Testing and launching your agent

To send RCS messages to your customers your must first test and then successfully launch your agent with carriers in the countries where you want to operate

Pre-requisites

Before completing these steps ensure you have already completed the steps to install a Google RCS agentCreate a Google RCS agent and install Google RCS as a channel

Step 1: Adding test users

You may only add up to 20 test devices per day and have a maximum of 200 test devices

Once you have installed your Google RCS agent you can add a test users.

• From the Developer section of your workspace, click the name of your workspace in the top left-hand corner of your screen, then click Manage channels.

• Under the 'Numbers' section, click Google RCS Agents.

• Find your existing RCS Agent

• Navigate to the Test Agent tab

• Under Test Devices add an RCS capable number (currently Android devices with the Google messages app)

  • After adding the test number you will get a message from RBM Tester Management asking you to accept a tester request

  • Select Make me a tester

• Once you have been added as a test user under the simulator section you can Select your number from the Test Device dropdown and send a test message.

  • If you have already created an RCS template you can also select from your existing templates to send

Step 2: Completing testing

Once you have at least one test device setup you can then proceed to complete your Bird CRM integration. The test user will behave as any normal contact so you can proceed to build a flow, journey, campaign and send messages from Inbox depending on your use case.

You should also ensure that you have a mechanism to collect opt in from your customers to message them on RCS and a mechanism to collect opt out from customers when they send STOP keywords. You could build an inbound flow for this

Step 3: Launching an agent

After building an end to end customer experience for RCS on Bird CRM you are now ready to launch with at least one carrier to begin sending traffic to real customers

• From the Developer section of your workspace, click the name of your workspace in the top left-hand corner of your screen, then click Manage channels.

• Under the 'Numbers' section, click Google RCS Agents.

• Find your existing RCS Agent

• Navigate to the Launch Countries tab

Completing launch questionnaire

Ensure the answers you provide here accurately relfect your agent experience as this will be vetted by Google

• Add a point of contact who will be responsible for your RCS Agent

• Add detailed information about your agent experience. Pay particular attention to:

  • How customers provide opt in to be messages on RCS e.g. a signup form or giving consent during registration

  • How customers can opt out within an RCS conversation e.g. you should support STOP keywords to opt out your customers

  • What actions trigger messages to users e.g. completing a signup form triggers a welcome journey

  • What interactions will RCS agents have with users e.g. sending promotional campaigns aboit new offers

• Finally complete the Agent Review section. In this section you can either:

  • Provide a URL for a Google reviewer to test your RCS experience

  • Add a video or screenshot to show the end to end experience

Selecting carriers

Google RCS coverage is currently limited but is improving all the time. If your country isn't covered yet check back soon

Once you have completed and submitted your questionnaire you can go ahead and onboard to at least one carrier in a support country.

• From the launch countries section pick the country you want to begin operating in

• Select from a list of carriers to launch with

Non-Google Managed carriers

You may need to complete additional documentation to launch with these carriers.

To launch RCS in a particular country you must successfully launch with at least one non Google managed carrier in that country first. When you select a country to launch in, you will be able to enable non-google managed carriers. Google managed carriers will appear locked

• Toggle the Is Launched toggle to make a launch request

• Complete any additional documentation that has been provided to you

• Wait for your agent launch to be reviewed

Google Managed carriers

After launching with at least one Non-Google managed carrier you can then launch with any available Google managed carriers. The Is Launched toggle will now be available

• Toggle the Is Launched toggle to make a launch request

• Google will review your agent experience as described in Completing launch questionnaire

• Google will also email the contact specified in Step 4: Add your verification info

  • Ensure that your respond to this email to complete the verification

After launching with at least one carrier you can now message end users in that country