Business Services Mapping
Business services are intangible services that support a company’s operations but don’t produce any physical goods. They are typically offered by one of a firm’s internal departments and include everything from IT to marketing to accounting. Companies that don’t have the resources to provide certain business services themselves may opt to outsource them.
A key benefit of business services is that they are often more flexible than a product, allowing customers to purchase them on their own terms. In addition, business services can be integrated into products to increase their value and provide new functions. Unlike products, however, business services cannot be stored and reused at a later date, meaning they must be delivered each time they are needed.
The business services industry is booming, largely due to increased demand from companies looking for ways to outsource some of their work and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The industry is also evolving quickly as technology and communication infrastructures continue to evolve. Many jobs in business services can now be performed remotely, which makes them an attractive option for people who don’t want to commute or need a more flexible schedule.
For example, a customer who needs to have a website designed can easily outsource the design of that site to a freelancer in the same location as the client. This allows them to save on overhead and get the work they need without sacrificing quality or speed. In the future, it’s likely that more and more businesses will turn to business services companies for help with a variety of tasks, including project management, IT support, and accounting.
Creating and implementing a business service map is an important step in any IT infrastructure project. This process involves identifying and visualizing the relationships between different IT services, which can be challenging without clear communication among team members and proper planning.
In addition, the emergence of “product as a service” models has introduced additional complexities to business service mapping. These business services combine hardware or software with ongoing maintenance, operation and support to deliver a defined function. Examples of these business services include computing equipment that is sold on a utility model with a recurring fee, or software as a service with a subscription that includes operations, management and support.
A business services map is a powerful tool that can be used to visualize and manage IT infrastructure and other enterprise systems. It can help reduce complexity, improve communication and collaboration, and create a more efficient and effective organization. However, it is important to use the right tools for mapping and visualization to ensure accuracy and effectiveness. Without the right tools, miscommunication and misunderstandings can occur, which can impact overall organizational performance. For more information, see our article on Using Tools for IT Business Service Mapping.