Definition

Noun: - A business that provides its specialized facilities or services to other companies for a fee: A service bureau is a company that offers access to resources, equipment, or expertise that may be too costly for other businesses to maintain in-house, allowing clients to achieve economies of scale.

Usage

A service bureau operates by selling its core capabilities as a service to multiple clients. This model is common in industries like data processing, printing, payroll management, or IT support.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The small accounting firm outsourced its payroll processing to a service bureau.
  • Before personal computers were common, many companies used a service bureau for data analysis and storage.

Advanced Usage

• "to utilize a service bureau": to make use of the services provided by such a business.
  • The startup decided to utilize a service bureau for its customer support calls to reduce overhead costs.

Variants and Related Words

• Service Provider (n): A broader term for any company that supplies a service.
  • Our internet service provider also offers cloud storage.
• Bureau (n): An office or department for specific business.
  • She works at the credit information bureau.

Synonyms

• Outsourcing firm: A company to which specific business processes are contracted.
• Facilities management company: A business that manages and provides operational services.

Related Phrases

• To contract out to a service bureau: To formally arrange for a service bureau to handle a task.
  • We had to contract out the data entry to a service bureau.

Notes

The term often implies a focus on technical or administrative support services, leveraging specialized infrastructure to serve multiple clients efficiently.

Noun

1. a business that makes its facilities available to others for a fee; achieves economy of scale