Business services are activities that benefit companies without supplying them with physical products. They help improve marketing, production, safety, cost, and convenience. Companies hire them to do the work that they’re not able to do themselves because it doesn’t fall within their expertise. Companies need business services to survive and thrive.
The business services industry is very diverse. It encompasses everything from IT and engineering to legal services, staffing, accounting, facilities management, waste management, and shipping. Almost every company relies on some form of business services, so it’s no wonder that this sector is growing faster than many other industries.
Most modern business theorists see a continuum with pure service at one end and pure commodity goods at the other. In practice, most products are somewhere in between these two extremes. A restaurant, for example, provides food and ambience, while a utility company actually delivers a physical good (like water).
Some of the most common types of business services include translation and interpretation, maintenance, IT support, and logistics. Translation and interpretation workers help companies communicate with clients, employees, and others by facilitating conversations and meetings in multiple languages. IT support professionals are tasked with troubleshooting computer, network, and other technological issues that arise so that businesses can continue to be productive. Third-party logistic companies take care of warehousing, order fulfillment, and even shipping for businesses who sell online. Many of these jobs are largely remote, which makes them accessible to anyone with an internet connection and the right skills.