RCS for Business: Rich, Verified Messaging

SMS has reached its limit. As inboxes fill with anonymous numbers and one-way alerts, engagement drops, and trust becomes harder to earn. That’s why more brands are moving beyond SMS-only communication and adopting RCS for business. 

RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the next chapter of mobile messaging. It turns traditional text messages into rich, interactive conversations. 

In this article, we’ll explore what RCS messaging is, how it works for businesses, key use cases across industries, and how companies can get started with RCS for business messaging using Dexatel.

What Is RCS for Business?

RCS for business is the practical upgrade to SMS, built to support branded, interactive conversations instead of plain text alerts. To see why it’s gaining traction, it helps to look at what RCS messaging actually is, how it works inside native messaging apps, and where it clearly outperforms standard text messages.

RCS as the Next Evolution of SMS

So, what is RCS messaging exactly? 

RCS (Rich Communication Services) is an advanced messaging protocol developed to upgrade SMS and MMS by enabling rich media, interactivity, and branded communication directly within messaging apps. While SMS is limited to plain text and basic links, RCS allows businesses to deliver visually engaging, app-like experiences without requiring customers to download anything.

So, what does RCS mean in texting? The answer is simple: it turns text messages into dynamic conversations.

Instead of one-way notifications, RCS allows for two-way, interactive messaging that feels closer to a chat app, while still operating within the mobile messaging ecosystem users already trust.

How RCS Works Within Native Android Messaging Apps

One of the key advantages of RCS for business is that it works natively inside Android messaging apps, such as Google Messages. Unlike over-the-top messaging platforms that require separate installations, RCS messages are delivered directly to the user’s default messaging app.

This native experience removes friction for customers and ensures high visibility. Messages appear just like regular texts, but with enhanced capabilities, making RCS messaging both familiar and powerful for everyday communication.

Verified Sender Profiles, Brand Logos, and Trust Indicators

Trust is a major challenge in mobile messaging, and RCS addresses it head-on. With RCS for business, companies use verified sender profiles that display the brand name, logo, and verification badges within the message thread.

These trust indicators help users instantly recognize who is contacting them, reducing the risk of phishing and fraud. For businesses, this means higher credibility, better open rates, and stronger customer confidence compared to messages sent from anonymous phone numbers.

Key RCS Features

What truly sets RCS messaging apart is its rich feature set, designed for interaction rather than one-way delivery. 

• Rich cards with images and text to present offers, updates, or product details clearly

• Interactive buttons that enable immediate actions like “Buy now,” “Track order,” or “Contact support”

• Swipeable carousels to showcase multiple products, plans, or promotions within a single message

• Suggested replies that guide users through conversations and reduce friction in responses

Why Use RCS for Business Communication?

Customers have learned to be skeptical of anonymous numbers and generic SMS blasts, and businesses feel it in lower response rates, missed conversions, and growing fraud risk. 

RCS for business tackles those problems by combining the reach and immediacy of mobile messaging with the things SMS can’t deliver: branding, interactivity, and verification.

Branded, Verified Messaging Builds User Trust

With RCS Business Messaging, brands can message customers from a verified sender profile that surfaces brand name and visual identity (like logos and colors) directly in the conversation, so users don’t have to guess who’s contacting them.

That recognition matters because customers see a legitimate business presence, which helps reduce hesitation and supports safer engagement, especially for high-stakes messages like account updates, deliveries, or payments.

Rich Media and Interactive Message Experiences

RCS turns messages into experiences. Google’s RCS rich cards support media (images/GIFs, video, and more), plus suggested replies and actions that make it easy for users to respond with a tap.

For business teams, this means you can design flows that feel closer to app UX, as well as browse, choose, confirm, and ask a question, without asking users to install anything.

Higher Engagement Than SMS

SMS is easy to deliver, but hard to make compelling. 

RCS is built for attention and action, which is why many marketers track it with richer metrics (taps, button clicks, reply rates) instead of “delivered/not delivered.” 

Industry benchmark reporting commonly cites very high open rates for RCS campaigns (often reported above 90%), though performance varies by audience, message design, and use case.

And in real-world examples, some brands have reported meaningful uplifts versus SMS, like higher engagement and conversion improvements when using branded, interactive RCS experiences.

Native Messaging App Experience

A big reason RCS performs well is that it meets customers where they already are: their default messaging inbox. RCS Business Messaging is designed to deliver business conversations directly inside the phone’s native messaging experience (commonly Android messaging clients like Google Messages), reducing friction compared to channels that require a separate download or login.

So instead of sending customers away to a web form or app flow, you can keep the journey inside a familiar interface, make faster decisions, and have fewer drop-offs.

Secure Communication and Sender Verification

SMS has no built-in identity layer. RCS adds verification and platform-level protections that help create a safer environment for business-to-consumer messaging. Google’s RCS Business Messaging documentation describes encryption in transit and notes that Google manages encryption keys as part of its security model, including protections designed to reduce malicious content like phishing and malware URLs.

