Business services are the non-financial activities that support a company’s core operations. They include consultation, marketing, logistics (including travel and facilities), waste handling, staffing services, shipping, administration, and security services. Nearly every company requires some form of these services. The business service industry is an important contributor to the European economy.
Businesses that provide services to other businesses are considered to be in the tertiary sector of the economy. This sector also includes ancillary services such as property maintenance, financial consulting and information technology services. It accounts for 11% of the EU GDP and is a vital part of European competitiveness.
These companies must create an attractive offering to attract customers. To do this, they must change their perspective from product to service design. Whereas product designers focus on the characteristics that buyers value in a product, service design is more about creating customer experiences.
Many of these experiences are personal, but they can be professional as well. For example, a company may need an animal control service to get rid of pest infestations on the grounds or help employees deal with a stressful situation in their home life. Alternatively, a company might hire interpreters to facilitate conversations and seminars with clients who speak different languages.
Another example is construction services. Rather than investing in the expensive tools required to carry out a renovation project, an organization can hire a construction team that brings their own equipment. This allows the organization to save money and reduce its carbon footprint.