Global cloud communications provider Infobip has partnered with UK fashion retailer NEXT plc to improve customer security and upgrade the messaging experience for its shoppers.

With fraud costing the UK economy over £219 billion each year, brands are under pressure to strengthen their defences. Through Infobip Signals — an AI-powered solution that detects and blocks artificially inflated traffic — NEXT is now better equipped to protect its customers from fraud while improving the overall reliability of its messaging.

Thanks to the partnership, NEXT is now preventing around 175,000 fake messages each month, helping to keep its SMS communications secure and trustworthy.

NEXT has also adopted Rich Communication Services (RCS) for Business, powered by Infobip, to further enhance customer engagement. With features like multimedia content and verified sender profiles, RCS helps reinforce brand identity and builds trust through more interactive, personalised messages.

Raz Razaq, Head of Customer Contact Experience Technology, at NEXT, said: “At Next, we are committed to protecting our customers from fraud while continuing to provide the rich, responsive, and reliable communication that they expect from us. To benefit from the latest anti-fraud technology, we partnered with Infobip to help keep both our customers and infrastructure safe from new and emerging threats. Combined, Infobip Signals and RCS will create secure conversational experiences for our customers.”

James Stokes, Head of Enterprise, UK and Nordics, at Infobip, added: “Infobip is helping support one of the UK’s best-known high-street retailers in their mission to provide a safe and seamless customer experience. Our AI-enabled solutions offer peace of mind, while the capabilities of RCS offer a richer customer experience.

“In the last year, we’ve seen a 500% growth in the adoption of RCS, a testament to the desire from brands like NEXT to offer customers an elevated experience, delivering personalised and conversational interactions. We look forward to continuing to provide first-class customer experiences through this collaboration.”