Did you know UPS was established in Seattle in 1907 as a bicycle messenger company? Going way back to its roots, the company is using new cargo eBike and custom, modular package delivery trailers in the Pike Place market area of Seattle.

The bikes will address a host of issues for UPS and the city in a crowded and congested part of town. By operating on sidewalks and in designated bike lanes, the company provides an environmentally friendly solution while completely avoiding the traffic for faster deliveries.

For small business owners looking to better serve their communities, the new delivery service from UPS offers some valuable insights. Using bikes, electric vehicles or scooters to make deliveries instead of regular cars or trucks, lets your customers know the efforts you are putting into make your environment better.

Customers who are environmentally conscious will see these efforts and reward you with their patronage.

Undoubtedly UPS will also reap the benefits of making this effort in cities across the country and the world moving forward. In a press release Scott Phillippi, UPS’s senior director of maintenance and engineering for international operations, said the project is the first of its kind designed to address the challenges of urban congestion.

Currently, UPS operates a number of logistics projects in more than 30 major cities around the world using bike and foot delivery in inner-cities. Phillippi added, “We’re looking forward to being able to offer these customizable urban delivery solutions to other cities nationwide.”

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The UPS Cargo eBike

The UPS eBike was first demonstrated in 2012 in Hamburg, Germany, serving as a prototype for the latest cargo eBike being used in Seattle.

This bike was developed in collaboration with Silver Eagle Manufacturing using Truck Trikes. It comes equipped with a battery-powered electric motor capable of traveling long distances while transporting up to 400 pounds of cargo.

The 95 cubic foot capacity trailer is a modular and detachable box which offers the flexibility to adapt in different locations. The cargo eBike can be powered with a battery or by the rider using pedals like a traditional bike.

UPS eBike Delivery in Seattle

The new bikes will deliver packages in the Pike Place Market Area from South Belltown to the Southern End of the Market, including Western Avenue.

The route was developed in partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation. And according to UPS, if it is successful the route will be expanded with additional cargo eBike deliveries in other parts of the city.

Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan explained the need for this technology as the city continues to grow. She said, “As Seattle grows and public and private megaprojects limit capacity on our downtown streets, this pilot will help us better understand how we can ensure the delivery of goods while making space on our streets for transit, bikes, and pedestrians.”

Low Emission Vehicles

With a global fleet of 119,000 package cars, vans, tractors and motorcycles, UPS has been making a concerted effort to introduce alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.

As of today, the company says it has 9,300 vehicles in its fleet which are powered with all-electric, hybrid electric, hydraulic hybrid, ethanol, compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas and propane.

The company says the cargo eBikes in Seattle are among 10 electric and hybrid electric vehicles operating in Washington as part of a strategy to electrify its delivery fleet.

Image: UPS

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Although the United States gets a bad rap for having employees work the most hours of any industrialized nation, a new infographic from BambooHR says otherwise.

According to the “Working Hours around the World” infographic, the US is averaging 34 hours per week, which is on the low-end side compared to many other countries. On the high-end of the scale, Colombia and Turkey have the top spots at 48 hours each.

Small business owners who work too many hours would probably be happy with the numbers from Colombia and Turkey. Fifty plus hours are not uncommon as owners try to grow their business and build a company which will support them, their family and employees.

According to the 2017 Pulse Survey report from The Alternative Board, 84% of business owners are working over 40 hours per week. And on average, owners only have 1.5 hours of uninterrupted, high productive time each day.

BambooHR got the data for the report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The OECD has been compiling the average weekly working hours for workers in 35 countries around the world since 2000. The interactive graph, which you can access here, allows you to see the working trend for these countries for the past 18 years.

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Average Weekly Working Hours

Not surprising the lowest average weekly hours comes from a European country. With a total of 29 hours, the Netherlands has the shortest average work week.

Denmark is next with 32 hours, followed by the US, Germany, and Switzerland taking the number three spot with 34 hours of average work week. As a region, Europe has the most countries with the lowest working hours at 15.

If you take the US out of the equation, the Americas have the highest average with Colombia (48), Mexico (45), Costa Rica (45), and Chile (43).

