From Amazon to McDonald’s, there are numerous sizable companies in the consumer services field. The consumer services industry is enormously broad and diverse. It consists of businesses engaged in retail trade, the media, food distribution, and a variety of services, including hospitality, finance, and healthcare.
According to research done by Dun and Bradstreet, there are about 455,000 consumer services businesses in the U.S. These companies brought in a combined $300 billion in annual revenue in 2015.
Consumer services businesses have some of the most well-known brands in the nation because their clients frequently interact with them and because their logos are easily recognizable.
What kinds of Consumer Services Companies are there?
Retail and wholesale providers of consumer services are essential to industry supply chains. For instance, retailers purchase products from wholesalers or manufacturers in person or online, and then resell them. Brick-and-mortar businesses are increasingly adopting or phasing out digital shopping experiences.
Included in the leisure and hospitality consumer services sector are lodging, food service, transportation, and tourism-oriented businesses. Using technology and human resources, networks such as AAA and Airbnb have expanded their customer service options. Consumer services include restaurant delivery, personal shoppers, resorts, and streaming entertainment.
Health and social services companies assist clients in making informed decisions regarding healthcare products, gaining access to medical records, and locating providers. These businesses facilitate consumer participation in the healthcare system. Health insurance companies, online and in-person treatment services, and preventive healthcare websites are examples of health and social consumer services companies.
Education consumer services may assist individuals in locating credible colleges and programs by providing databases of authorized and accredited institutions. These organizations safeguard consumers against substandard, misleading, and fraudulent practices. Electronic services that provide access to academic transcripts and online learning programs are additional examples.
25 Biggest & Best Companies in Consumer Services
The top 25 largest and most reputable consumer services companies are listed in the table below (in no particular order). Further information is provided in the article, along with links to each of the company’s career pages.
| # | Company | Year Founded | Headquarters | Number of Employees (Globally) | 2021 Revenue ($bn) | Number of Countries Operating In |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southwest Airlines | 1967 | Dallas, Texas | 55,100 | 15.8 | 11 |
| 2 | JetBlue | 2000 | Long Island City, New York | 22,000 | 6 | Unknown |
| 3 | American Airlines | 1926 | Fort Worth, Texas | 123,400 | 29.9 | Unknown |
| 4 | Hilton | 1919 | McLean, Virginia | 360,000 | 5.8 | 122 |
| 5 | AirBnB | 2008 | San Francisco, California | 6,132 | 5.99 | Up to 170 (remote working policy) |
| 6 | Lyft | 2012 | San Francisco, California | 4,675 | 3.2 | U.S. only |
| 7 | Uber | 2009 | San Francisco, California | 22,800 | 5.7 | 71 |
| 8 | Royal Caribbean Group | 1968 | Miami, Florida | 85,000 | 1.53 | Unknown |
| 9 | Marriott International | 1927 | Bethesda, Maryland | 120,000 | 13.9 | 139 |
| 10 | Booking Holdings | 1996 | Norwalk, Connecticut | 20,300 | 11 | Website available in over 200 countries |
| 11 | Walmart | 1962 | Bentonville, Arkansas | 2.3 million | 559 | 24 |
| 12 | Costco | 1976 | Issaquah, Washington | 214,000 | 141 | 8 |
| 13 | Target | 1902 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 409,000 | 93.5 | Stores US only, sourcing offices in 20 countries |
| 14 | Amazon | 1994 | Seattle, Washington | 1.6 million | 470 | 13 |
| 15 | Trader Joe’s | 1967 | Monrovia, California | 50,000 | 13.3 | US only |
| 16 | Home Depot | 1978 | Atlanta, Georgia | 500,000 | 151 | 3 |
| 17 | Bank of America | 1998 | Charlotte, North Carolina | 200,000 | 89 | 35 |
| 18 | CVS Health | 1963 | Woonsocket, Rhode Island | 300,000 | 292 | US only |
| 19 | Apple | 1976 | Cupertino, California | 154,000 | 366 | Stores in 25 countries |
| 20 | Walt Disney | 1923 | Burbank, California | 190,000 | 67.4 | 29 |
| 21 | Comcast | 1963 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 189,000 | 116 | US only (Sky in 6 European countries) |
| 22 | Charter Communications | 1993 | Stamford, Connecticut | 93,700 | 51.7 | US only |
| 23 | McDonald’s | 1955 | Chicago, Illinois | 200,000 | 23.2 | 120 |
| 24 | Starbucks | 1971 | Seattle, Washington | 383,000 | 29 | 80 |
| 25 | Burger King | 1954 | Miami, Florida | 34,248 | 23.5 | 76 |
Top Tech Companies in the Consumer Services Field
Some of the leading consumer services technology companies are well-known international organizations. They offer a variety of employment opportunities in consumer services, including data analytics, software engineering, app development, and web development. Organizations such as AAA and Airbnb provide consumer-friendly apps, whereas Amazon provides cloud services.
