What are the various services rendered by a modern offices ?

In the present decade, modern business is complex and is faced with the ever-changing conditions. The problems of ever-changing condition are tackled with the help of information. Retaining, analysing and furnishing appropriate information is the basic need of each enterprise and these activities are described as the functions of a modern office. According to the dictionary meaning of the term the word office means “a place where business is carried on.” It is also described as a place where clerical work is carried on. In modern sense of the term office can be described as any place where information on paper converges and information is documented, preserved and used for current and future operations of the business.

Office is an important department in any business and contributes substantially to the efficient and economic running of such business. The various services rendered by the modern office are:

1. Office as information centre:

Office acts as information centre of the enterprise because it is the centre to which coverage information come from each part of the organisation and much useful knowledge goes out of this organisation. All sorts of information whether past or present are preserved in office.

2. Office as a channel of communication:

Office provides the service of communication and it is the channel through which written communications move from top to bottom and vice versa.

3. Office as a co-ordination centre:

Office aids in co- ordination and the process of co-ordination will be impossible without an office. Office provides necessary information to various departments and as such it furnishes a well placed machinery for co-ordination.

4. Office acts as a channel with customers:

Office is regarded as the channel, which links business organisation with the customers. The enquiries, orders and complaints from the customers are taken care by the office through direct personal contact. Sometimes newspaper is used as a media to inform the customers.

5. Office acts as a link between the shareholders and the company:

Office provides a good linkage with the shareholders by providing share certificate, share transfer, issue of dividend warrants, issue of notice on company’s meeting and answering the enquiries made by the shareholders. It also acts as a servicing department for the creditors.

6. Office aids workers:

Office provides a number of services to the workers because preparation of wage sheet or salary sheet and the payment of salaries are the prime responsibility of modern office. It also performs the functions of pension and provident fund for the employees.

7. Office aids in control:

Control is regarded as the measurement and correction of the performances of the subordinates and as such, it is regarded as the basic function of the modern office. One cannot fulfill the requirement of control without the modern office because control is concerned with (i) establishment of standards, (ii) measurement of performances, (iii) correction of deviation from the standard.

8. Office aids the government and the general public:

Office acts as a link between the organisation and various government departments. It also provides a good linkage between the organisation and the general public. The idea that organisation is a social institution is created in the mind on the general public.