A
back office is a part of most corporations
where tasks dedicated to running the company itself take place. The
term "back office" comes from the building layout of early companies
where the front office
would contain the sales and other customer-facing staff and the back
office would be those manufacturing or developing the products or
involved in administration but without being seen by customers. Although
the operations of a back office are seldom prominent, they are a major
contributor to a business.
Back offices may be located somewhere other than company headquarters. Many are in areas and countries with cheaper rent and lower labor costs. Some office parks such as MetroTech Center provide back offices for tenants whose front offices are in more expensive neighborhoods. Back office functions can be outsourced to consultants and contractors, including ones in other countries.