AAA
- AAA has advocated for driver’s education, vehicle safety, safer roads, and travelers’ rights since it was founded in 1902. The automobile club has been a leader in safe travel for over 120 years.
- Today, AAA has 61 million members, 32 motor clubs, and over 1,000 branch offices across North America. AAA offers a variety of services, from roadside assistance and insurance to travel booking.
- AAA offers many opportunities if you’re looking for consumer services jobs in travel technology, data analytics, or software engineering.
Corporate Headquarters: Heathrow, Florida
Offered Tech Jobs:
- Managing Director, Travel Technology and Digital Products
- Software Applications Manager
- Software Engineer
Airbnb
- Airbnb started offering travelers unique options as an alternative to hotels and motels in 2008. Today, the company’s app has millions of users in over 190 countries and 81,000 cities worldwide.
- Travelers can create a free Airbnb account and find a database of hosts who list their spaces for vacation stays. The company verifies profiles and listings and maintains a messaging system for hosts and guests to communicate.
- Airbnb is a trusted platform for technology professionals who want remote work options in the leisure and hospitality industry.
Corporate Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Offered Tech Jobs:
- Senior Security Engineer, Detection & Response
- Senior Backend Engineer, HotelTonight
- Staff Data Scientist – Inference, Marketing Technology
Amazon
- Amazon is a pioneer in leveraging technology and creating digital service experiences in consumer services throughout the world. The company provides an online shopping marketplace, personalized recommendations, publishing and streaming services, home security, and virtual assistants.
- Amazon Web Services is a cloud that companies of all sizes use to lower costs and increase agility and security. There are over 200 global data centers in the system.
- The company’s vast reach and expansive services make Amazon an excellent place to find consumer services jobs for technology professionals.
Corporate Headquarters: Seattle, Washington
Offered Tech Jobs:
- Software Development Engineer
- Data Architect
- Web Development Engineer
Comcast
- Comcast opened in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1963 as a single-system cable operator. Today, it’s a global media and technology company, including Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky (its European media and entertainment branch).
- The company provides Xfinity for internet, mobile, TV, media and entertainment, and home management services. NBCUniversal develops, produces, and markets entertainment, news, and information internationally.
- Comcast’s vast portfolio of services requires many technology professionals, including those working in network security and DevOps.
Corporate Headquarters: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Offered Tech Jobs:
- Product Security Engineer
- Sr. Research Engineer, Machine Learning
- DevOps Engineer
Costco
- Costco is a wholesale warehouse club with a wide selection of merchandise, specialty departments, and member services. The company opened in 1976 as Price Club in San Diego and merged with Costco in Seattle in 1983 as PriceCostco.
- The company officially became Costco in 1997. Today, it has hundreds of international locations. Costco’s home office houses the company’s information systems division, which houses a variety of tech workers in areas like network technology and data analytics.
Corporate Headquarters: Issaquah, Washington
Offered Tech Jobs:
- Costco Logistics Program Manager – Network Strategy
- BI Engineer – Data Analytics
- Cloud Networking Engineer
Home Depot
- Home Depot is a large-scale home improvement retailer in North America, with 2,300 stores across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The company started with two stores in 1979 in Atlanta, Georgia, and its headquarters is still in Atlanta.
- Today, Home Depot provides in-person retail options and an interconnected e-commerce business, with over 1 million products for its DIY customers and professional contractors.
- Home Depot offers consumer services jobs in specializations from cybersecurity to engineering. Many of these are remote positions.
Corporate Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia
Offered Tech Jobs:
- Systems Engineer
- Software Engineer
- Data Scientist
The TJX Companies
- TJX Companies is a leading apparel and home fashion retailer in the U.S. and worldwide. The organization has around 4,700 stores across nine countries and three continents.
- Additionally, TJX Companies has five distinctive branded e-commerce sites, including Marshalls, Marmaxx, HomeGoods, Sierra, and T.J. Maxx. These sites offer a changing assortment of brand names and designer merchandise at discounted prices.