On top of that, the brand/agent verification process is a core part of launching RCS business messaging, reinforcing sender authenticity before campaigns go live.

RCS Business Messaging Use Cases

Below are the most common and effective ways companies use RCS today, along with RCS messaging examples for each.

Marketing and Promotional Campaigns

RCS messaging makes marketing campaigns feel much closer to using an app than receiving a traditional text. Instead of a short promo line followed by a link, brands can send rich messages with visuals, product cards, pricing, and clear calls to action—all directly inside the messaging inbox.

Some common RCS messaging examples include limited-time offers shown as swipeable carousels, product launches with images and “Buy now” buttons, or personalized promotions that let customers browse options and respond instantly. By keeping everything in one place, RCS removes extra steps, holds attention longer, and drives stronger intent than SMS campaigns that depend on sending users elsewhere.

Customer Support and Conversational Commerce

RCS supports two-way conversations that combine automation and human support inside the native messaging app.

Typical RCS messaging examples include:

• Order or delivery questions handled through suggested replies

• Appointment changes or service requests via interactive buttons

• Product inquiries that transition from automated flows to live agents

This shortens resolution times and keeps your customers in a single, familiar channel.

Transactional Notifications and Updates

This is where RCS really shines. Transactional messages depend on clarity and trust, and RCS makes both immediately obvious. Instead of a plain text message, businesses can send branded, verified messages for order confirmations, delivery updates, appointments, or subscription changes, so customers instantly recognize who’s reaching out.

With RCS, these messages can include order summaries, tracking buttons, calendar actions, or quick replies like “Reschedule” or “Contact support.” These RCS messaging examples keep everything in one place, reduce confusion, and make post-purchase communication easier to follow than a series of disconnected SMS alerts.

Authentication and Account Alerts

When it comes to security messages, recognition matters. RCS adds an extra layer of confidence by showing a verified sender name and brand details, helping users quickly identify legitimate account alerts. Typical RCS messaging examples include login notifications, password change confirmations, or unusual activity alerts, often paired with clear action buttons such as “Secure account” or “Report this activity.”

Re-Engagement and Customer Retention

RCS is also effective when you need to bring customers back into the conversation. Instead of sending generic reminder texts, brands can use rich, interactive messages that encourage users to act right away.

Across many RCS messaging examples, businesses commonly see:

• Open rates reported above 90%, thanks to native inbox delivery

• Higher interaction rates than SMS, driven by buttons and rich media

• Stronger conversions, since users can engage without leaving the message

That combination makes RCS a strong channel for win-back campaigns, renewal reminders, and personalized follow-ups.

RCS for Business Messaging With Dexatel

Dexatel makes it easy to launch and scale RCS for business without adding complexity to your messaging stack. Everything is designed to work together, from setup to delivery and optimization.

• Unified omnichannel messaging platform: Manage RCS alongside SMS and other messaging channels from a single platform, keeping conversations consistent and centralized instead of fragmented across tools.

• API-based RCS messaging and conversational flows: Send RCS messages and build interactive conversational flows using flexible APIs, making it easy to integrate rich messaging into existing systems and workflows.

• Brand verification and agent registration support: Dexatel supports the RCS brand and agent verification process, helping ensure your business is properly registered, verified, and ready to send trusted messages.

• Advanced delivery reports, engagement tracking, and analytics: Go beyond delivery receipts with insights into message opens, button clicks, and user interactions, so you can measure performance and refine campaigns over time.

• Intelligent fallback to SMS when RCS is unavailable: When RCS isn’t supported on a user’s device or network, messages automatically fall back to SMS, ensuring reliable delivery without disrupting the customer experience.

Getting Started With RCS for Business Via Dexatel

Getting started with RCS for business doesn’t have to be complicated. Dexatel guides you through each step, from setup to launch, so you can start sending rich, verified messages with confidence.

1. Create Your Dexatel Account

The first step is setting up your Dexatel account. Once you’re in, you’ll have access to the tools and APIs needed to manage RCS messaging alongside your existing communication channels.

2. Register and Verify Your RCS Brand/Agent

Before sending RCS messages, your brand and messaging agent need to be verified. Dexatel supports this process, helping you submit the required details so your messages appear with verified branding and trust indicators in users’ inboxes.

3. Design Rich Message Templates and Interactive Flows

With your brand verified, you can start building RCS message templates. This is where you add visuals, buttons, suggested replies, and conversational flows that guide users through actions, whether that’s browsing offers, confirming appointments, or getting support.

4. Launch and Monitor Your First RCS Campaign

Once everything is ready, you can launch your first RCS campaign and track performance in real time. Dexatel’s reporting tools let you monitor delivery, engagement, and interactions, so you can quickly adjust and improve your messaging.

Best Practices for RCS Business Messaging

RCS gives you more room to be creative than SMS, but the brands that win with it don’t treat that as permission to cram in “more stuff.” The best RCS programs feel useful, obvious, and easy to act on. 

Think of every message as a mini customer journey: the user should instantly understand who you are, why you’re messaging, and what they can do next—without hunting for a link or guessing what’s safe to tap. 