In addition to Turkey, only two other countries in the European continent, Hungary and Poland have 40-hour averages.

Gender

When it comes to gender, women worked fewer hours across the board. But the women in the countries where the average was high, they ended up working more than all the men in Europe and the US.

Women in Turkey and Colombia, for example, worked 45-hour weeks, while men in the US averaged 41 hours and 34 hours in the Netherlands.

What is the Takeaway?

The key, as The Alternative Board survey points out, is to spend the time more efficiently working on the business instead of in the business.

When you first establish your company, you have to work in the business, but as you begin to grow you have to delegate tasks so you can start working on your business.

In this way, the time you spend will be geared to growing your company instead of the day-to-day task which can be carried out by your employees.

Understanding the concept of working in and on your business early during your entrepreneurial journey is critically important for using the time you spend building your company more efficiently.

As Bryson Kearl, who wrote the report on the BambooHR blog said, the data from the OECD can be interpreted in many ways. But at the end of the day, Kearl added, “Individual countries work in their own way, at their own rate, and for varying lengths of time. These variances extend to individual organizations, and increasingly they extend to individual employees.”

You can look at the rest of the working hours data on the infographic below.

Image: BambooHR

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More than one third or 35% of shoppers said they are more likely to make a purchase if a business offers monthly installment payments. This according to a survey carried out by Splitit, a payment solution which gives retailers the ability to provide a payment plan for purchases.

When shoppers are considering an installment plan, close to half or 47% revealed zero interest is the most important consideration. So it is not enough to just offer a payment plan, you also have to provide very low or zero interest otherwise you will lose one in two customers.

For small retailers, online or brick and mortar, providing a monthly installment plan is one of the best ways to increase average order value (AOV). The Splitit platform has been designed to simplify the installment payment process so business owners don’t have to worry about managing the purchases.

The CEO and Co-Founder of Splitit, Gil Don, explained the benefits of providing installment plans in the press release.

Don said, “An interest-free, monthly installment plan offers consumers the best option in alleviating their financial woes and allowing them to shop without burdensome restraints. Offering an effective payment solution is a win-win for both consumers, who can afford more expensive purchases, and for merchants, who can increase revenue and decrease cart abandonment rates.”

The Splitit survey was carried out in collaboration with Google Consumer Surveys in July 2018. More than 1,000 respondents ages 18 to 65+ in the US took part in the survey.

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Monthly Installments: Survey Results

In addition to zero interest, no late fees was also an important factor for consumers. Seventeen percent of them said these fees are a deterrent when they are in the process of choosing a payment option.

For 20% of millennials, the issues of late fees carried more weight. They said it was the most important consideration when they signed up for a payment solution.

When making purchases online, 83% said they are afraid of losing control of their cash flow or overspending. This has translated into shoppers making fewer expensive purchases online.

However, 25% of online shoppers said the option of an interest-free monthly installment payment plan would encourage them to purchase the high-ticket items.

While on the subject of purchases, millennials are more concerned with the possibility of damaging their credit score. This was true for 25% of the millennial respondents.

The Splitit Solution

Splitit has created a workaround for businesses so they can provide monthly payment plans with no interest rates and late fees. And best of all customers don’t have to register or apply like traditional installment payment plans or services.

The company uses the Visa and MasterCard credit cards as well as the debit cards your customers already use and offers monthly payment plans.

Splitit authorizes the full amount of the purchase on the shopper’s existing credit and debit card and holds their credit line for the entire amount.

The service is currently being used in 25 countries around the world by 800 Internet and traditional merchants.

Image: Splitit

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Who’s serving who?  Technology is here to serve you, but when you find yourself checking your phone for notifications or if you’re responding to team emergencies while at dinner or a concert — then you are serving technology.  And that, says Dan Schawbel, isn’t making you the leader you need to be.

There are enough “how to be a leader” books out there. But Back to Human: How Great Leaders Create Connection in the Age of Isolation by Dan Schawbel is the first one that is specifically written for a generation of leaders who are often managing a virtual, work-from-home workforce.  Not only that, but these new leaders are struggling with exactly the same challenges as their peers. The only difference is, they’ve gained a knack for having the technology serve them, instead of serving the technology.

