases.

These examples demonstrate the transactional power of SMS marketing to build an opt-in audience and facilitate purchases. But it’s even more versatile than that and can support a variety of marketing goals.

SMS marketing can help you build awareness of a brand or even an issue. By integrating SMS marketing with other marketing tools, including social media, events, email, and sales promotions, you can increase the effectiveness of your entire marketing program. We’ll share some examples of how some well-known companies have done that later in this article.

Most importantly, SMS marketing can give you a high return on investment, in part because the upfront creative and development costs are lower than most other marketing methods. SMS marketing doesn’t require video production, graphic design, actors, models, printing, web design, or photography.

And, depending on how you use it, SMS marketing can actually generate revenue. One ecommerce marketer saw an increase in revenue as high as 10% with their SMS marketing program.

Try these strategic tips for SMS marketing

As we said, SMS is one of the most effective tactics you can add to your marketing mix — but to get those benefits, you need to be smart and strategic. Here are some tips to get the most out of your SMS marketing program.

Look for trigger moments

The immediacy of text messages allows you to reach your customers, individually, at precise moments — something no other marketing channel can do. To maximize that power, you should look for trigger moments when customers will be most receptive to your messages.

One of the most obvious moments is right after a customer takes some kind of action, like opting in to receiving a newsletter or making a purchase. In those moments, you can use SMS messages to welcome customers into the community, thank them for their purchases, or give them updates on shipping.

Other trigger moments include birthdays and holidays, flash sales and promotions, and new product introductions. All of these present opportunities for you to connect with your customers and create a sense of urgency around taking some kind of action.

Segment your audience

Because SMS marketing is so simple, it’s tempting to just blast messages out to your entire list. But the power of text messaging is that you can use it to reach specific people — and that’s why segmentation is so critical.

How you segment your audience depends on your business and your customer base, but the options are many. Age, income level, and other demographics are obvious choices, but you can also sort them by where they are in the customer journey, what product or services they buy, or their hobbies, interests, and goals.

By segmenting your audience, you can be sure to serve relevant messages that spur action, and, equally importantly, minimize unsubscribes.

Follow the rules

As with email marketing, SMS marketing comes with certain rules and regulations. You’re contacting customers using their personal phone numbers, so you should be clear and transparent when they opt in to your program. You also need to protect private data and make it easy for customers to opt out.

Every country has its own set of laws and regulations that you’ll need to be aware of. But as important as following the regulations is maintaining customers’ trust. Running afoul of the rules is one thing, but if customers lose trust in you, they might never forgive you.

To maintain customers’ trust, be sure to be transparent about why you’re contacting them, have a clear opt-in process, and make it easy for them to opt out. And, above all, don’t wear out your welcome by spamming them with frequent messages.

Use your creativity

Because it’s so simple and versatile, SMS marketing can be used in almost limitless ways. If you have a need to reach your customers, and if your customers have phones (which describes pretty much everyone), you can likely create an SMS marketing program that will meet your needs.

Here are a few examples for inspiration:

Fast-food chain Arby’s used SMS marketing to engage customers in their No Kid Hungry philanthropic campaign, raising brand awareness and building goodwill.
Jim Beam ran a sweepstake by encouraging consumers to opt in to their SMS program, building their database and supporting a charity at the same time.
The National Cancer Institute used SMS marketing to reach young people and guide them through the difficult process of quitting smoking.
TULA Skincare reached out to its mobile-first customer base through SMS to build a community around important social issues.
Few companies use SMS marketing more effectively thanStarbucks, which keeps customers engaged in the brand and aware of ongoing promotions and offers.

Understanding the technical side of SMS

Once you have a campaign up and running, SMS marketing can be a smooth, seamless experience that only needs occasional tweaking and maintenance.

But getting to that point can be a challenge, especially if you’re not familiar with all of the technical nuances. A lot can go wrong, and if you’re not prepared for it, your campaign may get derailed.

Sending messages overseas and to multiple countries can be especially challenging. It’s not unusual for messages to be delayed or go undelivered, lessening the impact on your customers. What’s more, reporting can be inaccurate, so you may not even know your delivery rate. The situation is further complicated by layers of regulations in different countries and regions.

And following those regulations is vital. The UK’s Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, for example, give people certain rights when being contacted by text message. Violating those regulations can result in your campaigns being shut down.

Also, when sending overseas, you may be dealing with local languages and special characters. Some countries allow, or even require, sender identification codes so customers know who is sending messages to them. Getting the technicalities right goes a long way toward building trust among your customers and maximizing your open rates.

A lot goes into setting up and maintaining SMS marketing campaigns. But you can make the task easier if you partner with an SMS API provider that can help ensure your campaigns are successful.