Below are the practices that actually make a difference in real campaigns, written the way you’ll apply them, not as vague “tips.”

Design Messages for Interaction, Not Just Delivery

If you treat RCS like “SMS but prettier,” you’ll miss the point. RCS is strongest when it reduces steps. The mindset shift is simple: build messages that let people complete the next action inside the thread.

Practical ways to do that:

• Use suggested replies to remove typing friction (“Yes, confirm”, “Change time”, “Talk to support”). These are intentionally short, and Google notes they’re powerful for guiding conversations.

• Use suggested actions/buttons for the “one-tap next step” (track order, view appointment, pay invoice, open map).

• Use rich cards/carousels when the user is choosing between options (plans, products, time slots) instead of sending a paragraph and a link.

A quick “sanity test” before you ship: Can the user complete the goal of this message in under 10 seconds without thinking? If not, you probably need a clearer structure, fewer options, or better buttons.

Use Branding Consistently to Build Recognition

Branding in RCS isn’t just aesthetic, it’s functional. Users decide whether to trust a message in a split second. Verified sender profiles and brand presentation help create a safer environment and reduce spam-like ambiguity.

So treat brand elements like you would in your app UI:

• Keep your brand name consistent (don’t vary it by campaign).

• Use a recognizable logo and avoid changing visuals too often.

• Match tone and formatting across messages so customers learn what “a legit message from you” looks like.

And don’t waste that recognition: your first line should confirm context (“Your delivery update,” “Your appointment tomorrow,” “Your account alert”), so the message feels expected, not intrusive.

Keep CTAs Clear and Action-Driven

RCS gives you buttons, so use them wisely. The mistake is stuffing five CTAs into one message because you can. More options often mean less action.

A good CTA in RCS is:

• Specific (“Track package,” not “Click here”)

• Outcome-based (“Confirm appointment,” not “Proceed”)

• Aligned to one intent per message (don’t mix “Buy now” with “Update preferences” and “Download app”)

Also, design for momentum. Google’s best-practice guidance basically warns against “dead ends,” and every message should point to a meaningful next step.

So if you’re sending an update, include the natural follow-on action (track, reschedule, get help). If you’re sending a promo, include one primary action (shop, claim, reserve).

CTA checklist (fast):

• Does the button label clearly describe what happens next?

• Is there one “primary” action you actually want?

• Is there a safe “escape hatch” (support/stop/manage preferences) when appropriate?

Segment Users Based on Behavior and Device Compatibility

Segmentation in RCS has two layers:

1. Behavioral segmentation: who browsed, who abandoned cart, who is due for renewal, and who needs a reminder. RCS works best when the message is contextual; it feels like the next step in something the user already started.

2. Compatibility segmentation: not everyone can receive RCS. RCS Business Messaging generally requires an RCS-capable setup (device/app/support and connectivity), so your program needs routing rules.

What to do in practice:

• Build an audience strategy that assumes mixed capability.

• Write fallback-safe content: if a rich card becomes SMS, the message should still make sense.

• Decide what must be RCS (interactive shopping, rich flows) versus what can be SMS (simple reminders, critical alerts).

Google’s RCS for Business materials also highlight automatic fallback to SMS/MMS when RCS can’t be delivered, so designing with that in mind is part of doing it well.

Track Engagement Metrics Beyond Delivery Rates

With SMS, “delivered” is often where reporting stops. With RCS, that’s where optimization starts. Google’s RBM measurement guidance highlights tracking message analytics, such as sent/delivered/read, and encourages building your own event tracking on top of agent conversations.

Here’s a practical measurement stack you can use:

Baseline delivery health

• Sent

• Delivered

• Read (where available)

Interaction quality

• Button click rate (per CTA)

• Suggested reply selection rate

• Carousel engagement (which card is tapped)

Outcome metrics

• Conversion rate (purchase, booking, payment completed)

• Support deflection (issues resolved in-thread vs escalated)

• Time to resolution (for service journeys)

A/B testing ideas that actually move numbers

• One CTA vs two CTAs

• Carousel vs single rich card

• “Suggested replies” wording (shorter often wins, Google notes character limits and the need to be concise)

• First line framing (“Delivery update” versus “Good news, your order is on the way”)

One more thing: if you’re serious about RCS, don’t judge success with SMS instincts. A campaign can “deliver” perfectly and still underperform because the journey was unclear. RCS gives you the data to see where users hesitate.

To Conclude

If you strip it down to the essentials, RCS is what SMS was always meant to become. It keeps the reach and simplicity of mobile messaging but adds the things modern communication requires: clear brand identity, built-in trust, and real interaction. 

When people ask “What is an RCS message?” the answer is no longer theoretical: it’s a message that lets customers recognize your brand, understand the context instantly, and take action without leaving their inbox.

With Dexatel, getting started with RCS business messaging is straightforward. From brand verification and rich message design to analytics and intelligent SMS fallback, the platform gives you the tools to launch, manage, and scale RCS with confidence.