Schawbel Fulfills on Mission to Guide Millennials

Schawbel is a New York Times bestselling author, Partner and Research Director at Future Workplace and the Founder of both Millennial Branding and WorkplaceTrends.com.

Over the years, he has become the voice of the professional Millennial.  In his book Me 2.0 his mission was to help them get their first job. Then, in Promote Yourself he gave them a path to management. And now, in Back to Human, he’s sharing the tools they will need to lead effectively.

 

Yes – Being Human is Now a Learned Skill

Schawbel’s research shows that social isolation is the biggest challenge for young leaders today and technology is the primary culprit. Technologies such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Slack and others were created with the intention to bring people closer together; to “free” them from confining cubicles and time-sucking meetings.  But few expected them to replace or to erode face-to-face interactions the way they have.

“Two global studies conducted by Future Workplace found that the majority of the six thousand twenty-two to thirty-four-year-old workers polled in more than 10 countries told researchers that they prefer in-person communications to technology,” Schawbel writes.  “Yet, more than a third spend about thirty percent of their personal and work time on Facebook. Instead of having in-person meetings and phone calls, we choose texting, instant messaging and social networking. Many even become frustrated when they receive phone calls and voicemails because they see them as an interruption.”

This year alone, one in 10 jobs will be eliminated, humans are being replaced with AI and that means that the most important new jobs being created are jobs for managing humans which require empathy, management, communication and other soft skills.

It seems that Back to Human has arrived at just the right time.  And if you think this book is just for millennials, think again.  If you spend more than half your day on some sort of device, if you work with a virtual team and if you’ve ever sent an email or text when you really should have just called — yeah, this book is for you.

Back to Human is Like the One-Minute Manager for Millennials

OK, so I’m dating myself when I say that my “Leadership Manual” was the iconic One-Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard. What that book was to the Baby Boomer and the Gen X workforce, Back to Human is to the new crop of Millennial leaders.

What I love about this book is how simple and practical it is. There are three parts to the book each representing a key step in the process; self connection, team connection and organizational connection.

Each part contains simple self-assessments, guides and scripted exercises that provide concrete actions that you can take either alone or with your team in order to move your leadership journey forward.  Schawbel anticipated any questions you might ask and then provided an outline of how to deal with this situation.

There is one interactive feature that I find extremely helpful; Schawbel has developed an online assessment called the Work Connectivity Index.  This is something I’d recommend that you do BEFORE you read the book because it will give you some context and help you focus in on specific sections of the book.

“Back to Human” is for Today’s Leaders, Not Just Millennials

While Schawbel’s books are often targeted to Millennials, that doesn’t mean that younger or older folks won’t get anything out of them.  Back to Humanis no exception.  As a business owner in my mid-50s who runs a virtual team and spends 99% of my workdays online, I found a tremendous amount of value from the research, tips and exercises Schawbel outlined.  

Any manager or business owner who works with or engages with virtual teams and intends to succeed in today’s strangely connected yet impersonal workplace will find a tremendous value in Back to Human — snap it up!

Photo via Shutterstock

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According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, unintentional carbon monoxide (CO), poisoning is responsible for hundreds of deaths each year. This is especially important to remember for small business owners who have employees on site.

A new report from Safewise looks at the safest and most dangerous states when it comes to CO poisoning with the goal of identifying the risks and finding solutions. The report contains some important facts you will need to keep your employees safe.

Being able to identify and mitigate the causes of CO poisoning is especially important because this is an odorless and colorless gas with deadly consequences. Often times people are only aware of CO poisoning because of the symptoms, which also highlight the critical importance of knowing what the symptoms are.

As the temperature dips and small businesses across the country start firing up their heaters, this is a good time to make sure they are in perfect working condition.

Rebecca Edwards, who wrote the report for Safewise, emphasized the need to be more aware of CO poisoning.

Edwards goes on to say, “This is one of the most preventable tragedies there is. Regardless of your state’s track record for CO poisoning incidents, there is plenty you can do to minimize (if not eliminate) your chances of falling victim to this covert killer. Know the signs and symptoms, and follow good practices to keep you and yours out of harm’s way. And, for goodness’ sake, run out and get a CO detector if you don’t already have one.”