At Plivo, we’ve set up our APIs and services to ensure your SMS programs are reliable. We partner with only premium carriers in each country and use a redundant carrier network to ensure messages always get through. We also provide easy-to-manage sender IDs and special character support, helping ensure your messages are opened and read by your customers.

Finally, our SMS API includes accurate reporting, so you can evaluate campaigns in real time and make adjustments to optimize them for success.

SMS marketing is a great opportunity — if you do it well

We cited some examples of top brands that use SMS marketing well. Companies are catching on, and in 2020, 56% of US retailers planned to increase investment in SMS marketing.

If your industry haven’t caught on to SMS marketing yet, you can take a leadership position and get a jump on your competition. If your competitors are doing SMS well, you need to catch up.

Either way, SMS offers a unique marketing opportunity to reach your customers. To learn more about how SMS marketing can work for you, contact us.

May 11, 2021

5 mins

How to Receive a Phone Call in Python with Flask and Plivo

Voice API | Plivo | You can get started to Receive a Phone Call in Python with Flask and Plivo.

Python SDK

Voice API

How To

Making an outbound phone call using the Plivo Voice platform is easy, but communication should be a two-way street. Customers should be able to call you back, and you should answer the calls and address their concerns. This guide shows you how to receive incoming calls on Plivo numbers and manage the call flow once a call reaches the Plivo voice platform. To see how to do this, we’ll build a Python Flask application to receive an incoming call and greet the caller with a text-to-speech (TTS) message.

Prerequisites

Before you get started, you’ll need:

A Plivo account — sign up for one for free if you don’t have one already.
A voice-enabled Plivo phone number if you want to receive incoming calls. To search for and buy a number, go to Phone Numbers > Buy Numbers on the Plivo console.
Flask and Plivo Python packages — run pip3 install plivo flask to install them.
ngrok — a utility that exposes your local development server to the internet over secure tunnels.

Create a Flask application to receive incoming calls and play a TTS message

Once you’ve installed Flask and the Plivo Python SDK, create a simple Flask application to handle incoming calls on a Plivo number. To handle an incoming call, you need to return an XML document from the URL configured as the Answer URL in the application assigned to the Plivo number. The Python SDK can manage the XML document generation, and you can use the Speak XML element to play a text-to-speech message to the caller. Use this code:

from flask import Flask, request, make_response
from plivo import plivoxml

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route('/receive_call/', methods=['GET','POST'])
def speak_xml():
    # Generate a Speak XML with the details of the text to play on the call.
    response = (plivoxml.ResponseElement()
            .add(plivoxml.SpeakElement('Hello, you just received your first call')))
    return(response.to_string())

if __name__ == "__main__":
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0', debug=True)

Test the code locally

Save the code in any file — we named the file receive_call.py. To run the code on the server, go to the folder where the file resides and use the command

$ python receive_call.py

You should see your basic server application in action on http://localhost:5000/receive_call/.

Expose the local server to the internet using ngrok

Once you see the application working locally, the next step is to connect the application to the internet to return the XML document to process the incoming call. For that, we recommend using ngrok, which exposes local servers behind NATs and firewalls to the public internet over secure tunnels. Install it and run ngrok on the command line, specifying the port that hosts the application on which you want to handle incoming calls (5000 in this case, as our local Python application is running there):

$ ./ngrok http 5000

Ngrok will display a forwarding link that you can use as a webhook to access your local server over the public network.

Test the link by opening the ngrok URL (https://b51dbc9d904c.ngrok.io/receive_call/) in a browser. We used HTTPie to check the XML response from the ngrok URL.

Connect the Flask application to a Plivo number

The final step is to configure the application as a Plivo voice application and assign it to a Plivo number on which you want to receive incoming calls.

Go to the Plivo console and navigate to Voice > Applications > XML, then click on the Add New Application button in the upper right.

Provide a friendly name for the application — we used “App-Incoming-call” — and configure the ngrok URL https://b51dbc9d904c.ngrok.io/receive_call/ as the Answer URL. Select the HTTP verb as POST, then click Create Application.

Create Plivo App to handle incoming calls

Now go to Phone Numbers > Your Numbers and click on the number to which you want to assign the application. From the Plivo Application drop-down, choose the voice application you just created. Finally, click Update Number.

Test the application

Make a phone call to the Plivo number you selected. You should see that the Flask application automatically greets the caller with the text-to-speech message configured in the app.

And that’s how simple it is to receive an incoming call on a Plivo number and handle it using XML documents using Plivo’s Python SDK and a Flask application. You can implement other use cases on the Plivo Voice platform, such as phone system IVR, call forwarding, and number masking, as your business requires.

Haven’t tried Plivo yet? Getting started is easy and only takes five minutes. Sign up today.

