Infobip Reports Growth in Customer Communication on Black Friday
New data from global communications platform Infobip indicates a strong preference for conversational engagement among consumers on Black Friday. This year, the platform recorded an impressive 3.4 billion interactions, marking a 26% increase compared to the previous year. More than 1.8 billion of these interactions stemmed from messaging on Infobip's system, an increase from 1.7 billion in the prior year.
Preferred Channels for Conversational Engagement
According to Infobip's analysis, the top three communications channels on Black Friday were SMS, email, and WhatsApp, collectively recording over 1.6 billion interactions. This data underscores Infobip's leadership as the largest messaging platform worldwide, proving its reliability for brands during peak shopping seasons.
Growth of Rich Communication Services (RCS)
Rich Communication Services (RCS) experienced remarkable growth this Black Friday as brands sought to create convenient, conversational customer journeys. RCS interactions increased by 17% compared to an average day in November and jumped 388% when compared to last Black Friday, demonstrating rising consumer demand for more interactive communication forms.
Industry Interactions and Insights
In addition to the growth in RCS, Infobip identified retail, eCommerce, and finance as the top three sectors that contributed significantly to communication interactions. These industries saw increases of 42% and 36%, respectively, when compared to the same period last year, showcasing the effectiveness of targeted customer engagement strategies.
Month-long Sales and Consumer Attraction
Infobip's data suggests that the impact of Black Friday now extends throughout the month of November. As brands look to attract cost-conscious consumers before the holiday rush, interactions during this full month exceeded those from the previous year.
Insights from Infobip's Chief Business Officer
Ivan Ostoji?, Chief Business Officer at Infobip, commented on the findings: “RCS has emerged as a vital channel for shoppers this Black Friday. Consumers are leaning into these conversational experiences, while businesses are striving to facilitate end-to-end engagement through a single platform. The emphasis on hyper-personalization has significantly improved conversational experiences, likely enhancing overall sales. Moreover, the traditional Black Friday discount period is now perceived as a lengthy event stretching over November, resulting in a notable spike in interactions.”
About Infobip
Infobip is a global cloud communications platform that transforms how businesses engage with their customers. By consolidating various communication channels into a unified interface, Infobip provides solutions for omnichannel engagement, identity verification, user authentication, and contact center operations. With infrastructure capable of connecting to over seven billion mobile devices worldwide across 6 continents, the company facilitates more than 9,700 connections, including over 800 direct operator links. Founded in 2006, Infobip is led by co-founders Silvio Kuti?, Roberto Kuti?, and Izabel Jeleni?.
Acknowledgment of Recent Achievements
Infobip's recent achievements include:
- Being named number one among Established Leaders in RCS Business Messaging according to Juniper Research’s RCS Business Messaging Competitor Leaderboard 2024.
- Securing a place as a Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) in 2024 for the second consecutive year.
- Recognition in Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies 2024.
- Leadership in the CPaaS Leaderboard by Juniper Research.
- Ranked the top CPaaS provider in the inaugural MetriRank CPaaS Report from Metrigy.
- Leadership in the CCaaS Leaderboard by Juniper Research.
- Being acknowledged by Omdia as a Leader in its CPaaS Universe Report for the second year.
- Attaining leadership position in Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for CPaaS 2023.
- Recognition in the Juniper Customer Data Platform Leaderboard Report.
- Awarded as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Worldwide CPaaS Vendor Assessment in 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Infobip?
Infobip is a global cloud communications platform that enables businesses to enhance customer engagement through various messaging solutions.
What growth did Infobip experience on Black Friday?
Infobip recorded 3.4 billion interactions on Black Friday, a 26% increase compared to last year.
Which communication channels were most used on Black Friday?
SMS, email, and WhatsApp were the most preferred channels, accounting for more than 1.6 billion interactions.
What is the significance of RCS in customer communication?
RCS has become a crucial channel for shoppers, improving engagement and interaction rates significantly compared to previous years.
How has the Black Friday shopping period changed?
The shopping period has evolved to span the entire month of November, with increased interactions and promotional efforts from brands.
