A service bureau is a company that provides business services to other companies for a fee rather than having those companies build the capability internally. The term has been used extensively to describe technology-based services sold to financial services companies, particularly banks, and outsourced payroll processing is one commonly provisioned service bureau offering. Service bureaus are also a significant part of the 3D printing industry, where they let a customer choose to outsource production rather than buy their own equipment, since many customers lack the scale or expertise to bring such services in-house.
Facts
Core MechanismA service bureau is a company that provides business services for a fee. 1 Connections
Associated With
ADP began as a payroll processing service bureau for other companies.
A service bureau, an outside firm performing data processing or clerical functions for clients who lack the equipment or staff to do it themselves, is an early named form of what the business-model literature now generally calls business process outsourcing.
Sources
1. Wikipedia, Service Bureau
WikipediaOpening definition paragraph
A service bureau is a company that provides business services for a fee.
Histories section, IBM data processing service bureaus
Data processing service bureaus were opened by IBM in 1932, first just in major USA cities, then internationally.
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