The Millennial Problem: Generational Differences in the Office

Everyone with parents (or children) knows how hard it can be to connect with someone of a different generation. The microcosm of a small business is no exception to this rule where generational differences can often lead to misunderstandings and disrespect between coworkers. Over time, these disputes can erode employee morale and even affect the bottom line.

Teri Hill of T. H. Enterprises, who coaches up-and-coming companies how to “lead across generations,” describes these as conflicts arising from the generations’ different backgrounds. She explains:

Most people gain their frame of reference for the world from the ages of five to fifteen.

Baby Boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964 and currently holding the majority of leadership positions, came into age in a thriving business era which has made them to be hardworking and fiercely competitive in the workplace. According to Robert Avery of Cornell University, what this means for small business owners in particular is a matter of sheer evolution.

Avery says:

The majority of boomer wealth is held in 12 million privately owned businesses of which more than 70% are expected to change hands in the next 10-15 years.

In contrast, Millennials, who were born between 1980 and 2000, were raised to expect recognition for even their smallest accomplishments.

Boomers wanted to prove that they weren’t just the best workers. They also wanted to be seen as the best parents.

In laymens terms, Millennials were given whatever they wanted by indulgent Boomer parents - be it material items, awards or praise. As such, Millennials have the highest incidence of narcissism of any generation. For example, in 2006, college students scored 30% higher on the Narcissistic Personality Index than they did in 1979.

This narcissism can only serve to foster conflicts in the workplace. Both Baby Boomers and Veterans (the generation born before 1946) value hard work and results which often puts them at odds with Millennials, who expect a steady stream of feedback and praise.

Hill even described an incident where a Millennial was passed over for a raise and the employee’s mother lobbied on her behalf until the department finally reconsidered. For the older generation, this is absurd entitlement, but for Millennials it’s just an extension of the way they were raised.

According to John Mason, contributing writer of Forbes, small business owners in particular need to focus on two main traits of the Millennial effect. Mason says:

How millennials look to consume information and what to do with the valuable data they provide. Think tech-savvy, eager and collaborative. As social media becomes an established part of everyday life, expectations for personalized, real-time services continue to grow. Small companies who decide to embrace social and engagement marketing strategies all-out for their brands could end up huge winners.

Millennials are technological natives - growing up with technology at their fingertips - while Baby Boomers and Veterans are technological adopters. This disparity comes into play when picking and policing types of communication. Boomers and Veterans prefer face-to-face and phone conversations, while Millennials are more likely to text or email. They are also more likely to be on their phones during meetings and to use social media during the workday.

Firstly, recognize that these differences exist and that they account for many instances of perceived disrespect between coworkers.

Many Boomers and Veterans are offended by Millennials’ casual approach to authority, while Millennials may not understand the older generations’ adherence to seemingly arbitrary rules and regulations.

However, if the generations take some time to understand each other’s backgrounds and values, they will recognize the role of generational differences in their office behavior.

Once these differences have been recognized, you can start working on compromises. While Millennials do expect too much recognition, they do have valid points about communication and life balance. You should embrace new forms of communication - text, social media, etc. - and strive to offer employees more balance in their lives through telecommuting and flexible holidays.

However, the older generations should hold firm on certain office etiquette. For example, employees shouldn’t be allowed to use their phones during meetings or use casual language in their emails to clients and potential-clients.

Hill explains:

Boomers should let Millennials know what is expected of them. And in turn Millennials should express what they expect from the office environment.

The Millennial generation has a number of problems, but they are also the most open-minded and civic-oriented generation (PDF) currently in the office. If their concerns are taken into consideration, office culture might develop into a more open and inviting space for real productivity and decision-making.

Rather than dismissing their views, the older generations should hear out and incorporate suggestions, setting the standard for bridging the gap for future generations to come.

Millenial Photo via Shutterstock

The Millennial Problem: Generational Differences in the Office

Everyone with parents (or children) knows how hard it can be to connect with someone of a different generation. The microcosm of a small business is no exception to this rule where generational differences can often lead to misunderstandings and disrespect between coworkers. Over time, these disputes can erode employee morale and even affect the bottom line.

Teri Hill of T. H. Enterprises, who coaches up-and-coming companies how to “lead across generations,” describes these as conflicts arising from the generations’ different backgrounds. She explains:

Most people gain their frame of reference for the world from the ages of five to fifteen.

Baby Boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964 and currently holding the majority of leadership positions, came into age in a thriving business era which has made them to be hardworking and fiercely competitive in the workplace. According to Robert Avery of Cornell University, what this means for small business owners in particular is a matter of sheer evolution.

