Business services are activities that support the operations of a company but do not produce a tangible product. They include such things as IT services, marketing, insurance and communication. Companies often rely on these services to save time, improve productivity and stay competitive. Many of these services are provided by external service providers. Some of the more common ones include marketing support, accounting support, consulting services, IT services and warehousing services.

Unlike goods, which are visible and touchable, a service is intangible, and it cannot be stored for future use. This makes it a more difficult industry to measure the success of, which is why many companies outsource these services instead of providing them internally. It is also why the business service industry is a very competitive field.

A typical business service provider offers a detailed consultation with prospective clients before work begins. This is usually followed by a contract, SLAs and measurable deliverables. Additionally, they may require non-disclosure agreements and privacy policies.

To add a business service to your favorites list, click the star icon next to it. You can then view your favorite services at the top of the Business Services page or in a multi-sort function. To remove a service from your favorites list, click the star icon again. For more information on adding and removing services from your favorites, see the Managing Your Business Services Favorites article.