Universal and direct, SMS has been seen as a pillar of customer relations for over thirty years. However, 56% of French people have already fallen victim to a fraudulent “phishing” SMS (Source: INSEE). On a global scale, fraud is exploding, with a 318% increase in so-called “conversational” attacks, according to figures relayed by Les Numériques. As a result, this technology has been weakened by the loss of user confidence.
In this context, RCS (Rich Communication Services) is its natural evolution. Designed to restore trust and enrich customer communication, it combines the simplicity of the mobile message with the security, legitimacy and transparency of a channel certified by operators.
This article sheds some light on the concrete contributions of this technology, and the measurable benefits it is already offering companies and their customers.
RCS: a new generation of mobile messaging
For businesses, SMS has found its place in a number of applications: order notifications, appointment reminders or promotional messages. But as customer interactions become increasingly digitalised and sensitive, this channel suffers from a number of obstacles.
Weakened confidence
Technically, a message sent by a brand is based on a simple sender identifier that is displayed in place of the long number. While many efforts have been made by the industry to protect these identifiers, many fraudulent messages are sent from long numbers. Practices such asidentity theft and phishing blur the line between legitimate and fraudulent messages.
For customers, doubt sets in: even notifications from reliable companies can now be distrusted.
For brands, the effects are just as tangible: lower open rates, less effective campaigns, and a weakened credibility capital.
New challenges for companies
This loss of trust is not just a security issue: it calls into question the ability of SMS to support the new standards of customer experience.
Today’s consumers expect more personalised, contextualised and transparent exchanges. They want to know who they’re talking to, why they’re receiving a message, and be able to interact in a fluid, relevant way.
To remain successful, companies must :
- Reassure customers about the origin of messages sent
- Maintain a consistent brand identity across all channels
- Measure campaign performance with reliable indicators
- And above all, to recreate a bond of trust in a channel that has become vulnerable.
Restoring trust and modernising exchanges
Conceived as an evolution of SMS, RCS retains its ease of use while adding guarantees of security and authenticity.
A verified and certified channel
The RCS is based on a mechanism for verifying and validating brand identity by operators before any message is sent. In concrete terms, this means that each company must be authenticated as an official sender:
- Its name and logo are registered
- The message has a clear, verified visual identity
- The user understands that this is a certified sender.
The RCS reinforces the credibility of your communication. The customer receives personalised, reassuring notification.
Practical applications today
RCS is gradually establishing itself as a new standard for mobile messaging.
According toAF2M figures (4th quarter 2025): 83% of smartphones in France are already RCS-compatible. This represents over 50 million devices, and a spectacular 76.6% increase in one year!
The channel is also increasingly appealing to brands: 421 chains now use RCS, 2.5 times more than last year.
This growing adoption is due to the versatility of RCS, which is used in a wide range of sectors (retail, services, automotive, banking & insurance, e-commerce, mass distribution, tourism, real estate, etc.), and meets a broad spectrum of use cases :
- Transactional messages: order confirmation, validation code, registration follow-up
- Follow-up notifications: delivery information, appointment reminder, status update
- Service information: alerts, cancellations, postponements or delays
- Marketing and relational campaigns: targeted offers, promotional messages or loyalty programs.
In addition to being a technological evolution, these concrete uses demonstrate that RCS should become a new conversational reflex for brands and their customers. It makes exchanges more reliable, while retaining the simplicity and proximity of SMS, but with an unprecedented level of performance.
What ROI can you expect from RCS?
For brands
A sharp rise in commitment
RCS messages record on average +50%engagement compared to SMS. They offer click-through rates 3 to 7 times higher, and a conversion rate three times higher.
These results can be explained by the legitimacy and readability of the message. The messages generate more trust and interaction, reinforcing the closeness between brand and customer.
A stronger brand image
By clearly displaying the company’s name and visual identity, the RCS reinforces the brand’s credibility and consistency on the mobile channel.
The message is now perceived as a genuine touchpoint in the customer experience.
A simpler, more efficient route
Users interact directly from their inbox, with no intermediary links or third-party applications.
A fluid, faster and more natural path, which encourages conversion and limits wastage between reception and action.
For customers
Greater transparency
The customer knows where the message is coming from, which eliminates doubt and improves brand perception.
Instant, visual and interactive interactions
RCS makes interactions more dynamic, thanks to enriched messages. This quality of exchange contributes to a better experience.
Quick and easy actions
Thanks to a design conceived for efficiency, each RCS message can propose clear and direct call-to-actions (click to confirm, validate a code, track an order…).
Users can complete their procedures in a matter of seconds, with no redirections.
Odigo, a trusted partner for your RCS communications
With RCS, Odigo accompanies companies into a new era of mobile customer relations: safer, more transparent and more engaging.
Our offer stands out for its comprehensive, integrated approach:
- A single point of contact for the management and orchestration of your RCS campaigns, via our CPaaS offering and integrated with ourCCaaS offering.
- A complete, sovereign solution, hosted in Europe and compliant with data protection requirements
- And the legitimacy of a recognised player in customer relations, involved with various telecoms bodies for over 25 years.
With Odigo, brands now have a trusted partner to turn RCS into a new lever for performance and proximity to their customers.
Would you like to find out more?
