Impact of Multiplicity on Avaya Aura Contact Center RSM SDK Users

Multiplicity is defined as the ability of an agent to handle multiple concurrent contacts, improving the customer experience and enhancing agent productivity and efficiency. Avaya Aura™ Contact Center Release 6.0, Avaya introduced an optional and licensable Multiplicity feature to the contact center capability set.

While multiplicity does not change the specific API calls embodied within the Real-time Statistics Multicast (RSM) interface (previously available with NES Contact Center Release 7.1 and earlier releases), it does change the number and implied meaning of Agent records created during call handling. You should carefully review the design of any applications intended to be interoperable with Avaya Aura Contact Center with an eye towards the impacts of multiplicity, and further consider conducting formal DevConnect Compliance Testing for all applications utilizing RSM with the Avaya Aura Contact Center solution.

Background

Today, customers want multiple ways of interacting with a customer service organization. They will insist on conducting business anytime, anywhere, using any form of communication they desire: voice, e-mail, Web Communications, fax, etc. To work in this multi-channel Contact Center environment, an agent must be able to support different communication channels. To be able to effectively and efficiently interact with the customer, an agent must be able to support multiple concurrent contacts. Avaya uses the term Multiplicity to describe the ability of an agent to handle multiple concurrent contacts.

Multiplicity is a new headline feature introduced in Avaya Aura Contact Center Release 6.0. It is controlled by using the optional feature, Multiplicity, in Contact Center Server Setup Configuration. When this feature is licensed and enabled, Contact Center Manager Administration enables multiplicity configuration and assignment to agents. As a result, licensed and configured agents in the Contact Center may be working on multiple contacts simultaneously.

With multiplicity, a single agent may have multiple data records describing the current agent status. For example, each contact being worked concurrently by the agent will have a record. In addition, if the agent has not yet reached their multiplicity limit(s), the agent record for that agent may indicate the agent is also available for additional work assignment.

Even though the RSM API is unchanged by the multiplicity feature, applications developed using the RSM API should be aware of the multiplicity feature and the presence of multiple records for the same agent in the agents’ RSM stream.

Take Action: Review your Application Designs

If your application is intended for Avaya Aura Contact Center, and uses the RSM interface:

• Review your application design with multiplicity in mind;
• Ensure that your application can appropriately handle agents with multiple concurrent contacts, including Agent states that reflect availability even while handling existing contacts;
• Ensure your application can operate both with and without the multiplicity feature enabled.

Remember, Avaya always recommends that you utilize your DevConnect benefits by compliance testing applications for all major releases, be they your own application software or Avaya system elements.