Patent ID: 8774389

Claim:
A method for optimally routing service requests between shared service centers (SSCs), the method comprising: determining whether a first Shared Service Center (SSC) is able to complete a service request according to a client's Service Level Agreement (SLA), wherein the first SSC has multiple internal service tiers each defined by a different level of expertise held by resources in each of the multiple internal service tiers, and wherein the determining includes determining, after routing the service request between the first and second service tiers of the first SSC, that both a first service tier and a second service tier of the first SSC are unable to complete the service request according to the client's SLA; in response to a determination that the first SSC is unable to complete the service request according to the client's SLA, routing the service request from the first SSC to one or more subsequent SSCs until the service request is completed, wherein the first SSC is coupled to the one or more subsequent SSCs by both a circuit-switched network and a packet-switched network, and wherein the service request is carried between the one or more subsequent SSCs utilizing out-of-band signaling over a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network; in an Agent Directory, recording skill sets for agents in multiple SSCs and at least some agent-specific collaborative relationships between agents in different SSCs, wherein the routing includes routing the service request to a second agent in a second SSC among the one or more subsequent SSCs by reference to the skill sets and agent-specific collaborative relationships between agents recorded in the Agent Directory; and in response to a determination that the first SSC is unable to complete the service request according to the client's SLA, establishing instant messaging communication between a first agent in the first SSC and the second agent in the second SSC and a service requester prior to and in preparation for routing the service request to the second agent in the second SSC.