May 6, 2021

5 mins

How to Receive and Respond to Incoming SMS Messages in Python with Flask and Plivo

SMS API | Plivo | You can get started to Receive and Respond to Incoming SMS Messages in Python with Flask and Plivo.

Python SDK

SMS API

How To

Sending an outbound message using the Plivo SMS platform is easy, but communication should be a two-way street. Customers should be able to text you, and you should acknowledge their messages and address their concerns. To do this, you can build a Python Flask application to receive and respond to incoming SMS messages on a Plivo phone number. In this post, we walk you through how to implement this.

Prerequisites

Before you get started, you’ll need:

A Plivo account — sign up for one for free if you don’t have one already.
An SMS-enabled Plivo phone number as you want to receive incoming SMS messages. To search for and buy an available number, go to Phone Numbers > Buy Numbers on the Plivo console.
Flask and Plivo Python packages — run pip3 install plivo flask to install them.
ngrok — a utility that exposes your local development server to the internet over secure tunnels.

Create a Flask application to receive SMS messages

Once you’ve installed Flask and the Plivo Python SDK, create a simple Flask application to handle incoming SMS messages on a Plivo number. Use this code:

from flask import Flask, request

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route('/receive_sms/', methods=['GET', 'POST'])
def inbound_sms():

    from_number = request.values.get('From')
    to_number = request.values.get('To')
    text = request.values.get('Text')
    print('Message received - From: %s, To: %s, Text: %s' %(from_number, to_number, text))

    return 'Message Received'

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0', debug=True)

Return a Message XML document to reply to incoming messages

To reply to an incoming SMS message, you need to return an XML document from the URL configured as the message_url in the application assigned to the Plivo number. The Python SDK can manage the XML document generation, and you can use the Message XML element to reply to incoming SMS messages. Use this code:

from flask import Flask, request, make_response, Response
from plivo import plivoxml

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route('/reply_sms/', methods=['GET', 'POST'])
def reply_sms():

    from_number = request.values.get('From')
    to_number = request.values.get('To')
    text = request.values.get('Text')
    print('Message received - From: %s, To: %s, Text: %s' %(from_number, to_number, text))

    response = plivoxml.ResponseElement()
    response.add(
        plivoxml.MessageElement(
            "Thank you, we have received your request.",
            src=to_number,  
            dst=from_number))
    print(response.to_string())  # Prints the XML
    # Returns the XML
    return Response(response.to_string(), mimetype='application/xml')

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0', debug=True)

Test the code locally

Save the code in any file — we named the file reply_sms.py. To run the code on the server, go to the folder where the file resides and use the command

$ python reply_sms.py

You should see your basic server application in action on http://localhost:5000/reply_sms/.

Expose the local server to the internet using ngrok

Once you see the application working locally, the next step is to connect the application to the internet to receive and reply to messages. For that, we recommend using ngrok, which exposes local servers behind NATs and firewalls to the public internet over secure tunnels. Install it and run ngrok on the command line, specifying the port that hosts the application on which you want to receive messages (5000 in this case, as our local Python application is running there):

$ ./ngrok http 5000

Ngrok will display a forwarding link that you can use as a webhook to access your local server over the public network.

Test the link by opening the ngrok URL(https://31123bc8f94e.ngrok.io/reply_sms/?From=14156667777&To=14156667778) in a browser. We used HTTPie to check the XML response from the ngrok URL.

Connect the Flask application to a Plivo number

The final step is to configure the app as a Plivo messaging application and assign it to a Plivo number on which you want to receive SMS messages.

Go to the Plivo console and navigate to Messaging > Applications > XML, then click on the Add New Application button in the upper right.

Provide a friendly name for the app — we used “App-Incoming-SMS” — and configure the ngrok URL https://31123bc8f94e.ngrok.io/reply_sms/ as the Message URL. Select the HTTP verb as POST, then click Create Application.

Create Plivo App to handle incoming SMS messages

Now go to Phone Numbers > Your Numbers and click on the number to which you want to assign the application. From the Plivo Application drop-down choose the message application you just created. Finally, click Update Number.

Test the application

Send an SMS to the Plivo number you selected. You should see that the Flask application automatically sends a reply back to your mobile number.

And that’s how simple it is to receive and respond to incoming SMS messages using Plivo’s Python SDK and a Flask application.

Haven’t tried Plivo yet? Getting started is easy and only takes five minutes! Sign up today.

May 5, 2021

5 mins

Infrastructure Ensures Fastest Delivery for Time-Sensitive Notifications

SMS notifications let you put important information in front of customers and prospects more quickly and more reliably than other communications channels.

SMS

Carrier Network

When you have notifications to send to customers, you want them to arrive as quickly as possible. Delays in important information about accounts, transactions, or appointments make customers unhappy, and can get them thinking about becoming someone else’s customer instead of yours.

