Rich Communication Services (RCS) is a messaging service conceived by Google that makes it possible to share high-res photos and larger files, chat with a group, know when messages are read, or make video calls. Being a Google creation, it is designed to be used exclusively with the Android operating system.

In implementing it, we have taken a cautious approach, introducing RCS features incrementally, as not all markets support the full scope of RCS. As our development and testing of the various functionalities evolve in time, we will be introducing them in a piecemeal manner and releasing them automatically, which will be reflected within the platform's options.

The release as of this writing, allows text messaging capabilities as well as Polls & Surveys, Keyword and Chatbot, giving you the opportunity of a firsthand view of the size of your addressable market in an environment of highly competitive messaging platforms and whichturn, aid in your efforts to design more effective engagements and take measures accordingly with the right components to continue reaching your goals.

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NOTE

Before you can exchange messages with users, a registration with RCS Business Messaging is required. If RCS has not been set up and enabled in the platform, it will not be in production. Please contact your Account Manager to initiate the application, set up and put into production of RCS.

For a detailed explanation of RCS status, please refer to the RCS Status sections. This section details the potential final status that indicates the RCS’s outcome.

After selecting New Broadcast/Automation, entering the Broadcast/Automation Name and selecting RCS, you are brought to the RCS broadcast creation section, which has the following steps

1. Detail
2. Recipients
3. Message
4. Summary

Detail

In the Detail step,

1. Select the Agent for the Broadcast from the dropdown menu.
2. Select Next.

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AGENTS

Agents represents your brand and it is a communication engagement entity to interact with your customers by sending messages and handling their reactions for specific business functions used in RCS-enabled messaging apps, e.g., the Messages app, on Android devices.

Recipients

Three options can be selected to define the Broadcast's Recipients:

• Contacts in Platform
• Upload a CSV List
• Write down Contacts\
  

For more information on selecting the desired Recipients, go to Define Recipients in the Messaging Elements section.

After defining the Recipients, select Next.

Message

In the Message step, you will compose the content of the message to be delivered.

The steps to add and personalize the message content are the following:

1. Select Message Template: Select one of the previously created message templates at the panel's top or create a message on the fly.
2. Add a Link Tracker. Allows adding a URL that recipients can tap to take a redirect. For more information on adding a link tracker to the RCS message body, go to the Link Tracker section.
3. Message body: Type the message directly into the RCS Message box.
4. Add Personalized Fields (Placeholders). Messages can be personalized using placeholders in the message content. For more information on how to add personalized fields to the RCS message body, go to the Message Personalization section.

Once all the message details have been addressed, move on to the Summary by clicking Next.

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Summary

In Summary, the final step of the RCS Broadcast creator is where you can

• Review Broadcast details
• Select/unselect configured link tracking settings
• Set the delivery timetable
• Set the message delivery throughput

The Messaging Overview offers a quick way to double-check the Sender Agent, the number of recipients, whether filters are applied or not, and the message contents in the emulated device screen.

At this stage, once the delivery timetable is defined, the broadcast can be submitted by selecting the Submit for approval button. This action does not immediately send the message. Instead, the broadcast is submitted for review and transitions to For Approval status.

The broadcast must then be reviewed and approved by an Administrator before it can be executed at the scheduled time. For a detailed explanation of how broadcasts are reviewed, approved, declined, or rescheduled, refer to the Broadcast Approval section.