Key takeaways
- Plan the journey step by step, and choose the channel for the purpose of the step, not because a channel is new.
- Channels differ in consent, content and cost: SMS is the broad base, and the richer channels come on top.
- Fix a fallback order and a rule against duplicates before you build anything.
- Judge platforms on criteria: one integration, fallback per message, one log and analytics view, and consent per channel.
How do you plan an omnichannel customer journey?
Start with the journey and not with the channels. Write down each step, from sign-up to follow-up, and answer four questions for each before you choose a channel.
- Purpose: should the recipient act, understand or just be informed?
- Speed: must the message be seen within seconds, hours or days?
- Content: is plain text enough, or does the step need an image, buttons or an attachment?
- Consent: what basis do you have for contacting the person on exactly that channel?
Which channel fits which step?
| Channel | Fits | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Codes, short reminders and messages that must reach every phone without an app | Text only; price and length per segment |
| RCS | Messages with a verified sender, images and buttons | Needs a supported phone, operator and country |
| iMessage (Apple Messages for Business) | Rich conversations with iPhone users | Apple devices only; the conversation typically starts with the customer |
| Conversations and notifications for customers who use the app daily | Consent and approved templates; Meta’s rules change | |
| Receipts, attachments and long explanations | Rarely time-critical; depends on spam filters and sender reputation | |
| Push | Quick notifications to users of your app | Reaches only those who have the app and have allowed notifications |
What order should the fallback have?
No fixed order suits everyone, but most journeys follow one pattern: a rich channel first, SMS as the safety net, and email for what is not urgent. Concrete rules matter more than the order:
- Time-critical messages: a rich channel or push first, then SMS after a short window that you set for the message type
- Critical messages such as one-time codes: SMS is often the safe choice, and fallback should be fast
- Content that is not urgent: email first, SMS only as a reminder if nothing has been done
- Fallback must never send a message on a channel the person has not consented to
- Every message gets one ID, so you can stop the fallback once the first channel delivers and avoid duplicates
What about consent and cost per channel?
Consent and price differ from channel to channel and need planning as early as the content.
Consent: marketing by SMS generally requires prior consent in Denmark (the Danish Marketing Practices Act, section 10), and WhatsApp expects the recipient to have agreed to hear from you. Push is governed by the permission in the phone, and email has its own rules. Record consent and opt-out per channel. This is general information, not legal advice.
Cost: each channel is priced differently and varies by country. Ask what a message costs per channel and per delivered message, and calculate for the whole journey, not for one channel. List prices for SMS and RCS by country are on the pricing page.
Which messaging platforms are best for omnichannel customer journeys?
That depends on your journey and your countries, so a ranking would be guesswork. Judge platforms on these criteria instead:
- One integration for all channels, so you do not build and maintain an API per channel
- Fallback per message in an order you decide
- One log and one analytics view across channels, so you can follow one number through the whole journey
- Consent and opt-out that apply across channels where relevant
- Coverage of the channels and countries you actually use, confirmed per country
- Help with sender verification and templates for RCS, iMessage and WhatsApp
- Price per channel and per delivered message, and a pilot where you can see the numbers yourself
How ZafeConnect fits
ZafeConnect brings SMS, MMS, RCS, iMessage, email and chat apps such as WhatsApp Business together on one platform with one integration through the API or your existing systems. The system selects the most cost-efficient delivery method, starting with RCS and iMessage, and analytics across email, RCS, iMessage and SMS are included at no additional cost.
ZafeConnect states up to 40% lower cost than traditional SMS when RCS and iMessage are used. Availability varies by country and channel provider, so tell us which countries and channels you need. You can be live in as little as 2 weeks.