The Business services industry group includes all miscellaneous help that a company requires in order to operate but does not produce or sell. This category is most often associated with administrative support like HR and IT departments. Other examples include janitorial and cleaning services, printing and publishing, and warehousing. The majority of this work is done by small businesses, and it contributes to the overall economy as one of the largest service sectors.
Many companies rely on business services for day-to-day functions, allowing them to focus on their core operations and customers. For example, some specialized firms may offer technical support and troubleshooting for computer or network issues in the workplace. This helps to reduce employee downtime and allows staff to remain productive. Other business services include translation and interpreting services, which allow businesses to communicate with clients or customers who speak different languages. Other services focus on employees’ quality of life, such as fitness facilities or day care centers.
The Business services industry is also the source of a growing number of cloud-based services, which are provided over the Internet. In recent years, technological advancements have allowed this sector to expand rapidly, and startups have emerged with new ideas for how businesses can be assisted through online platforms and systems. For this reason, some experts believe that the business services industry is on the verge of a major revolution. While most modern business theorists agree that there is a continuum between pure service and a physical product, some products are now being combined with services to create new combinations of value and play a central role in the “servitization” of the economy.