The interaction between organisations and consumers is set to become revolutionised with all-new Rich Communications Services (RCS), the latest development in the evolution of mobile messaging. The next generation of SMS is set to surge in 2020 – with predictions that it will create a market worth more than the US $74 billion by next year, according to GSMA.
Brands searching for innovative and new ways to engage their end-users will be able to unlock the benefits of RCS to their advantage. The pioneering technology provides a richer experience for users, offering a unique form of communication which includes the ability to send notifications and multimedia as well as reaction messages such as surveys.
With a concerted effort being made to fully roll out RCS Business Messaging by Google and Mobile Network Operators to android users, it is estimated that there will be more than 62 million people using this system by the end of 2020. This will create a large market that businesses can target with their promotions and messaging.
“With the arrival of RCS, comes a convenient and appealing channel that has an additional layer of trust amongst consumers, as each organisation that uses RCS like charities, banks and retailers must be verified so when a message is received it is guaranteed to be safe and the origin is known,” said Nick Millward, Vice President Europe at mGage. “The reliability and adaptability of the RCS system give brands a variety of use-cases and applications for their customer service strategy. For instance, an airline could send a reminder via RCS to check-in for a flight and at the same time provide the full check-in experience complete with a boarding pass, flight updates and terminal maps on demand.”
New research commissioned by mGage also displays a strong appetite for RCS messaging and the advantages it boasts, with over 51% saying they would use text more if it gave a similar experience to what is currently offered by apps. In trials, it has been shown that RCS has achieved 14 times higher engagement rates and generally a higher response rate with consumers, due to the increasingly engaging nature of its messages.
“This is where RCS comes into its own, giving brands an effective and interactive channel to communicate to its consumers,” added Millward. “The richness of content that it gives end-users boosts response rates and with no extra installation of apps needed it is an easy solution with exponential possibilities.”
The A2P SMS market has been used for years to deliver on-brand mobile messaging and promotions with huge success – with more than 23 billion text messages sent globally every day. With RCS messaging being the next generation, it is clear there is a trajectory for enormous financial gain and a huge pool of customers waiting to be unleashed, as more device owners become RCS users. This creates a clear and certain future for this new form of communication allowing for a richer, more secure and engaging proposition for consumers and brands.