The best communications channel for delivering notifications is SMS text messaging. SMS has a wider reach and more immediacy than options such as email and phone calls.

SMS is simple, quick, and cost-effective. Text messages get important information to your users when they need to know it, so they can act on it right away.

But while the technology is capable, you have to avoid some pitfalls to take best advantage of it. For instance, writing applications to deliver messages at scale requires a lot of code to ensure that correct phone numbers are being used for each recipient’s network and phone number type and the use case for the message. Writing and maintaining communications platforms and ensuring that messages are in complaint with the receiver’s country regulations is a time-consuming, expensive endeavor. This means increased development time and expenses.

Instead of writing the code in-house, you can turn to a communications platform as a service. But all CPaaS platforms are not created equal. Sending SMS messages can be similar to traveling internationally on an airline that uses a hub-and-spoke model. The airline decides what routes to operate, and you have to take those predetermined routes to get to your destination, which may involve transfers. Similarly, many CPaaS providers can’t provide a direct route from the sender to receiver. Sometimes, an international message may be transferred five or six times to get to its final destination. Worse, some CPaaS providers rely on aggregators to deliver messages on their behalf. In many cases, these aggregators utilize “gray routes,” sending messages to users in another country without paying the recipients’ networks for their delivery, which can result in low delivery rates.

For fastest delivery, your SMS platform should have direct connectivity with carrier networks in the countries where it operates. Going through aggregators is a sure way to slow things down. And if you have customers in multiple countries, you want to make sure your SMS platform has a global presence.

To minimize message delays as messages sent to customers across multiple networks, your carrier should employ automated quality checks and route around delays. Plivo deploys simulated handsets as test nodes across all the countries with multiple operators from the respective country, provisioned with real phone numbers from operators local to each region. We send messages to these test nodes, and the results we receive back help our dynamic routing engine intelligently route messages to ensure speed of deliverability.

That helps keep our whole network speedy — but it’s not the only tool in our toolbox. Our Conversion Feedback API lets you update Plivo on conversions from two-factor authentication (2FA) and one-time password (OTP) SMS messages. Whenever a recipient successfully authenticates using the verification code they received, Plivo can make a post to an API endpoint. Plivo uses feedback to measure the reliability of the networks it uses so it can maintain high delivery rates in countries where carrier networks are sometimes unstable.

All of the features work together for effective, timely communication, according to home-sharing platform Houst, a Plivo customer. Company founder James Jenkins-Yates says, “When a guest has booked a rental, we send a set of automated messages using Plivo. There are several different reminders sent, including payment, verification, check-in, check-out, and review requests,” most of which require timely delivery — and that’s what Plivo delivers for Houst.

Check out our blog on how we architect our platform for high reliability. It explains how Plivo’s infrastructure and global network ensure that all SMS traffic is sent via the fastest, most reliable route.

May 4, 2021

5 mins

Reach Customers in 190+ Countries with Plivo Alerts and Notifications

SMS notifications have the best reach of all the channels businesses have available to communicate with customers and prospects.

SMS

The more your business grows, the harder it is to reach all your customers. But among the many communications channels available to you, one stands out for immediacy, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use.

Everyone wants a growing business. Having more customers means more revenue and a chance to make the world a better place with your products or services.

Keeping customers means keeping in touch with them. Sometimes you want to send them notifications of new products or policies. Sometimes you need to send them alerts about essential services or time-critical events. And sometimes you just want to offer them new information.

The problem is how to stay in touch cost-effectively at scale. Businesses have multiple options, including:

SMS
Voice
Email
Postal mail
Social media
Advertising
Word of mouth

They all have pros and cons when it comes to cost, immediacy, and reach. Email, for example, has low cost but only moderate immediacy. Word of mouth has no cost at all but very limited reach. The best combination of low cost, high immediacy, and almost universal reach is

SMS, a.k.a. text messaging. It offers global reach and immediate delivery at a low unit cost per message.

SMS can reach just about everyone. According to Pew Research, 96% of Americans owned a cell phone in 2019, and the mostly commonly used application for mobile phones is text messaging. That means your customers already have at their fingertips all they need to get your messages.

SMS messaging is the fastest messaging channel available. Most messages are delivered in less than five seconds — just what you want if you’re sending critical alerts and notifications, providing one-time passwords, or offering two-factor authentication. And with an SMS platform like Plivo, using Powerpack, you can automate sending high volumes of messages at one time.

Many people say text messaging is their preferred communication method. Other methods have shortcomings. People often decline to answer phone calls from numbers they’re not familiar with, and spam filters often catch bulk email messages before they reach recipients’ inboxes. By contrast, according to a widely cited figure, SMS open rates run around 98%. Sending your text messages from local phone numbers makes them even more effective.

