Companies need all sorts of support services to keep their operations running smoothly. In many cases, companies outsource these services to third-party providers or use an in-house team to offer them. When you’re working with a third party, it’s important that you choose one that has the right experience and expertise for your needs. The following business support services are common ones:
Companies need all sorts of support services to keep their operations running smoothly.
As a business owner, it's likely that you've got a lot on your plate. Between managing employees, paying bills and finding new customers—not to mention all the other tasks involved in running a business—it can be tough to find time for everything else. That's where support services come in. When you work with a professional service provider, they make it easy for you to get the help you need so that all those other things are less overwhelming.
What are business support Services?
Support services can mean just about anything from accounting and bookkeeping to legal advice or even janitorial services; whatever area of your business needs some extra care and attention from time to time is what makes up the bulk of these offerings. Depending on what type of company you own (or want to build), there may be some areas where more support is needed than others: if yours is an online retail store then perhaps marketing isn't at the top of your priority list right now; but if yours is an industrial manufacturer then sales might be something worth investing in more than anything else!
Virtual Receptionist/Contact Centre
A virtual receptionist or contact centre is a business service that provides you with a team of professionals to answer calls on your behalf. They will greet your customers, take messages, and relay them to you or another member of your team—all while keeping track of call history, call patterns and more. A virtual receptionist can be accessed via phone, email or web browser 24/7 and they’re trained to handle anything from general enquiries to technical support issues.
How do they work? Virtual receptionists can be used for a range of different functions within the workplace: from answering general queries by customers through the phone, email and chat applications; booking appointments; recording data such as customer details; handling service calls; scheduling meetings for senior managers (with reminders); processing invoices/orders etcetera… There are thousands upon thousands of other uses for this type of technology!
Administration and Calendar Management
Calendar management is the process of organizing and scheduling meetings, events and other activities. With the help of calendar software, you can keep track of what's going on in your life and make sure that nothing clashes with one another. Some common features include:
- Booking meetings
- Booking flights, trains, and buses
- Booking accommodation for events or conferences
- Booking entertainment for a party or event
Accounts / Bookkeeping
You may not know what a "business account" is, but you've probably heard of it before. It's an important part of keeping your company on track and managing your finances. A business account refers to a bank account that can be used by a business owner and their employees—typically, they're set up to pay employees directly from the account.
A business bookkeeper is someone who specializes in the financial administration of small businesses, including:
- keeping track of all your transactions
- preparing reports for taxes or other purposes (like payroll)
- making sure all records are organized and accurate
Read more on registering GST with a business account.
Compliance (WHS and HR)
WHS and HR are two very important departments in any business. Both of these departments have many responsibilities, however, they both have different goals.
WHS stands for Work Health and Safety. It is the department within a company that focuses on ensuring that all employees are safe at work and that they follow the correct procedures when it comes to health & safety issues.
HR stands for Human Resources or Human Resource Management; it’s responsible for ensuring that employees are treated fairly and are happy in the workplace by providing them with all the necessary benefits (e.g., health insurance).
Compliance refers to having policies, procedures, and training to ensure you meet legal requirements (e.g., OHS Act). The most common WHS/OHS compliance requirements include: - Safety management systems - Relevant training programs - Record keeping requirements - Emergency response plans
Facility / Office Management
Facility management is a service that provides for the operation of a company's facilities. It includes all services related to commercial real estate and property management, as well as other services such as building security and fire protection. Office management is the delivery of office support services associated with the effective management of an organization’s space requirements. This may include managing assets like desks, copiers, and computers; coordinating building maintenance; providing training on workplace safety issues; resolving conflict between employees who work in proximity; facilitating communication among those who work together closely (e.g., cross-functional teams); providing feedback on performance evaluations; etc.
Fleet Management
Fleet management is a service that allows you to track the movements of your vehicles, as well as their maintenance and fuel usage. It also allows you to monitor driver hours and vehicle insurance coverage. You'll be able to keep an eye on vehicle registration, repairs, servicing, and cleaning too.
Data Entry / Document Control Management
Data Entry is a business support service that provides companies with the ability to input, edit and maintain data.
Document Control Management is a business process that documents the ownership of all types of corporate documents, as well as their transfer through change requests. This can also include managing document versions and ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
Logistics / Travel / Entertainment
Logistics is the planning and control of the flow of goods, services, and related information from the point of origin to the point of consumption. It includes all aspects involved with transporting materials, products, or information from location A to B. When it comes to your business, logistics can be a huge headache if not managed well - but it's also one area that can save you money if done correctly!
Travel management is the process of managing your business’ travel policy, helping employees to book their travel, and getting the best rates possible for each trip taken. This includes booking flights (often through discounted bulk tickets), hotels (via online portals like Expedia or Booking) as well as rail and bus transportation around town.
Entertainment means taking clients out for dinner or drinks after work hours for example... there are so many ways this could be done: take them out at lunchtime when everyone else is busy; invite them over after work hours when most people have gone home already!
Using Business Support Services
The list of business support services is a long one, but they all have one thing in common: they help companies save money and time by covering the details that could otherwise slow down your growth. If you’re thinking about starting your own business or expanding an existing one, it may be time to investigate these types of services so that you can focus on what matters most - running your company efficiently.
Get in touch to find out how we can help you with your business support services.
