What Are Business Services?

Business services are various activities that assist a company but do not result in the production of a tangible product. These exclusive services are often referred to as support functions and cover a broad range of areas including information technology, procurement, shipping, finance, etc. They are a major part of the business industry and help to provide value to other businesses.

One of the key differences between a service and a good is that a customer cannot store and retain a service for future use. Also, service delivery is not a continuous process but rather done only when needed. This makes it important for companies to design a well-structured offering and field a workforce capable of producing it quickly at a desirable price.

Another way that a company can improve its business operations is to partner with external service providers to perform certain tasks. For example, a company may outsource its warehousing services to a logistics firm so that it can focus on more core competencies. It can also reduce costs by utilizing the expertise and experience of outside specialists.

A number of industries offer business services, and there are a variety of career options within the sector. For example, IT professionals can work in software development or IT infrastructure management. Those who wish to pursue a more customer-centric role can look for opportunities in sales, marketing or human resources. There are also positions for individuals who want to specialize in a specific area such as accounting, legal or insurance.