Business services are activities that benefit companies without delivering physical goods. They help businesses with marketing, production, safety, cost and convenience.
They often provide a service that is complementary to other product offerings, such as software development or implementation services. They also provide services that enhance or upgrade the security of a company’s technological devices, such as computers or phones.
These businesses are usually specialized in one area of expertise. Examples include an engineering firm that tests electronics products for compliance with standards, a design firm that produces logos, signage and publications, or a computer support company that provides antivirus protection for a client’s technology.
As with product companies, the success or failure of a service business depends on how well the offering meets the needs and desires of an attractive group of customers. The challenge in service design is that the characteristics that buyers value most are often more abstract than those in a product business.