For years, businesses have invested in building omnichannel experiences that meet customers where they are. Email, SMS, mobile apps, and social media all play a role, and messaging remains one of the most widely used channels, yet businesses have lacked the tools to make it as engaging and dynamic as customers expect.
That’s where rich business messaging (RBM) comes in.
SMS has been a reliable communication tool for decades. It’s simple, effective, and universally accessible but it is limited. Customers expect interactions that are visual, interactive, and secure but have been stuck with a system that was originally built in 1992.1 With RBM, messaging finally catches up. RBM is the business messaging solution for those whose customers are searching for RCS (rich communication system).
Imagine a utility outage alert that includes an interactive map of impacted areas. A healthcare reminder that lets patients confirm, reschedule, or speak to a representative directly in the thread. A billing notification that includes a secure payment button with no need to switch apps. All with read receipts that are compliant and audit ready.
RBM transforms basic alerts into actionable, engaging experiences that drive results.
Omnichannel isn’t just about presence across channels; it’s about consistency, trust, and action. Here’s why RBM is the piece that makes the puzzle whole:
Going beyond standard SMS, rich business messaging allows for regulated industries to reach their communities in ways that align with their typical experience when messaging friends and family. Features that make messaging more user-friendly and interactive are now available for
Rich business messages display the brand name and logo prominently, giving recipients confidence that the message is genuinely from the company. This reduces the risk of phishing and scams, helping brands build trust while delivering a more professional, recognizable experience.
When it comes to being compliant with messaging, RCS and RBM provide both delivery confirmation and interaction tracking. With these analytics, businesses can confirm when customers are receiving their communications, making compliance trackable and efficient. Additionally, this data can be used to better understand customer behavior and campaign performance for your marketing team.
Similar to what customers are used to seeing in their own messages, RBM allows senders to see when a recipient has opened a message. This visibility helps brands understand engagement, follow up appropriately, and optimize messaging strategies in real time. When it comes time for audits and compliance, read receipts help give regulated industries the digital trail they need.
Unlike standard SMS, rich business messaging supports high-quality images, GIFs, videos, carousels, and interactive buttons. This enables brands to create visually engaging messages that capture attention and deliver more immersive experiences.
With richer messaging, include scannable QR codes directly in the conversation. This makes it easier for users to access and share promotions, loyalty programs, payment links, or event registrations without leaving the chat, bridging the gap between physical and digital engagement.
RCS and RBM support encryption and verified sender features, protecting sensitive information and confirming the identity of the sender. This ensures secure communication and increases customer confidence when sharing personal or financial information.
With suggested or predefined responses embedded in messages, recipients can reply with a single tap. This reduces friction, speeds up interactions, and can increase response rates for surveys, confirmations, or customer support queries.
RCS can link directly to Convey’s Digital Wallet Card for Utilities, enabling users to safely download and access their personalized wallet card right from a verified message thread. This creates a more integrated and convenient customer experience.
RCS allows actionable buttons for common tasks like booking appointments, confirming orders, or checking account balances directly in the message. This streamlines processes and saves time for both customers and brands, making communication more efficient and effective.
RBM isn’t just a new channel, it’s a smarter way to connect. Customers don’t want to download another app or sift through cluttered inboxes. They want to resolve needs quickly, confidently, and securely, in the channels they already use every day.
For businesses in highly regulated industries, RBM represents more than convenience. It is an opportunity to modernize critical communications while staying compliant and building trust.
RBM and RCS are rapidly gaining traction around the world and adoption in North America is picking up speed. Forward-thinking organizations are using it to strengthen and future-proof their engagement strategies. With Android supporting RCS for years and Apple joining in 2024, businesses now have the opportunity and the need to connect with customers wherever they are.1
At Convey, we believe RBM is the missing piece in omnichannel communications. Not because it replaces other channels but because it elevates the entire experience. By integrating RBM into intelligent workflows, businesses can finally deliver on the promise of customer communication that is seamless, measurable, and human.
Contact us to learn how Convey makes omnichannel engagement smarter, secure, and more effective.
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