Avery says:

The majority of boomer wealth is held in 12 million privately owned businesses of which more than 70% are expected to change hands in the next 10-15 years.

In contrast, Millennials, who were born between 1980 and 2000, were raised to expect recognition for even their smallest accomplishments.

Boomers wanted to prove that they weren’t just the best workers. They also wanted to be seen as the best parents.

In laymens terms, Millennials were given whatever they wanted by indulgent Boomer parents - be it material items, awards or praise. As such, Millennials have the highest incidence of narcissism of any generation. For example, in 2006, college students scored 30% higher on the Narcissistic Personality Index than they did in 1979.

This narcissism can only serve to foster conflicts in the workplace. Both Baby Boomers and Veterans (the generation born before 1946) value hard work and results which often puts them at odds with Millennials, who expect a steady stream of feedback and praise.

Hill even described an incident where a Millennial was passed over for a raise and the employee’s mother lobbied on her behalf until the department finally reconsidered. For the older generation, this is absurd entitlement, but for Millennials it’s just an extension of the way they were raised.

According to John Mason, contributing writer of Forbes, small business owners in particular need to focus on two main traits of the Millennial effect. Mason says:

How millennials look to consume information and what to do with the valuable data they provide. Think tech-savvy, eager and collaborative. As social media becomes an established part of everyday life, expectations for personalized, real-time services continue to grow. Small companies who decide to embrace social and engagement marketing strategies all-out for their brands could end up huge winners.

Millennials are technological natives - growing up with technology at their fingertips - while Baby Boomers and Veterans are technological adopters. This disparity comes into play when picking and policing types of communication. Boomers and Veterans prefer face-to-face and phone conversations, while Millennials are more likely to text or email. They are also more likely to be on their phones during meetings and to use social media during the workday.

Firstly, recognize that these differences exist and that they account for many instances of perceived disrespect between coworkers.

Many Boomers and Veterans are offended by Millennials’ casual approach to authority, while Millennials may not understand the older generations’ adherence to seemingly arbitrary rules and regulations.

However, if the generations take some time to understand each other’s backgrounds and values, they will recognize the role of generational differences in their office behavior.

Once these differences have been recognized, you can start working on compromises. While Millennials do expect too much recognition, they do have valid points about communication and life balance. You should embrace new forms of communication - text, social media, etc. - and strive to offer employees more balance in their lives through telecommuting and flexible holidays.

However, the older generations should hold firm on certain office etiquette. For example, employees shouldn’t be allowed to use their phones during meetings or use casual language in their emails to clients and potential-clients.

Hill explains:

Boomers should let Millennials know what is expected of them. And in turn Millennials should express what they expect from the office environment.

The Millennial generation has a number of problems, but they are also the most open-minded and civic-oriented generation (PDF) currently in the office. If their concerns are taken into consideration, office culture might develop into a more open and inviting space for real productivity and decision-making.

Rather than dismissing their views, the older generations should hear out and incorporate suggestions, setting the standard for bridging the gap for future generations to come.

Millenial Photo via Shutterstock

Top Ten Cities for Online Small Business According to PayPal

PayPal recently unveiled the Top Ten Cities for Online Small Business in the United States, based on total payment value of it’s current customer base. This is the first time ever that Paypal has revealed such data relative to it’s small business services. The Top Ten list, compiled by the online transactions giant, names Manhattan as the number one city for Small Business and ranks San Francisco in second place and Brooklyn third.  New York has done rather well for itself in the small business game.

Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Houston, San Diego, Austin and Las Vegas made up the remainder of the list, giving us all a glimpse into the hubs for small businesses in the United States.

“We process payments so it’s pretty simple. It’s a very objective study because it’s the top ten online small business cities,” says Anuj Nayer, Senior Director of Global Initiatives at PayPal. “We can process the payment volume by zip code and that gives us a very clear understanding.”

With Manhattan coming away as number one with the highest level of small business activity in the US, it raises the question of what types of businesses are making these waves. “There’s a lot of online commerce that happens there as well as regular commerce,” says Anuj. “We’re not breaking down the split between Manhattan and San Francisco, which is the second one. We were surprised at how much of the total that the top ten make up. It’s everything from bespoke clothing manufacturers to electrical retailers.”

Leo Sussan is a marketing and business development associate at Shoplet.com, an office supply company based in Manhattan that frequently uses PayPal as a payment option for customers. “Manhattan provides start-up and emerging companies with increased visibility, available capital, and a massive potential customer/employee pool in the New York metropolitan area,” he says, referring to the large population.