- TJX Companies offer career paths for IT professionals who work well as part of a team and know how to use up-to-date tools, software, and methodologies.
Corporate Headquarters: Framingham, Massachusetts
Offered Tech Jobs:
- Manager, Site Reliability Engineering
- Email Marketing Manager
- Senior Scrum Master
The Walt Disney Company
- The Walt Disney Company is a media and entertainment enterprise with an international reach. It encompasses Disney parks and products, media and entertainment distribution, live theater, and streaming platforms like ABC Entertainment.
- Disney is a leader in the leisure and hospitality sector of consumer services, leveraging technology to deliver personalized experiences. From providing experiences at theme parks to helping viewers stream favorite shows or sports content, The Walt Disney Company is a big player in entertainment.
- Careers with The Walt Disney Company are plentiful for technology professionals looking to work in entertainment and media consumer services.
Corporate Headquarters: Burbank, California
Offered Tech Jobs:
- Full Stack Python Developer
- Technical Program Manager – Web Engineering
- Lead Software Engineer tvOS
What Is the Consumer Services Field?
The consumer services industry relies on human resources (HR), computers, and information technology (IT) to assist customers. As opposed to tangible consumer goods such as clothing, toys, cars, and appliances, these services involve processes, outcomes, and experiences. Companies that provide consumer services concentrate on transactions, customer service, and how consumers access services.
People and technology are the driving forces behind the consumer services industry, from online purchases to health and social services to entertainment. For instance, Netflix’s online streaming platform offers original content and a monthly streaming subscription powered by HR and technology. There are jobs in consumer services in virtually every industry.
What are the 4 main types of consumer services?
- There are four primary consumer service fields: retail and wholesale, leisure and hospitality, health and social, and education. Examples of retail consumer services companies include fashion boutiques, grocery stores, and home improvement businesses. Wholesalers provide discounted options for retailers, and both sectors often offer in-person and digital shopping experiences.
- The leisure and hospitality consumer services field includes travel, lodging, transportation, food services, and theme parks. Digital streaming services and home delivery are prime examples of this consumer services field.
- Health and social services provide healthcare services, resources, and information, while education services assist students in finding quality education providers.
Consumer Services Career Paths
Front of House
Many roles in Consumer Services are customer facing. This is often a good entry point into the Consumer Services field for those without prior work experience.
In this customer facing line, your career might take you into team management and leadership for those customer facing teams.
Examples of customer facing consumer services roles:
- Call Center Operative
- Concierge
- Waiter / Waitress
- Receptionist
- Customer Service Representative (CSR)
- Sales Assistant
Back of House
All customer facing roles need back of house support to function. In Retail this could be working in the warehouse or doing deliveries. In hotels and restaurants, this could be working in the kitchen, or cleaning, for example.
Examples of Back of House consumer services jobs:
- Chef
- Delivery Driver
- Cleaner
- Warehouse Operative
Corporate and Support Functions
Behind the scenes, Consumer Service companies all need support or head-office functions such as IT, HR, Operations, Logistics and Facilities Management. These are all career paths you could follow, without the customer facing element.
Examples of Corporate or Support function roles in consumer services:
- IT Technician
- Developer or Engineer
- HR Partner
- Facilities Manager
- Marketing Assistant or Manager
Senior and Executive Management
As with any organisation, the company needs a vision, strategic direction, and effective leadership. From any type of role, you can grow your career into management roles within Consumer Services.
Examples of Senior and Executive jobs in consumer services:
- C-suite – CEO / COO / CFO / CIO
- Director
- VP
Industry Sectors within Consumer Services
There are multiple different ways you can sub-divide Consumer Services into different industries or sectors, but we have grouped Consumer Services companies into the following industry sectors:
- Travel & Hospitality
- Retail
- Media & Telecoms
- Healthcare
- Leisure & Entertainment
- Food & Beverages
How to Get a Tech Job in the Consumer Services Field?
- Most tech jobs in the consumer services field require experience with programming languages, database technologies, and tools. A bachelor’s degree in computer science is one way to learn about new technologies and develop programming skills. Earning a college degree can prepare graduates for cybersecurity, web development, analyst, and project management careers.
- However, some tech roles, such as web developer and digital designer, may not need a bachelor’s degree. Coding bootcamps can help aspiring web developers and technology professionals learn new skills and stay updated on tech tools and computer languages. These roles typically require workers to be adept at HTML programming, JavaScript, and SQL.
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