The role of RCS in automated flows
RCS messaging brings a new layer of depth and interactivity to your automated flows, transforming them from simple touchpoints into rich, engaging experiences.
When applied to your existing automations, RCS can amplify performance across the entire customer lifecycle. In purchase-driving flows, like abandoned cart or back-in-stock, it can reduce friction and encourage faster conversions with visually compelling product highlights and one-tap calls to action. In loyalty and retention flows, it creates more meaningful, personalized interactions that strengthen relationships over time. The result is a more immersive experience that not only captures attention but drives deeper engagement and long-term value.
Once you enable RCS in Klaviyo, your text messages in existing flows will automatically revert to RCS messages with SMS/MMS fallbacks.
Elevate key flows with Single RCS messages
Implement RCS messages into your existing flows to increase interactivity and encourage more action. Click through the tabs below to explore 4 key examples.
Welcome
RCS lets you create a more engaging, interactive welcome experience for new text message subscribers.
With quick replies, you can seamlessly gather preferences or guide new sign-ups through an onboarding quiz right away. This early interaction not only gives you richer data for personalization, but also signals that you’re genuinely interested in understanding each subscriber from the start.
Note: Contact cards are not supported on RCS. If you have an existing contact card in your welcome flow, make sure you update this message accordingly. And don’t worry: the verified sender IDs of RCS messages provide the same value to subscribers with brand information included with each and every message.
Abandoned cart
RCS messaging helps recover lost revenue by turning standard reminders into interactive shopping experiences.
Instead of a simple text nudge, showcase abandoned products with rich images or carousels. Plus, include one-tap buttons that take customers directly back to checkout.
This reduces friction and makes it easier for shoppers to pick up where they left off, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Back-in-stock
With RCS, back-in-stock messages become more visually compelling and timely, helping you capture demand the moment items are restocked.
Highlight the restocked product with engaging visuals, include key details like price or variants, and add quick-action buttons that drive immediate purchase.
This creates a sense of urgency while making it effortless for customers to act before inventory runs out again.
Post-purchase
RCS elevates post-purchase communication by making feedback collection feel seamless and interactive.
Instead of directing customers to an external form, you can use suggested replies or in-message prompts to gather ratings and feedback directly within the conversation. You can also offer cross-sell recommendations, or product instructions.
This lowers the barrier to participation, increases response rates, and helps build stronger relationships by showing customers their opinions are valued.
RCS flows best practices
Click into the dropdowns below to learn additional best practices for RCS flows. Keep these tips in mind as you build impactful, automated RCS messaging.
Customize your SMS/MMS fallback
When you enable RCS in your account, RCS becomes the default text messaging protocol. For flows, that means that the text messages in your existing flows will become RCS messages automatically. Klaviyo copies your SMS content to configure the RCS version of the message for you.
Like campaigns, you’ll have an SMS (or MMS) fallback for RCS messages in your flows. It’s important to always customize the SMS fallback to ensure it follows best practices. Remember to adjust things like formatting, copy, tone, and CTA.
Update contact card messages in existing flows
RCS messages don’t support contact cards. That being said, you may have existing flows, such as a welcome series flow, with text messages that include a contact card. Once RCS is enabled, this content won’t translate effectively.
Ensure you remove any messages that include contact cards and replace it with more relevant RCS content.
If you’re worried about losing the value of contact cards, don’t be! RCS agents include information like your name, logo, and other branded information, to help your recipients immediately recognize your brand and strengthen trust.
Implement conditional splits with the RCS capability property
Just as you can create segments that use the RCS capability property, you can also add conditional splits to branch your flow by whether someone can receive RCS messages on their device.
If you have a message that will not translate well as an SMS or MMS, and you’d like to avoid sending a fallback message to recipients, you should add a conditional split based on whether someone has the RCS capability property. In the YES path (i.e., they do have the property), send your RCS message. In the NO path (i.e., they do not have the property), either send a different SMS or MMS message, or remove someone from the flow at that point.