Rebellious Times Podcast

Episode 31: Reinventing Messaging – How RCS is Transforming Customer Conversations


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Why SMS Is No Longer Enough

Text messaging changed how businesses communicate.
However, SMS has not evolved.

In this episode of the Rebellious Times Podcast, Chris Januszewski sits down with Michael Lamb, CEO of nativeMsg, to explore how Rich Communication Services (RCS) is redefining customer engagement.

Michael has spent years building messaging platforms. Along the way, he saw the limits of SMS firsthand. There is no rich media. There is no interactivity. And there is very little insight into performance. As a result, businesses are stuck using a tool that no longer meets modern expectations.

Key Highlights
  • Why SMS lacks insight, analytics, and engagement

  • How RCS transforms text messages into interactive experiences

  • RCS as an application development protocol, not just messaging

  • The challenges of building nativeMsg during COVID

  • Why education is critical for RCS adoption

  • What entrepreneurs need to know about market readiness

    Perfect for:
    • Marketing and CX leaders
    • Product and growth teams
    • Founders building messaging-first products
    • Businesses exploring customer engagement innovation

    From Black-and-White to Color TV

    Michael describes the shift from SMS to RCS with a simple analogy.
    It is like moving from black-and-white television to color.

    RCS allows businesses to send rich media, interactive buttons, quick replies, and branded messages directly inside the native SMS app. Because of this, companies no longer need to force customers into separate apps or fragmented experiences.

    At the same time, RCS provides analytics. Businesses can finally see what customers engage with and refine their messaging accordingly.

    Building nativeMsg Before the Market Was Ready

    Building nativeMsg was not easy.
    Timing mattered.

    Michael shares what it was like launching during COVID and educating a market that did not yet understand RCS. He emphasizes the importance of long-term commitment and resilience. If customers do not know something exists, they cannot buy it.

    Still, Michael believes RCS is inevitable. Messaging is moving toward application-level experiences. nativeMsg is building the platform to make that future accessible.

    Why This Episode Matters

    This episode is about more than messaging.
    It is about educating the market and pushing innovation forward.

    If you care about customer communication, this conversation will change how you think about text messaging.

    nativeMsg links:

    nativemsg.com
    LinkedIn

     

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    Rebellious Times PodcastBy Chris Januszewski