Bottom line: SMS has the best reach for sending customized notifications and alert messages for cases such as

Financial transaction statuses
Order status updates
Lead alerts for sales teams
Password resets
Delivery and shipping notifications
Appointment reminders

Plivo is architected to leverage SMS potential reach, as Plivo customer Deckers discovered. “Plivo’s queuing system was a huge selling point,” says Jacob Martinez, Project Manager for Deckers’ ecommerce team. “The less we have to manage things like rate limits and batch sizes, the less burden gets put on the developers. If we have 50,000 text messages we have to send, we don’t have to worry about how those will get through. We just send them all and Plivo handles it.”

We’ve written a white paper on how to optimize your SMS communications. It offers information about the different types of SMS (long code, short code, toll-free), international options, and pitfalls to avoid. Read it to see how you can increase your reach by using SMS messaging.

Apr 30, 2021

5 mins

How to Build a Call Forwarding App the No-Code Way Using PHLO

PHLO | Plivo | You can get started to Build a Call Forwarding App the No-Code Way Using PHLO.

PHLO

Voice API

How To

Use Cases

Businesses use call forwarding all the time to route incoming calls to available agents, extensions, or departments that cater to the caller’s needs. Creating a call forwarding app is simple when you use Plivo High Level Objects (PHLO), our visual workflow design studio, which lets you build applications without writing any code.

Prerequisites

Before you get started, you’ll need:

A Plivo account — sign up for one for free if you don’t have one already.
A voice-enabled Plivo phone number if you want to receive incoming calls. To search for and buy an available number, go to Phone Numbers > Buy Numbers on the Plivo console.

Create a PHLO to forward calls

PHLO lets you construct your entire use case and build and deploy workflows visually. With PHLO, you pay only for calls you make and receive, and building with PHLO is free.

To get started, visit PHLO in the Plivo console and click on the Create New PHLO button. A pop-up window gives you a list of prebuilt templates to start with. Choose Call Forwarding and click Create Application to create a PHLO with the prebuilt components to build a call forwarding workflow.

create a PHLO using Call Forwarding Template

Now click on the Call Forward node, then add configuration information for the node in the right pane. Remove the dummy numbers from the “To” field and use a valid phone number in E.164 format. The liquid tag `` in the From field will automatically pick up the Caller number and set it as caller ID to forward the call. If you wish to hard code the caller ID number, enter a valid number here. Click Validate to save the configuration.

configure the parameters in Call Forwarding node

That’s all we’re going to do for now — we told you it was simple. Give the PHLO a name by clicking on the pencil icon in the upper left, then click the Save button in the upper right.

Activate the PHLO on a Plivo number

Before you can receive a call using this PHLO, you have to assign it to a Plivo number. Go back to the Plivo console and click on Phone Numbers on the left nav bar. From the list of Your Numbers, click on the number you want to use. On the next screen, from the Application Type drop-down, choose PHLO. From the PHLO Name drop-down, choose the PHLO you just created. Then click Update Number at the bottom of the screen.

Guess what? You’re done! You don’t have to run a program for this PHLO to work. Just call the Plivo number you specified and you should get the call forwarded to the phone number specified in the PHLO.

Conclusion

And that’s all there is to build a call forwarding app using PHLO, Plivo’s visual workflow design studio. You can edit this PHLO app to forward calls to a series of numbers, route calls to different numbers depending on whether it’s during or after business hours, do timezone-based routing, or implement other call forwarding scenarios to meet your needs.

Haven’t tried Plivo yet? Getting started is easy and only takes five minutes! Sign up today.

Apr 29, 2021

5 mins

Plivo Is Simple By Design

Plivo’s cloud communications platform is simple to use, well documented, and fully supported. Our APIs make it easy to build complex applications.

CPaaS

Businesses that need to communicate with customers and prospective customers often choose SMS messaging. Just about everyone has a cell phone nowadays, and SMS comes native on all mobile devices. And everyone knows how to read and reply to text messages, so no training is required.

To streamline SMS communications, businesses use application-to-person (A2P) platforms like Plivo to programmatically tailor their messages to meet their needs. Some of the logic that drives those communications can be pretty complex, so it behooves companies to keep the tools they use to power their platforms simple.

Plivo comprises a set of APIs and tools that businesses can use to power their voice and messaging communications. One of our key principles is to keep things simple for our users while we allow them to build complex applications.

Simple from the start

The theme of simplicity starts right from our registration process. To try out Plivo, all you need is an email address.

That’s a big change from old-school on-premises communications platforms, which required that businesses buy hardware and telecom equipment and hire experienced administrators and the developers needed to write and maintain messaging applications. Plivo is hosted in the cloud, so you don’t have to worry about buying or administering hardware — you only have to pay for whatever resources you use.

