Business services are an intangible value that a business offers to its customers. Some businesses produce these services in-house, while others outsource the production process to other companies. They may also provide these services to other businesses as a source of revenue.
There are five characteristics that distinguish business services from other types of products: a) Intangible assets, b) Personality, c) Customer service, d) Consistency, and e) Inconsistency.
Intangible Assets
A business’ intangible assets are the company’s financial capital, such as cash, inventory and accounts receivable. These intangible assets must be maintained and controlled in order to be profitable, which is the main goal of a business.
Personality
People are different in terms of their needs, desires and expectations. It is important for service providers to have the proper interpersonal skills to ensure that their customers receive the best possible experience and to create a positive impression about the business.
Customer Service
Customers have a high level of trust in service providers and are willing to pay for the quality of their service. They expect to be treated with respect and dignity, as well as to receive timely, reliable and accurate information.
Customer Service is the interaction that takes place between the customer and the service provider to achieve an agreed upon objective or to resolve a specific problem. It is usually done via telephone or in person, depending on the needs of the customer.
Consistency
As with goods, service providers must maintain consistency in their work, including the quality of the delivered product, its availability and the amount of time it takes to deliver. They must also be able to adapt their processes, products and services to changing demands and expectations of their clients.
Inconsistency
One of the most challenging aspects of operating a service business is that the business does not have a physical presence like other types of products do. It is not possible for customers to touch, feel or see the physical products, which is why it is important for service professionals to have excellent interpersonal and communication skills in order to be able to build and maintain strong relationships with their clients.
Inconsistency
Service providers must be able to meet the individual needs of their clients, as the requirements of each client are different from the previous ones. This can be difficult for service providers, as they must continually change their business processes and products to meet new customers’ requests and preferences.
Developing economies of scale are often limited by the fact that services are largely intangible, meaning they cannot be stored for future use or sold at a later date. This makes it difficult for business service providers to develop economies of scale, which can reduce their competitive advantage in certain markets.
Inconsistency
Many service-oriented companies struggle to define their business model and are unable to find a clear, consistent answer to the question, “What is my business?” This is because they do not have a physical product that a customer can physically touch and hold. For this reason, they must focus on what they do and the benefits it can bring to their customers.