Business services are a category of services that help businesses achieve their goals and earn profits. These are activities that don’t produce a tangible product, but instead provide specialized labor and expertise to help companies meet their objectives. Examples of business services include consulting, marketing, and communication. These services can be provided by a wide range of companies. They can also be outsourced to a third party, which is often more cost effective than providing them in-house.

Outsourcing business services is becoming increasingly popular as companies focus on their core competencies and leave noncore functions to specialists. Companies like ADP, Allegis Group, and ManpowerGroup are all major players in the industry. They offer services such as human resources management, staffing, office administration, security, and waste disposal to other businesses. Other business service providers specialize in specific areas such as information technology, marketing, and accounting.

The number of jobs in the business services sector is expected to increase over the next decade. Many of these jobs will be in customer support and administration. This is because many large corporations are outsourcing these functions to smaller companies that can provide them with higher quality and better prices.

In the United States, there are over 420,000 establishments that provide business services. This includes both sole proprietorships and firms with multiple locations. These companies employ around 3.3 million people. The industries that provide the most employment in this sector are insurance, food and beverage, and retail. The fastest growing sector is professional and technical services, which will add an estimated 1.2 million new jobs between 2019 and 2029.

This industry is characterized by low barriers to entry, meaning that almost anyone can start a company offering business services. This can lead to intense competition, especially in niche markets where there are few competitors. For example, a small landscaping company might face fierce competition from larger companies that can afford to advertise and hire more employees. The same is true for many of the ancillary business services such as waste removal, security, and catering.

The demand for business services is driven by increasing globalization, technological advancements, and a need to improve efficiency and reduce costs. These trends are driving the industry to grow rapidly, with the majority of demand coming from the global economy. This is expected to continue as the economy grows and becomes more diversified. The global demand for business services is projected to reach $3 trillion by 2025. This is the equivalent of about 10% of global GDP. This growth is being driven by the increased sophistication and complexity of supply chain management, along with technological advancements in digitalization and outsourcing. The industry is also being supported by an expansion in infrastructure, including data centers and telecommunications. These trends are creating a high-demand job market for skilled professionals in the field of business services. Those with college degrees in business, finance, and economics are well-positioned to get these high-paying jobs. These professionals can also choose to pursue certifications in business services.