Maybe you’ve already used another communications platform — many of our customers find us when they’re looking for a Twilio alternative, for instance. When you begin diving into our documentation and using our code, you’ll find our APIs look pretty familiar. We do all we can to make Plivo easy to work with, including for people who are migrating from other platforms or using Plivo as a second service for fault tolerance or higher throughput.

While we’ve made Plivo’s APIs simple to use, some organizations would just as soon avoid writing any code if they can. For them, we built Plivo High-Level Objects (PHLO), a visual design studio that lets you create custom communication workflows for both voice and SMS without coding. PHLO employs prebuilt templates for tasks such as alerting, IVR, surveys, and voicemail, so you can shorten your development cycle. Once you’ve created a workflow in the visual designer, you can modify the code and customize it if you like.

Tough questions, simple answers

As you build workflows with PHLO, write code with our APIs, or manage Plivo from our online dashboard, you may have questions. That’s where our documentation comes in. We have getting-started and how-to guides that explain concepts, walk you through processes, help you troubleshoot problems, and give examples so you can apply what you learn to your own use case.

If the documentation doesn’t give you the answers you need, you can turn to our support team. We have experts ready to help you seven days a week, 24 hours a day, so wherever in the world you are (did you know Plivo offers services in more than 190 countries?) we’re available to solve problems — including service issues. In most of the countries we serve, Plivo works directly with in-country, Tier 1 carriers with direct interconnectivity to local telecom network operators. That not only helps us provide high deliverability with low latency, it also lets us help you remove obstacles caused by carriers.

Ease of use? Verified!

Of course any company can claim their software is easy to use, so don’t just take our word for it. Check out the G2 Grid for Cloud Communications Platforms. Plivo is ranked number one in customer satisfaction among the leaders. That shows that our plan for keeping things simple is working.

No one wants to have to jump through hoops to make their communications software do what they want. We know that, and we want to make sure Plivo is easy for you to use — easy to get started with, easy to incorporate into your applications, and easy to administer. Sign up and check us out, and let us know how we’re doing for you.

Apr 28, 2021

5 mins

How to Write a Cloud Function to Send SMS in Node.js and Plivo’s SMS API

SMS API | Plivo | You can get started to Write a Cloud Function to Send SMS in Node.js and Plivo’s SMS API.

Node.Js SDK

SMS API

How To

Your company has settled on Plivo to handle its voice and messaging communications, and now it’s your job to start integrating Plivo into your company’s applications. As a first project, let’s write a cloud function in Node.js to send SMS messages through Plivo.

Create a Firebase project

We’ll use Firebase, Google’s mobile app development tool, to implement the cloud function. To initialize a Firebase project, go to firebase.google.com and click Go to Console in the upper right corner. Create a Firebase account if you don’t have one already. Firebase has a free Spark plan and a pay-as-you-go Blaze plan. To make outbound networking requests, you must sign up for Blaze. From the Firebase console, click on the ‘Add project’ button to create a new project. Fill in the details on the next few screens and click Continue. Firebase will create the project and take you to its overview page.

Write and deploy a cloud function

Now we can start writing the cloud function in the Firebase CLI to send a message using Plivo’s SMS API.

Install the Plivo SDK and Firebase CLI

We’ll presume you already have your Node.js environment set up. Change to the directory into which you want to install the Plivo Node.js SDK and Firebase CLI and run

$ npm i -S plivo firebase-tools

Set up the Firebase CLI

Once the Firebase CLI and Plivo Node.js SDK are installed in your local project directory, you can set up Firebase locally and write a cloud function.

Run firebase login to log in to your Firebase account.

Initialize a new Firebase project in your local setup by running firebase init. You’ll be asked to select the Firebase features you want to set up. Use the down arrow key to navigate to Functions and press space bar to select it, then press Enter.

You’ll be asked to select whether you want to use an existing project or a new one. Select “Use an existing project” to use the project you just created in the Firebase console.

You’ll be asked to select the language you wish to write the function in. Choose “JavaScript,” and in the next step, choose yes to install the dependencies and complete the setup.

Write a cloud function

Once the setup is complete, open the project in a text editor to write the function to send SMS messages. Check the project’s folder structure to find the boilerplate code added by Firebase.

Before writing the code, we need to add Plivo as a dependency in the package.json file and run npm install to add the dependency to package-lock.json.

You can use the code below to replace the index.js file with a cloud function to send SMS messages using Plivo’s Node.js SDK.

