ZOHO CRM RCS Messaging Integration

I need my ZOHO CRM instance to trigger rich, native messages the moment a contact enters or moves through specific stages of our pipeline. The goal is full-fledged automated messaging—welcome, follow-up, and occasional promotional blasts—delivered through RCS/SMS and the phone’s built-in notification layer rather than a third-party app.

Here’s how I picture the flow: a lead is created or updated in ZOHO; a webhook or function hands the event to the RCS gateway; the contact receives a branded, media-rich message with dynamic fields pulled straight from the CRM. Replies, read receipts, and opt-outs should sync back so that every interaction is visible on the contact’s timeline.

Key deliverables
• Seamless link between ZOHO CRM Functions/Deluge and the chosen RCS-SMS gateway (Twilio, Google’s RBM, or a better alternative you can recommend).
• Automated templates for the three scenarios (welcome, follow-up, promo) with merge fields and media support.
• Two-way sync: message status and replies must write back to the CRM record.
• Brief documentation so I can tweak templates or add new workflows later.

I already have admin access to ZOHO and an RCS-enabled number; what I still need is the code, the testing, and the best practice setup. If you’ve connected ZOHO to native messaging before, let’s get this live.