PeopleSoft MultiChannel Framework Elements and Channels

This section discusses PeopleSoft MultiChannel Framework elements and channels.

PeopleSoft MultiChannel Framework comprises the following services and elements:

  • Universal queue server, running on the Universal Queue server process (PSUQSRV).

  • Real-time event notification (REN) server, running on the REN server process (PSRENSRV).

  • MultiChannel Framework (MCF) log server, running on the MCFLOG server process (PSMCFLOG).

  • MultiChannel console, the HTML interface through which users manage the channel interactions assigned to them.

  • Chat windows, the HTML interfaces used for customer-to-agent and collaborative chat sessions.

  • Agents, identified by their expertise and responsibilities.

  • PeopleCode built-in functions and an email application package.

  • GETMAILTARGET connector running under PeopleSoft Integration Broker.

  • PeopleSoft MultiChannel Application Programming Interface (PSMCAPI) to enable server-side computer-telephony integration (CTI) integration.

  • JavaScript MultiChannel Application Programming Interface (JSMCAPI) to enable a customizable CTI console and monitoring functions.

Each of these services and elements requires configuration.

In addition, each communication channel handled by PeopleSoft MultiChannel Framework requires supporting elements:

  • CTI middleware to notify the system of telephone calls.

  • An email server to store and serve email.

  • Application pages to request customer-to-agent chat sessions and to provide context data and resolution logic for all interactions.

  • Application pages or batch processes to enqueue generic events.

This section discusses support for communications channels offered by PeopleSoft MCF.

Voice

The agent console offers a softphone and full CTI support with Oracle-validated third-party CTI systems. Relevant application pages appear based on data attached to the call by the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and CTI middleware.

Web Collaboration

PeopleSoft application pages can include Live Help buttons that initiate customer-to-agent chat sessions. The customer and agent chat windows are browser-based and do not require a client installation or applet download. The universal queue routes chat requests to the first available agent with the skills required to handle that request. The agent chat window displays relevant customer information and enables the agent to push web content to the customer. The agent can manage multiple chat sessions from the agent console.

Agents can also include peers and supervisors in chat conferences and transfer chat sessions to other agents or queues. Agents can also initiate collaborative chats with other agents on their buddy lists.

Email

PeopleSoft MCF enables applications to fetch Multipart Internet Mail Extensions emails from Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) and Internet Message Access Protocol 4 (IMAP4) mail servers, store their parts in a database, and route the email to call center agents by either adding the email to worklists or enqueueing them on the universal queue. Email attachments can be stored in a database or stored in an attachment repository. Email attachments that are stored in the database or in the attachment repository are accessible by URLs from a browser. The repository and the database check user-based and role-based security before retrieving an attachment. The email framework is built on PeopleSoft Integration Broker technology.

PeopleSoft MCF does not provide a mechanism to move existing email attachments that are stored in the attachment repository to the database.

When you choose to store email attachments in the database, and if an attachment cannot be stored in the database due to the unavailability of a connection, an error is displayed. In such cases, you must attempt to save the attachment again.

Note: If you choose to store email attachments in the database, ensure that you configure the default local node in Integration Broker.

PeopleSoft MCF supports emails conforming to the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) specifications including both inbound and outbound HTML email.

Generic Channel

Channels that are not provided by PeopleSoft MCF can be integrated by means of the generic channel to enqueue tasks onto the universal queue.

The universal queue accepts, evaluates, and distributes incoming task requests from multiple communication channels: email, web chat, and generic notifications.

The universal queue handles email, chat, and generic tasks. It distributes workload across the call center, or any other pool of qualified users, based on the priority of the task and the availability of agents possessing the required skill level and language skills. Availability is based on agent presence and the cost of the new task (a measure of the task's impact on agent capacity) against the current workload of each agent.

Agents can forward tasks to other agents or to another queue. The task is removed from the transferring agent's workload and added to the accepting agent's workload.

Email and generic tasks that are not closed before the agent signs out persist in the database. Persisted tasks are reassigned to the same agent that accepted the tasks when the agent signs in again. A task that is not accepted, within configurable time limits, by the agent to whom it was assigned is reassigned to another qualified agent, if one is available. Tasks that are not resolved within configurable time limits are automatically escalated. Tasks that cannot be assigned to or are not accepted by any agent within configurable time limits are moved to an overflow table.

Voice tasks (CTI) are not queued or routed by the universal queue. They take precedence over all other tasks. However, the queue server adds the cost of voice tasks to the agent workload calculations it uses to queue and assign incoming tasks.

The agent console is the web-browser-based desktop from which the user manages all tasks, irrespective of channel. The console combines CTI, chat, email, and generic notice response tools into one window. Agents use the console to sign in, to select their current queue, to accept tasks, and to initiate and accept collaborative chat requests with buddy users. After the agent accepts a task, additional browser-based windows appear to enable the agent's response. These windows are task-dependent and include elements developed specifically for supporting applications, such as email response management systems.

Note: The Multichannel Console link is available on the Action Menu, which displays when you click the Action button on PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture (PIA). The visibility of the link is controlled by the PTPT4700 permission list and the PeopleTools MCF Console role. Only users assigned with this permission list and role can view the Multichannel Console link on PIA. The exception to this rule are the PeopleTools Administrator and Portal Administrator users. See, Enabling PeopleSoft CTI.

To access the link and use its features, you must have the security permissions as required for the respective functions.

A custom CTI console can be created by means of the JSMCAPI.