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const functions = require("firebase-functions");
const authId = 'AUTH_ID';
const authToken = 'AUTH_TOKEN';
const Plivo = require("plivo");

// Initialize Plivo with API credentials
const client = new Plivo.Client(authId, authToken);

exports.sendSms = functions.https.onRequest(async (req, res) => {
    try {
        client.messages.create({
                src:"+14156667777",
                dst:"+14156667778",
                text:"testing firebase functions",
                method: "GET",
                url: "http://foo.com/sms_status/"
            })
            .then(function(response) {
                console.log(response);
            })
            .catch(err => console.log(err));
    } catch (err) {
        res.send('There was an error sending the SMS message');
    }
})

Find your Auth ID and Auth Token

You have to have proper credentials before you can use the Plivo API. We provide an Auth ID and Auth Token on the Overview page of the Plivo console. Replace the placeholders AUTH_ID and AUTH_TOKEN in the above code with the values from the console.

Find Your Auth Credentials on Plivo Console

Choose a phone number

You need an SMS-enabled Plivo phone number to send messages to the US and Canada. Check the Numbers screen of your Plivo console to see what numbers you have available and which of them support SMS capabilities. You can also buy numbers from this screen and use it as the SRC number instead of “+14156667777” in the above code.

SMS regulations vary from country to country. For messages to countries other than the US and Canada, you might want to register an alphanumeric sender ID for your messages. You can learn more about the use of alphanumeric sender ID and register one from the Messaging > Sender IDs page of the console.

Deploy the cloud function

Once you’re done writing the cloud function and have replaced all the necessary placeholders with actual values from the Plivo console, you can deploy the function to the Firebase cloud by running firebase deploy --only functions, which makes it available to run via URL.

Send an SMS message

Now go to the Firebase console, navigate to your project, and click on the Functions option on the left navigation bar. Copy the URL assigned to your project into a new browser tab and press enter. Voilà! The phone number you specified will receive the SMS message body configured in the code.

Note: If you’re using a Plivo trial account, you can send messages only to phone numbers that have been verified with Plivo. You can verify a phone number using the Phone Numbers > Sandbox Numbers page of the console.

Next step: incoming messages

Of course sending messages is only half of the equation. You can use Plivo and Firebase cloud functions to receive incoming messages too. For your next project, give that a try — create an application to receive SMS messages using Node.js, following the instructions in our Quickstart Guide.

Haven’t tried Plivo yet? Getting started is easy and only takes 5 minutes! Sign up today.

Apr 26, 2021

5 mins

Plivo’s Latest Safeguards Against Telecom Fraud and Spam

Plivo is taking new measures to let our customers improve the trust their customers have in them, via STIR/SHAKEN, Google Verified services, and 10DLC.

Fraud Prevention

Telecom fraud and scams are a fast-growing problem — Americans were hit by almost 46 billion robocalls in 2020 alone, costing $10 billion annually. As more businesses turn to IP telephony for their communications needs, and with mobile communication becoming an integral part of our lives, the obligation to address fraudsters and scammers has become increasingly urgent.

Telecom fraud comes in various forms — PBX hacking, toll fraud, robocalling, subscription fraud — and it’s detrimental to businesses and individuals alike. In recent months, the telecom industry has begun deploying new technologies to combat the surge of spam phone calls at scale, and CPaaS providers like Plivo are joining the fight.

Here are some policies and actions the telecom industry is taking to minimize the risk of telecom fraud, along with information about how Plivo plans to support these initiatives for its customers.

STIR/SHAKEN

To help prevent unwanted robocalls, the FCC has begun implementing the STIR/SHAKEN protocols. STIR (Secure Telephone Identity Revisited) and SHAKEN (Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using Tokens) encompass a framework of standards that aim to address the accuracy of caller ID information. They help consumers authenticate calls they receive by digitally validating calls passing through carrier networks. The FCC has directed carriers to implement robust call authentication by adopting STIR/SHAKEN standards by June 30, 2021.

Plivo is working on an authentication process to comply with the STIR/SHAKEN protocols. We’re already testing calls, and we expect to complete our implementation well before the June 30 deadline. This means that we’ll be able to start signing outgoing calls on customers’ behalf and ensure their calls get the right attestation so that call recipients can feel confident answering them. In the coming weeks, our customers will be able to submit to us their business information and the phone numbers they own and use as caller IDs so we can verify them.

Google Verified SMS and Verified Calls

Meanwhile, Google is adding a couple of security-focused features to its Android Messages app, including Verified SMS and Verified Calls, two tools to combat fraudulent text messages and phone calls. Verified text messages and incoming calls will display a business’s name, their logo, and a verification symbol that indicates that the communication has been verified by Google. For phone calls, Google takes it a step further by indicating why the business is calling.

Now that mobile communications is so popular and widely used, businesses need to stand out and provide messages and call recipients with greater confidence that their brand is reputable. Verified SMS and Verified Calls are great ways for businesses to enhance customers’ trust in their brands.

