What Are Business Services Jobs?
Business services are activities that help businesses but don’t produce a physical commodity. These services provide value in an intangible way and allow companies to focus on their core mission while outsourcing work that requires specialized expertise or equipment. Business services are often provided by outside suppliers, and may include software services that enhance or update features and security for a company’s technological devices, like computers or phones. They also can include delivery services that save time and offer convenience for employees, who can simply receive products they need at their desks rather than going out to shop. Other business services are less obvious and more specific to a workplace, such as cleaning or maintenance services that keep offices running efficiently.
The business services sector is critical to many economies, and provides a large share of jobs in some countries. It is also an area where there is a significant untapped potential. The EU’s Internal Market legislation and policy actions aim to stimulate competitiveness in the sector by eliminating barriers to cross-border provision of business services.
There are a variety of types of business services, with some more common than others. One of the most important is business-to-business (B2B) accounting. This type of service helps businesses maintain their financial records and manage accounts receivable and payable. It also helps them comply with tax laws by filing timely reports.
Another type of business service is human resources (HR) support, which involves managing a company’s employees and workforce. Other common business services are IT support, which encompasses everything from network maintenance to implementing new technology, and customer service, which involves interacting with customers and resolving issues.
A large part of the job of a business services professional is being able to anticipate the needs of a business, which can be difficult because the needs are not always clear or measurable. These professionals are also expected to have excellent communication skills, as they often interact with a range of stakeholders in different roles and across organizations.
Because of the high level of interaction and fast-paced nature of this industry, some business services jobs can be stressful. For this reason, they’re not the right fit for everyone. “If you don’t have strong interpersonal and communication skills, this is probably not the best field for you,” Spinelli says. Additionally, some of these jobs require travel, and many are performed remotely, which means you could be working from home or anywhere with a reliable internet connection. Then there are the physical demands of many of these jobs, such as the need for good hearing and vision. The last thing you want is to get hurt on the job. Fortunately, these risks can be mitigated by working with the right partner and by following safety protocols. Lastly, some of these jobs may require certain credentials or authorizations that are not easy to obtain or maintain. For example, some businesses that offer IT support might require a vendor to have certain certifications or permits in order to perform their work.