RingCentral has unveiled a suite of new features aimed at enhancing business communication. These updates include branded messaging via RCS, expanded SMS coverage, and improved integrations with Microsoft Teams, all designed to streamline interactions between companies and their customers.
The primary goal of this update is to ensure businesses can present their identities more distinctly in both text and voice communications while incorporating automation into shared SMS inboxes and call queues. Additionally, RingCentral is broadening its capabilities beyond the US, offering SMS support in Australia and soon in the UK.
Messaging Innovations
One of the most significant enhancements is the rollout of branded messaging through Rich Communication Services (RCS). This feature enables businesses to send messages that clearly display their verified identity within a recipient’s native messaging app. This replaces standard SMS texts from unrecognized numbers with conversations that showcase a brand’s name, logo, and tagline.
This launch marks the initial phase of RingCentral’s RCS implementation, with later updates expected to introduce richer multimedia content, interactive carousels, and one-tap reply functionalities.
Dave Michels, principal analyst at TalkingPointz, highlighted the increasing acceptance of RCS among mobile users and network operators. He noted, “RCS adoption is rapidly expanding and provides a format and features similar to popular messaging apps. For instance, in the US, about 75% of smartphone users are equipped for RCS. While all major mobile carriers and devices support RCS, a significant portion of B2C communication still relies on traditional SMS.” Michels added that RingCentral is among the first major CCaaS providers to fully support RCS, which fosters enhanced trust and engagement.
Furthermore, RingCentral is broadening its SMS capabilities internationally. Organizations can now use SMS in the UK and Australia via their existing business numbers or direct lines, while notification messages with alphanumeric sender IDs can be transmitted across 190 countries.
These international notifications benefit from smart routing, fallback provisions, and partnerships with carriers, maintaining an impressive average delivery rate of 98%.
Enhanced Call Branding
In line with messaging improvements, RingCentral is also enhancing call identification for voice communications. Its Enterprise Branded Calling service allows businesses to display their name and logo on outgoing calls made to customers.
This feature addresses the declining answer rates as consumers grow increasingly wary of unknown numbers. In healthcare, where appointment reminders and test results often depend on outbound calls, this issue has become particularly pressing.
Eric Brosius, VP of Tech Services at Sun River Health, explained, “Like many healthcare organizations, we’ve noticed a significant drop in patient callback rates as people hesitate to pick up unknown calls. Enterprise Branded Calling will help us stand out by clearly identifying our calls with the Sun River Health name and logo. We anticipate this will greatly improve our ability to reach patients regarding appointment reminders and test results.”
Ashu Varshney, senior vice president of RingEX Products at RingCentral, emphasized the need for businesses to adapt to changing customer behaviors concerning calls and text messages. “In an era filled with spam, consumers have altered their decision-making process on whether to answer a call or read a text,” Varshney said. “Brand recognition and trust have become crucial for effective communication. We are equipping businesses with the tools they need to present their identity and foster reliable engagement across every channel.”
AI-Powered Reception
RingCentral has also enhanced its AI Receptionist, known as AIR, to manage shared SMS inboxes and call queues. This system can automatically respond to incoming text inquiries, discern customer intent, and maintain context across communication channels.
Additionally, AIR can assist in call queues during peak times or when agents are unavailable, aiming to reduce abandoned interactions and gather information for follow-up. This feature is designed to handle routine inquiries quickly and effectively, even outside business hours.
Industry analysts have pointed out a broader challenge many businesses face regarding the fragmentation of communication tools and customer engagement platforms. Prachi Nema, principal analyst for Unified Communications & Collaboration at Omdia, stated, “Customers currently encounter significant obstacles with their Unified Communications & Collaboration stacks and customer engagement systems. Issues like integration complexity and a lack of unified data create inefficiencies and hinder effective communication, negatively impacting customer experiences.” Nema noted that RingCentral is well-positioned to address these challenges with its comprehensive platform suite and the advanced capabilities of AIR.
Microsoft Teams Integration
RingCentral is also focusing on Microsoft Teams users with its Customer Engagement Bundle, which integrates voice, SMS, call routing, and AI-driven post-call summaries directly into the Teams interface. This bundle enables staff to manage and track customer interactions without having to exit Microsoft’s platform.
Features include updates on queue positions, announcements about wait times, options for callbacks, and workflows for shared SMS inboxes. The package also provides real-time and historical reporting that highlights both activity and team performance.
Mila D’Antonio, principal analyst for Customer Engagement at Omdia, remarked, “Organizations are not lacking tools; they struggle with disconnected systems that disrupt the customer experience. RingCentral’s Customer Engagement Bundle for Teams embeds customer interactions directly into the workflows of employees, reducing complexity and speeding up time-to-value.”
Andrew Shenoda, IT manager at Brain Health USA, shared that the system has significantly improved how their staff manages sensitive patient communication. “The RingCentral Customer Engagement Bundle enables our medical staff to handle patient outreach and crisis calls with much higher visibility, ensuring no patient is left waiting during critical moments. By utilizing these AI-driven tools, we’ve reduced administrative task time by 40% and gained three times more insight into our communication practices, allowing us to focus entirely on mental health outcomes.”
Additionally, RingCentral will introduce Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams, enabling global calling across 46 countries through the Teams environment, with centralized management via the Teams Admin Centre.
Branded Messaging, international SMS notifications, the Customer Engagement Bundle for Microsoft Teams, and AIR for SMS inboxes and call queues are now available.