SafeWise used CDC data from 1999 to 2016 for both accidental carbon monoxide poisoning and accidental poisoning from vapors and gases. The rankings were based on state laws that require residential CO detectors and local CO poisoning tracking programs.

The researchers were able to determine which states had the lowest and highest CO poisoning-related deaths per 1,000 people. Because of unreliable data, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Washington DC were not included in the rankings.

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Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Statistics: State Rankings

According to the report, death from CO poisoning was high in states with a combination of high altitude and northern latitude. The top five states had a mean elevation of 1,900 feet or higher.

Wyoming was first with 0.401 deaths per 100,000 followed by Alaska at 0.37, Montana at 0.356, North Dakota at 0.321, and Nebraska at 0.309.

The states with fewest deaths were led by California at 0.058 per 100,000. This was followed by Massachusetts with 0.058, Virginia at 0.083, New Jersey at 0.085, and New York rounding the top five with 0.096.

Most Common Causes of CO Poisoning

In the US, the most common causes of CO poisoning come from engine driven tools at 42%. Heating systems were next with 34% followed by consumer products at 19% and other multiple products at seven percent.

Additional CO poisoning stats:

• There is an average of 439 deaths per year from accidental, non-fire-related CO poisoning.
• Poison control centers get more than 680 calls per year about CO poisoning on average.
• Fire departments responded to an average of 72,000 CO poisoning incidents each year between 2006 and 2010.
• No one is immune to the dangers of CO poisoning.

Signs and Symptoms

Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless. If you don’t have a detector in place, the only way to know might be recognizing the signs and symptoms of CO poisoning.

They are:

• Dizziness
• Headache
• Weakness
• Upset stomach
• Confusion
• Chest pain
• Vomiting
• Loss of consciousness

If you and any of your co-workers in your place of business or family members in your home start experiencing these symptoms, quickly get outside to get some fresh air and call 911 or emergency medical help.

Preventing CO Poisoning

According to Safewise, the best way to prevent accidental CO poisoning is by installing a CO detector in every level of your home or place of business.

A CO detector works just like a smoke alarm. When it senses CO, it will sound an alarm. And just like a smoke alarm make sure it is powered properly. This means checking the batteries every year like you would your smoke detector.

Safewise also recommends the following measures to lower your risks of CO poisoning:

• Give heating systems an annual check-up from a certified technician.
• Hire a chimney sweep to inspect and clean your chimney once a year.
• Prohibit use of portable, flameless heaters inside your house.
• Only buy gas appliances that come with a seal from a national testing agency (like Underwriters Laboratories).
• Vent gas appliances properly.
• Don’t use your gas stove or oven to heat your home.
• Never use portable gas appliances (like a camp stove) inside the house.
• Remember that generators are outdoors-only. Keep them outside and at least twenty feet away from all windows, doors, and vents (that includes the garage!).
• Don’t run your vehicle inside an attached garage—even if the door is open. And always open the door of a detached garage before running your car.

You can read the full report on Safewise here, and the CDC has an FAQ page about CO poisoning here.

Image: Safewise

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Shipping costs go up every year and for small businesses it means losing a bigger chunk from their bottom line. The Pitney Bowes SendPro C200 is a comprehensive shipping and mailing solution which will automate the shipping process and save you money while doing it.

This is a fully integrated all-in-one solution designed to simplify shipping and mailing from a single station. There is no more guess work in your small business. You are ready to process your mail and packages for shipping with SendPro C200.

As the company says, you will be able to identify, locate, communicate, ship and pay enabling the full commerce continuum of today’s physical and digital retail ecosystem.

Small businesses will have access to the latest features that were only available to large enterprises – at a reasonable price.

The Pitney Bowes SendPro C200 makes small business workflow more efficient while lowering shipping costs.  The device can be rented starting at $36.99 per month.

Pitney Bowes SendPro C200

As an all-in-one unit, the Pitney Bowes SendPro C200 is controlled with a large color touch screen connected to Pitney Bowes Commerce Cloud. This allows you to get the latest information on all shipping costs across carriers, so you can find savings with USPS, UPS or FedEx depending on the shipping service you choose.

