Business services are all the activities that support a company yet don’t result in a tangible product. Companies rely on these intangible services to save time and money, while also increasing productivity. The most common examples include information technology (IT), procurement and shipping.

There are a wide variety of career paths for professionals interested in the field of Business services. Some jobs only require a high school diploma or GED certificate, while others may call for a bachelor’s degree in the relevant subject area. This is especially true for careers like accounting, which requires a bachelor’s degree and often a CPA license. Other jobs include sales, human resources, management consulting and marketing.

Many companies outsource their business services to external service providers. This is an efficient way to access specialized expertise that would be difficult or impossible to develop in-house. It is also often more cost-effective than hiring an employee to fill this role. Additionally, external service providers can scale their offerings up or down as necessary to meet seasonal output fluctuations.

For example, some companies contract with a firm to design and manage their websites or create social media campaigns. Other firms hire outsourced workers to provide customer service or technical support. And still others work with vendors to provide the specialized equipment needed for their manufacturing processes. These are all examples of Business services that can be outsourced to reduce costs and improve efficiency.