Business services are the activities that support a company yet do not produce a tangible commodity. This includes work related to information technology, shipping and procurement. This section also covers other miscellaneous help a firm may need that is not directly connected to the manufacture of products.
This is a broad category that includes many different types of work, such as translation, consulting, legal services and even travel. Companies often hire these services to improve employee morale, provide better customer service or simply save money on overhead expenses. Some of these services can be outsourced, which allows a company to focus on its core business and reduce the amount of time it spends on non-value-added tasks.
A common example of a business service is outsourcing computer and network support. Companies can rely on external experts to respond to technical problems quickly and efficiently, which increases productivity and allows employees to concentrate on their jobs. This is one of the reasons that more and more firms are turning to outsourced business services providers, or GBS, to manage some of their day-to-day tasks.
In addition to providing business support services, this sector is responsible for providing the necessary infrastructure and logistics for manufacturing, distribution and retail. This includes warehousing, value-added processing such as sorting bulk goods into custom orders, labeling and performing light assembly, and the coordination of processes to expedite shipment to customers. In the case of services provided to businesses, this includes a variety of functions including accounting, marketing and inter- and intra-departmental communication.