With the SendPro C200, you are always up to date with shipping rates.

When you are ready to ship a package, you can weigh it on the integrated scale, select your carrier, compare delivery service and print a shipping label.

Before you send the package, you can verify the address across all three carriers to make sure you are shipping the item to a legitimate location. And once it is shipped, you can track it with secure access from your computer or mobile app so you can keep your customers informed until they get their package.

If you are sending letters or flats, the SendPro C200 can print postage and seal envelopes in one step processing at up to 40 envelopes per minute.

As part of the Pitney Bowes system, you will be able to get discounts with USPS retail rates and negotiated discounts. And as a certified provider of UPS, Pitney Bowes can help you with UPS savings on next day air, ground and residential.

The fact that the SendPro C200 lets you choose between carriers has become even more important with the announcement of a planned rate increase by the USPS beginning Jan. 27, 2019.

If approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the change would raise the price of a First Class Mail Forever Stamps from 50 to 55 cents while First-Class metered letters would rise in cost from 47 cents to 50 cents — still a 5 cent savings over stamps.

Meanwhile, additional ounces for First-Class letters will decrease from 21 cents to 15 cents. However, product prices for mail services are expected to see a 2.5 percent hike while Priority Mail increases by 5.9 percent and Priority Mail Express by 3.9 percent.

With Pitney Bowes’ new product, clients can save money despite the rate changes by using it to choose the least expensive option amongst a variety of carriers.

Growth of Shipping

According to the Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index, the total number of shipped parcels globally grew by 17% in 2017 to 74.4 billion. In the US, it was up by 8% to 11.9 billion.

This growth is in great part being driven by ecommerce, which has made shipping an integral part of small business operations, and one that gets more expensive every year. Mailing and shipping costs therefore are becoming a growing concern.

In an exclusive interview with Small Business Trends, Chris Giles, Vice President of Global Product Management, at Pitney Bowes, gave our small business audience some of the ways they can save on shipping earlier this year.

The three ways a small business can do to save on shipping are by being accurate when calculating rates, always seeking out discounts, and making the right selection of carrier.

Weigh your mail with a scale so you don’t overpay on shipping packages. The SendPro C200 has a built-in scale and is digitally connected so all rates are always up to date.

Carrier discounts for volume are often lower than you might think. Pitney Bowes has pre-negotiated a 3 cents postage discount with the USPS. When you are shipping through an authorized vendor or are shipping a volume of mail, you can get discounts that are often up to 39% off the retail rate.

With SendPro C200 you can switch between carriers to get the best price for the type of package, destination and delivery time you need. The same package going to Maine will cost three different amounts depending on whether you select USPS, UPS or FedEx — and USPS isn’t always the cheapest option. Check the rates to make sure you are getting the best one.

Bottom line: When it comes to saving money on shipping, the Pitney Bowes SendPro C200 does it all.

Photo: Pitney Bowes

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A new survey from Voxbone reveals the phone is still the preferred technology for staying in touch for remote workers. This might be somewhat surprising considering the popularity of text and IM, but a phone call is hard to beat to quickly get your point across; especially with complex subject matters.

The Remote Worker Survey is the first edition of Voxobone’s look into how the growing number of this workforce keeps in touch. As a company specializing in business communications, understanding the way companies communicate with their remote workforce is one of the reasons for this survey.

For small businesses whose workforce is also increasingly made up of freelancers working remotely, it is just as important to find out the most efficient communication technology. This includes not overlooking the old and reliable phone.

As Ash Hekmat, who wrote the blog on the survey data, said “It’s easy to overlook the humble phone line when you’re thinking about the technologies that help your business achieve success. But doing so is a big mistake.”

Voxbone carried out the survey with the participation of 500 people across the US to determine how the remote worker landscape looks like in 2018.

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Communicate With Remote Workers

Effective communication has always been critically important in business, but for people working remotely, it is especially important.

The survey says 40% of Americans work with remote employees. And without a reliable form of communication, it means missing opportunities for new jobs and even losing existing jobs.

As to their preferred mode of communication, the phone came in the top position with 29% of the respondents. This was followed by text at 13%, IM at 10%, and video at 7%.

