- service
- ▪ I. service ser‧vice 1 [ˈsɜːvs ǁ ˈsɜːr-] noun1. [countable usually plural] COMMERCE business that involves selling help and advice, or delivering goods etc for customers, rather than manufacturing goods:
• He charged a £600,000 fee for consulting services.
ˌbusiness contiˈnuity ˌservices [plural] COMMERCEservices provided to companies so that they can continue operating if they are affected by a serious event such as a fire, computer failure etc:• They provide Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Services to companies in the path of hurricanes.
ˌdealing-ˈonly ˌservice [countable] FINANCEa service offered by a firm of stockbroker S in which they make deals for their customers but do not offer advicefiˌnancial ˈservices[plural] FINANCE the business activity of giving advice about investments and selling investments to people and organizations:• Banks have been moving into other areas of the financial services industry such as stockbroking, securities underwriting, and insurance.
a service which customers receive through the Internet and by telephone line, for example home banking:• Digital television enables broadcasters to offer interactive services.
ˈvalet ˌservice [countable]1. a service that is available in some hotels, to clean the clothes of the people staying there:• The hotel has 98 bedrooms all en-suite, and a valet service.
2. a service that provides someone to park your car for you when you arrive at a hotel, airport etcˈwire ˌservice [countable]an organization that sends news reports to newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations etc:• The Press Association supply the UK press with home news, and newspapers subscribe to their wire service.
2. [countable] the regular work done by a public or other large national organization, or the organization itself:• For many years, the state postal service fell outside the monopoly rules.
ˌpublic ˈservice1. [countable] a service that a government provides, such as the police, the health service etc and which is paid for by taxation:• He must show a willingness to spend more on health, education and other public services.
2. [uncountable] the government and its departments:• 18% of the college's graduates intend to pursue careers in public service.
3. [countable] a service provided to people because it will help them, and is not for profit:• The Postal Service is not a business, but a public service operating in a businesslike manner.
• The airline has opened a trans-Atlantic service between Toronto and Singapore.
• a daily air service between London and Paris
4. [countable] an organization or department that provides advice and help, for example on legal or personal problems:• A counselling service can provide employees with appropriate support.
• Our service standards are monitored to ensure they remain at a consistently high level.
ˈafter-sales ˌservice[uncountable] COMMERCE repairs and advice given to a customer by a company after the customer has bought a product from the company:• A good after-sales service is just as important as the product itself.
1. the department in a large organization that deals with questions and complaints from its customers, gives advice on using the product or service it provides etc:• Just ring 660000 and ask for the Customer Services department.
• For further information on product availability, contact Customer Service.
2. when an organization helps its customers by answering their questions and listening to their complaints, giving them advice on using a particular product or service, providing a good quality product etc:• The company claims customer service is its number one priority.
• There are automatic pay increases based on length of service.
— see also business reply service, contract of service, debt service[m0] ▪ II. service service 2 adjective [only before a noun]service roads, stairs, lifts etc are for the use of people working in a place or delivering goods to it, rather than the general public:• A new service road and tanker turning area is proposed for the site.
[m0] ▪ III. service service 3 verb [transitive]1. FINANCE to pay a debt, loan etc:• Cardholders are having trouble servicing their debts to the lender.
2. FINANCE if a financial institution services loans, debts etc, it manages them for another company, for example by collecting payments, calculating interest etc:• We currently service loans for more than 15 million customers nationwide.
3. to examine a machine or piece of equipment and to mend it if necessary:• Compaq relies heavily on independent dealers to sell and service its computers.
4. COMMERCE to provide a particular service, such as help, advice, transport etc:• Our customers in Mexico are serviced through a network of independent insurance firms.
— servicing noun [uncountable] :• We plan to bring the equipment back to the U.S. for servicing.
• Income from mortgage servicing rose sharply.
• The company has been increasing its loan servicing portfolio.
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Ⅰ.service UK US /ˈsɜːvɪs/ noun► [C or U] COMMERCE business activity that involves doing things for customers rather than producing goods, or a single act of doing something for a customer: »The bank was the first to offer 24-hour telephone banking service.
»We haven't actively promoted the email service because we have to be sure we can meet demand.
»These days there are service jobs that no one ever dreamed about in the 1950s.
»GDP is a measure of an economy's output of goods and services.
»The goal is to increase customer loyalty by providing customized products and services.
offer/provide a service »Career consultants offer numerous services, including résumé polishing.
service for sb/sth »We provide an internet service for lawyers.
► [C] GOVERNMENT a system or organization that provides something important that the public needs: »the ambulance/health/postal, etc. service
»The planners have to investigate what local services are available including transport, housing, and schooling for employees' children.
► [C] GOVERNMENT a government department that is responsible for a particular area or activity: »The immigration service has won an important victory in the courts.
► [C or U] TRANSPORT a system of buses, trains, aircraft, etc. that travel between particular places: »Passenger traffic registered a sharp rise thanks to the opening of a new ferry service from Liverpool to Dublin.
»The 18:43 service to Liverpool has been cancelled.
»Commercial air service is ready to resume today.
► [U] COMMERCE the way that employees of a business, store, etc. deal with customers, especially how quickly and effectively they do this: level/quality/standard of service »We constantly seek to improve the quality of service we give to our customers.
»good/excellent/poor service
provide/give service »They have provided excellent service in handling problem cases.
get/receive service »It seems like you never get good service in restaurants these days.
► [C or U] HR the time an employee spends working for an organization, or the work they do: »British labour law gives employees rights dependent upon their length of service.
15/40, etc. years (of) service »The amount of the severance payment is based on his 25 years service with the group.
»Under Germany's constitution, the unions and employers' federations have the exclusive right to negotiate wages and conditions of service.
► [C] UK a check and repair of a vehicle or machine that is done at regular periods: »I'm taking my car in for a service.
→ See also CUSTOMER SERVICE(Cf. ↑customer service), DEBT SERVICE(Cf. ↑debt service), FINANCIAL SERVICES(Cf. ↑financial services), LEGAL SERVICES(Cf. ↑legal services), MARKETING SERVICES(Cf. ↑marketing services), PUBLIC SERVICE(Cf. ↑public service)Ⅱ.service UK US /ˈsɜːvɪs/ verb [T]► FINANCE to make regular payments to pay back a debt or loan, including interest: »As growth slowed and prices fell, borrowers were unable to service their debts.
»The country is still spending $3 million a week servicing debt, twice what it spends on healthcare.
► FINANCE to collect and keep records of payments from a person or organization that has borrowed money: »We service about 350,000 mortgage loans.
► to examine a machine and repair any damaged parts: »I'm taking the car in to have it serviced.
»The 10-year contract involves servicing 11 gas turbines on three deep-water platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.
► COMMERCE to provide a service to someone: »service an industry/market
»We hope to achieve greater efficiency and be better able to service customers.
Ⅲ.service UK US /ˈsɜːvɪs/ adjective [before noun]► used only by people who work in a building or are delivering goods there, not by the general public: »a service elevator/entrance
Financial and business terms. 2012.