Plivo is partnering with Google to register businesses and implement the back-end technology to support the services through both our messaging and voice API products. Our customers will be able to enroll via Plivo. Implementation requires no additional engineering efforts and offers organizations a richly branded profile including the business name, description, and logo. We expect support for Verified SMS and Verified Calls to be available in beta sometime this year.

A2P 10DLC

On yet another front in the battle against spam, A2P 10DLC has shifted the landscape of business text messaging, providing new routes dedicated to high-volume text messaging in the form of 10-digit long codes. The objective for 10DLC is to provide stability, reliability, and security to both businesses and their customers. But before telecom customers can take advantage of these sanctioned routes, carrier networks such as AT&T and T-Mobile require an in-depth qualification process that verifies the legitimacy of the business. (Verizon doesn’t require businesses to submit themselves for qualification.) The qualifying process takes into consideration both business details and the use case of a messaging campaign, and yields a result that dictates the number of messages the business can send within a given day.

Plivo customers can register their brand — the business they’re creating a campaign for — through the Plivo website. Once the brand has been approved and has been assigned a “trust score,” campaign and throughput details for the AT&T network will be passed over to us, which we will then confirm with you via email. At this time, T-Mobile hasn’t disclosed throughput details; once this information is available, we’ll make it known to all customers via email.

A new verification tool to help give customers confidence

Through all of these scenarios you’ll notice the common theme of confirming that a business is who they say they are. To streamline this qualification process across the different protocols and features, we’ll be enabling a verification tool in the Plivo console, which will comprise of two parts:

The first part will be dedicated to the verifying business details. Plivo will confirm the legitimacy of an organization’s submitted details and apply approval at the account level, giving customers access to the products highlighted above.

The second part will be product-specific, with dedicated pages on our left-side menu detailing requirements for each (STIR/SHAKEN, Google Verified SMS, 10DLC), where you can submit the appropriate information.

We expect to roll out this tool sometime in 2021, and we’ll share more details once they’re available.

Brands that value building trust with their customers are likely to outperform those that don’t. Plivo is eager to help our customers implement measures to safeguard against telecom fraud. We believe that all of these initiatives will help businesses strengthen their conversations with users, build trust, prevent scams, and provide a safer space for mobile communications globally.

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AI Voice Agents - The Complete Guide to Voice Chat (2025)

What is an AI voice agent?

Types of AI voice agents

Rule-based AI voice agent

AI-assisted voice agent

Conversational AI voice agent

Voice-activated voice agent

How does an AI voice agent improve customer engagement?

Use case: Get a quick update on order status, 24/7

Benefits:

Use case: Improve language learning for students

Benefits:

Use case: Improve patient outcomes in healthcare

Benefits:

Use case: Streamline routine financial services

Benefits:

Use case: Get personal shopping assistance

Benefits:

Features of an AI voice agent

Natural language understanding (NLU)

Personalization capabilities

Multi-language support

Integration with other platforms and services

Benefits of voice agents

Enhanced user experience

Better cost efficiency

Accessibility for users with disabilities

Data collection and analysis for improved services

24/7 availability

Future of AI voice technology

Key upcoming trends:

Launch an AI voice agent with Plivo

AI Voice Agents for Real Estate (2026): 10 Tools Compared, Real Limitations and What Actually Scales

Top 10 AI Voice Agents for Real Estate (2026)

1. Plivo

2. Luron AI

3. Callers AI

4. SquadStack AI

5. Telgent

6. AIOnCalls

7. Brilo AI

8. VocalDesk

9. Calldock

10. Ylopo

What Matters Most in AI Voice Agents (Beyond the Basics)

1. Telephony Ownership vs. Vendor Stitching

2. Real-Time Performance (Latency & Uptime)

3. Multi-Channel Context, Not Disconnected Bots

4. Integration Depth (CRM, Calendars, Workflows)

5. Built for Scale, Not Just Launch

FAQs

What's the fastest way to go live without breaking existing operations?

How do I ensure voice quality doesn't feel robotic or laggy?

How does the agent stay accurate and compliant with real estate data?

What happens when call volume spikes or multiple leads call at once?

How does this fit into my CRM and follow-up workflows?

Try Plivo Free

Best AI Voice Agents for Customer Support and Service (2026): What to Deploy Now

1) Plivo — The fastest path to production-grade AI voice agents for customer support

Why Plivo is #1

What it does for you

Segment-by-segment fit

Start with Voice, go everywhere

Suitable for

2) Google Dialogflow CX — Complex, branching flows without spaghetti

Key features

Why it matters

Implementation steps

Suitable for

3) Amazon Lex + Amazon Connect — AWS-first voice automation that ops can own

Key features

Why it matters

Implementation steps

Suitable for

4) IBM Watson Assistant — Governance-first deployments in regulated industries

Key features

Why it matters

Implementation steps

Suitable for

5) Cognigy.AI — IVR modernization with fine-grained voice control