When it is time for a conference call, they said they prefer using a phone because of the reliability it provides. For 60% of them, the quality of the service they use is average or worse when conducting a video conference.

Some of the issues they face are poor sound quality, time lag or pixelation, dropped connections, and lack of international dial-ins. The challenges highlight the need to more effectively address this growing workforce.

Addressing the Increasing Number of Americans Working Remotely

The 7th Annual State of Independence (PDF) report from MBO Partners, which provides technology for independent workers, says there are 41 million Americans who now work independently.

The report says these are adults of all ages, skill, and income levels working across a wide range of industries as consultants, freelancers, and contractors on a temporary or on-call basis. And they are working to build businesses, develop their careers, pursue passions and/or to supplement their incomes.

For small business in the communications, finance, insurance, and technology segment, this workforce provides new opportunities. Addressing the specific needs of remote workers is one way your company can differentiate itself.

Image: Voxbone

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In addition to purchasing gifts for your team and other business contacts, the holiday season can also be a great time to find deals for all the tech you may want to use throughout the year.

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2018 Tech Gifts

Whether you’re looking for business gifts for other small business owners or just trying to buy something for yourself, here are 20 tech products that may pique your interest.

Echo Dot

The Echo Dot is a device that gives users access to the Alexa voice assistant in any room. It can be useful in both home and office settings.

iPhone XS

If you’re looking to purchase any smartphone business gifts this season, the iPhone XS is one of the most popular models currently.

HP OfficeJet Printer

If you know someone who needs a new printer, this OfficeJet model is a solid option for personal use or a home office.

Multi-Device Keyboard

A keyboard can make using a tablet, smartphone or other device much easier. This version can connect to multiple devices via bluetooth, providing a convenient way to work from anywhere.

Chromebook

A Chromebook is a small version of a laptop that is easy to transport and relatively inexpensive. It can help you or another gift recipient stay connected even when not in the actual office.

Ring Video Doorbell

Improve home or office security with this high-tech doorbell. This version from Ring includes a video feature that shows you who is at the door when someone rings the bell.

Apple Watch

For those interested in smartwatches, the Apple Watch integrates with iPhone and includes a fitness tracker and other advanced features.

VR Headset

Virtual reality tech is becoming more and more advanced. This headset can connect to iPhone and Samsung smartphones to experience gaming, video content and more.

Ring Light

Fix all those poorly lit selfies or make those livestreams look a bit more professional with this ring light. It illuminates the face evenly and is a must for any entrepreneur with a serious social media presence.

Charging Station

Entrepreneurs have tons of different devices to keep charged all the time. This charging station provides a way to get power to all of them at once.

Drawing Tablet

For any designers, hand letterers or business owners working on new branding, a drawing tablet can really come in handy. This model is compatible with software for everything from logo creation to animation.

Wifi LED Light Bulb

For a smarter way to light the home or office, this wifi-enabled light bulb can be controlled using Amazon’s Alexa from anywhere.

Portable Projector

To share presentations or even enjoy entertainment from anywhere, this mini projector can connect to your smartphone or a variety of other devices.

Dog Camera

If you need a clever gift for any dog owners on your list, this camera is meant to help you keep an eye on your furry friends even when you’re away from the house.You can also use it to give them treats from afar.

Bluetooth Speaker

To listen to music anywhere, this speaker connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and provides a crisp and clear sound with easy volume controls.

Wireless Headphones

For an easy and convenient way to listen to music or podcasts while working out or taking care of business tasks, these headphones are specifically made to be comfortable and convenient.

Gaming Mouse

For any gamers on your list, this mouse has an ergonomic shape perfect for long gaming sessions and seven buttons to make controls simple.

Roomba

An automatic vacuum can be helpful for any business owner or individual. The original Roomba from iRobot can work with your smartphone and work on a variety of flooring styles.

Portable Photo Printer

To easily print photos for marketing materials or personal use, this portable device connects to your smartphone and prints on sticky back paper.

Mobile Wifi Hotspot

Small business owners often need to be able to work from anywhere. This mobile wifi hotspot enables you to bring a connection with you anywhere you go.

Photo via Shutterstock

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