COST POLICY AND COST MANAGEMENT IN THE SERVICE SECTOR: AN ECONOMIC DIMENSION

The aim of the study is to determine the most influential factors in the management of small businesses and the formation of a cost management system that allows you to effectively develop in a strategic perspective and have a stable income. The study proves that an efficiently formed pricing policy and economically justified cost optimization, as its result, will allow service companies to work effectively in a competitive environment and ensure their future development. The stages of the pricing policy at enterprises are proposed taking into account the influence of external factors — purchasing power, prices of competitors providing identical services, etc., as well as internal factors that are closely related to costs and profitability. The authors developed a model of the cost management system for service enterprises, which reflects the relationship between the various elements of the enterprise. Accounting for these relationships is aimed at obtaining a stable profit. Attention is focused on reducing assets and increasing liabilities, which reflect the amount of expenses, for setting prices for the services of an enterprise, which helps to identify hidden economic reserves for optimization. A questionnaire survey of respondents-managers of one level (i. e. directors of service enterprises) made it possible to identify the factors that have the greatest influence on cost management and the development of the enterprise as a whole. These factors play a significant role in shaping the long-term development strategy of the enterprise. Moreover, the main external aspect of stimulating the development of enterprises in the service sector is the state, which should implement state programs to support and develop enterprises in the service sector. It is proposed to consider the internal factor of influence as the price set by the managers of the enterprise to provide consumer services to customers. The results of the study showed that it is necessary to optimize costs not only by reducing their volume, but also by adjusting the price indicator, which will allow you to get stable income in the long term.