The retail industry is experiencing a massive transformation as brands embrace conversational commerce, the seamless integration of messaging, AI, and real-time customer interactions. In its 2025 Messaging Trends Report, global cloud communications platform Infobip finds that the Retail and eCommerce sector in the Asia Pacific region is seeing a 169% rise in customer interactions, with the Philippines growing by 16%.
Trends from Infobip show that commerce is moving towards messaging apps. This growth, Infobip adds, is due to the significant popularity of messaging channels in APAC, including WhatsApp, Viber, and RCS that enable brands to deliver seamless, personalized experiences at scale.
In the retail industry, conversational commerce integrates all systems necessary to facilitate the creation of a complete conversational customer journey over messaging channels in real time. From inquiring about products to making purchases and receiving real-time updates, messaging apps provide a convenient, efficient, and customer-friendly solution that all contributes to growth and cultivating “suki” relationships.
Building “suki” for life with SMAC
Data from Research and Markets show that the loyalty program market in the Philippines is projected to hit US$1.08 billion by 2028. In the Philippines, one standout example of conversational commerce in action is SMAC, one of the country’s leading retail loyalty programs developed by Digital Advantage Corporation (DAC). SMAC is transforming how it connects with customers through a personalized and omnichannel approach that reaches consumers across their preferred channels. With over 10 million members, SMAC understands the value of cultivating “suki” in today’s dynamic market.
“The term “suki” refers to a special relationship between a customer and business that is built on trust, familiarity and mutual benefit,” said Cecile Perez Tizon, Sales Director for APAC at Infobip. “By combining data-driven insights with an omnichannel approach, Infobip is helping SMAC redefine customer loyalty by strengthening the bonds of “suki” in the digital age.”
Powered by Moments, Infobip’s customer engagement solution, SMAC is able to communicate with its customers through a range of messaging channels—SMS, Viber, and email—ensuring a seamless experience across all touchpoints. This approach not only enhances customer satisfaction but also drives customer retention and loyalty, a critical goal in today’s competitive retail environment.
“SMAC’s partnership with Infobip played an important role in improving our engagement and retention efforts. The solution allowed us and our partners to communicate with our members effectively, in a timely manner, and with minimal support requirements,” explained Jay Cabaña, Head of IT Services, SMAC.
Unique, hyper-personalized customer journeys
The underlying technology of conversational commerce facilitates hyper-personalized customer journeys. By understanding how customers interact across different channels, companies can gain valuable data and insights that allow for an even deeper personalization via different touch points.
Conversational commerce technologies can be used for proactive customer service and product recommendations along with upselling and cross-selling strategies. With payment integration, customers can also complete their purchases within the same platform or chat app where they began their inquiry.
As Ivan Ostojic, Chief Business Officer at Infobip, reiterates, “The surge in conversational messaging in APAC reflects a broader shift towards more localized, conversational experiences. In markets like the Philippines, brands are increasingly adopting platforms like WhatsApp and Viber to engage with their customers on a deeper, more personal level. SMAC’s integration of these solutions into their loyalty program is a perfect example of how brands can build stronger, more meaningful ‘suki’ ties with customers.”
Karina is not your ordinary supermom. She juggles her time bonding with her three amazing kids while being in the loop on the latest happenings in the tech and lifestyle scene. Follow me on Instagram (@digitalfilipina) regularly visit www.digitalfilipina.com for daily dose of updates not just for moms but for everyone!
