WordNet
n. a business that makes its facilities available to others for a fee; achieves economy of scale [syn: service agency, service firm]
Wikipedia
A service bureau is a company that provides business services for a fee. The term has been extensively used to describe technology-based services to financial services companies, particularly banks. Service Bureaus are a significant sector within the growing 3D Printing industry that allow customers to make a decision whether to buy their own equipment or outsource production. Customers of service bureaus typically do not have the scale or expertise to incorporate these services into their internal operations and prefer to outsource them to a service bureau. Outsourced payroll services constitute a commonly provisioned service from a service bureau.
To its customers, a service bureau offers a combination of expertise in technology, process and business-domains. The bureau business-model depends on the ability to productize services and deploy them in volume to a large customer base. In the modern context, technology often becomes a key enabler to achieving this scale.
Usage examples of "service bureau".
It was enough for Edmonds to win his argument and with it the budget to expand MO5 to form the Secret Service Bureau.
They knew my name at the Public Service Bureau: they'd checked my papers there and asked Su-May Wang if she knew where I was.
Second only to the passed-out drunk, the most typical sight in the Soviet Union is an American tourist seated in a service bureau, his expression getting tighter as the weary, expensive minutes trickle away.
Second only to the passed - out drunk, the most typical sight in the Soviet Union is an American tourist seated in a service bureau, his expression getting tighter as the weary, expensive minutes trickle away.
Heinrich then stated his full name, said that he was a captain of police, Federation Special Service Bureau, and recited his pay number.
Through both world wars, the Secret Service Bureau survived and thrived, eventually being named MI6 in 1948.
The older of her younger brothers had turned eighteen a few months before, and had dutifully enrolled himself at the local Selection for Service Bureau offices.
This was followed by the Special Conscription Act, granting the Selective Service Bureau the power to induct registered aces into government service for indefinite terms of service.
Was there some underground secret service bureau to which persons of his profession had access?