Business services are a broad category of products and services that are primarily sold to businesses. These include computing, telecommunications, management, professional, and financial services.
Business professionals who work in service fields are mainly in business to offer their skills and knowledge, not to sell physical products. They must understand how their management styles differ from those of product-based companies if they want to succeed in the industry.
Definition:
A business service is a group of tasks and activities that help maintain a business, even though they don’t deliver any tangible product. For example, information technology is a business service that supports other business services such as procurement, finance, and shipping.
The value of a business service is often not immediately apparent, as it has no physical form or substance. To determine the value of a service, business managers may need to audit processes to ensure they’re aligned with customer needs and company goals. They can also create a service catalog or self-service portal to improve communication among employees and customers.
Design:
The most important challenge for service-business managers is to design a product that will attract an attractive group of buyers and keep them loyal. The most common way to achieve this is to provide a distinctive offering that will meet customers’ wants and preferences.
Customer input is an essential part of service-business design, and the experience of a customer is often more influential than the actions of service employees in determining costs and quality. For instance, a client who doesn’t explain the purpose of a new building well could slow down an architectural firm’s process and influence other customers’ experiences.
Outsourcing:
Many businesses outsource their most time-consuming tasks to external providers. This can allow them to focus on their core competencies while reducing costs and ensuring high levels of customer service.
A service provider will be able to offer expertise in areas that aren’t available in-house, such as engineering, information technology, or accounting. They may also be able to help manage and improve business processes, such as logistics or finance.
Third-party logistics providers, for example, are businesses that take care of eCommerce fulfillment, storing and shipping goods from manufacturers to customers. These providers can also provide consulting services, such as advice on how to optimize your logistics and fulfill orders online.
Other common business services include utilities, real estate and childcare. These services support the day-to-day operation of a business and are usually offered by dedicated service delivery groups that are managed by one or more organizations.
These companies typically have a separate set of employees from the primary business. Some are small, while others can be large and multi-national.
Outsourcing is often an effective way to improve overall efficiency, especially when businesses experience seasonal output fluctuations. In this way, the external service provider can scale up or down their services in response to changing demands.
The number of business services jobs is expected to increase 2.1% annually from 2020 to 2030, according to Statista data and research. Because these jobs can be conducted remotely, they are a good option for those who don’t like to commute or want a flexible schedule.