Manhattan is the heart of companies big and small that have headquartered there and this causes a number of difficulties at the same time. “Manhattan is not the most affordable of locations for one to simply start up a new business. Retail and office space is very costly in New York,” says Leo. “Manhattan is ultra-competitive; the race to prove one’s resilience and luminosity is infinite. But for those whom do manage to attract their deserved nods of recognition, the setbacks of starting up are ultimately worth it.”

“Small business is really the bread and butter, the DNA, the core of PayPal’s business. It’s always been small businesses,” says Anuj. “Pretty much anyone with an idea can put up a website and in a very short amount of time have PayPal on their site.”

Sometimes what’s best for small business in a particular city can be long established industries creating chances for newer ones.  Los Angeles featured fourth on PayPal’s list and the showbiz core has been instrumental for film, games and multimedia company Summertime Entertainment, another regular user of PayPal services, which assists their worldwide activities. “Paypal allows us to easily provide a secure and familiar payment method for our global player base of 300,000 players that are located in over 90 different countries for our children’s virtual world Legends of Oz World,” says Director of Digital Media, Brad Jashinsky.

“The main advantage of being located in Los Angeles is the talent pool here for the entertainment industry,” he adds. “Los Angeles has everything from entertainment focused programs at major universities to hosting most of the leading industry conventions.”

While we’ve been looking at PayPal’s efficiency for small business across the US, it’s vital to note the growth in international transactions happening all the time via American businesses, a set of circumstances made possible by larger companies like PayPal.

As Anuj explains, one of the fastest growing countries for cross border transactions is Argentina, which is experiencing triple digit growth on cross border. “We think that’s an excellent opportunity for small merchants to start to target these customers that may not be in the traditional boundaries in the US, especially as you start getting into things like Black Friday,” he says.

“Every merchant is going to start offering deals to their domestic consumers, it’s a very traditional part of the retail calendar but if they’re not offering these deals to customers that live outside of the US then they’re cutting off 95% of the potential sale. You’re not just competing now with the stores that are around the corner or even in a domestic market, you’re competing with everyone around the world and consumers from around the world are finding it easier and easier to shop cross border,” he adds.

The volume of businesses that are using PayPal in day-to-day operations indicate that it will be remaining a giant in the field of online transactions. However, it does not exist alone. As we’ve seen earlier, companies like Bill.com have created more options for small business and online transactions but still not quite having the same global reach as PayPal.

Top Ten Cities for Online Small Business According to PayPal

PayPal recently unveiled the Top Ten Cities for Online Small Business in the United States, based on total payment value of it’s current customer base. This is the first time ever that Paypal has revealed such data relative to it’s small business services. The Top Ten list, compiled by the online transactions giant, names Manhattan as the number one city for Small Business and ranks San Francisco in second place and Brooklyn third.  New York has done rather well for itself in the small business game.

Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Houston, San Diego, Austin and Las Vegas made up the remainder of the list, giving us all a glimpse into the hubs for small businesses in the United States.

“We process payments so it’s pretty simple. It’s a very objective study because it’s the top ten online small business cities,” says Anuj Nayer, Senior Director of Global Initiatives at PayPal. “We can process the payment volume by zip code and that gives us a very clear understanding.”

With Manhattan coming away as number one with the highest level of small business activity in the US, it raises the question of what types of businesses are making these waves. “There’s a lot of online commerce that happens there as well as regular commerce,” says Anuj. “We’re not breaking down the split between Manhattan and San Francisco, which is the second one. We were surprised at how much of the total that the top ten make up. It’s everything from bespoke clothing manufacturers to electrical retailers.”

Leo Sussan is a marketing and business development associate at Shoplet.com, an office supply company based in Manhattan that frequently uses PayPal as a payment option for customers. “Manhattan provides start-up and emerging companies with increased visibility, available capital, and a massive potential customer/employee pool in the New York metropolitan area,” he says, referring to the large population.

Manhattan is the heart of companies big and small that have headquartered there and this causes a number of difficulties at the same time. “Manhattan is not the most affordable of locations for one to simply start up a new business. Retail and office space is very costly in New York,” says Leo. “Manhattan is ultra-competitive; the race to prove one’s resilience and luminosity is infinite. But for those whom do manage to attract their deserved nods of recognition, the setbacks of starting up are ultimately worth it.”

“Small business is really the bread and butter, the DNA, the core of PayPal’s business. It’s always been small businesses,” says Anuj. “Pretty much anyone with an idea can put up a website and in a very short amount of time have PayPal on their site.”

Sometimes what’s best for small business in a particular city can be long established industries creating chances for newer ones.  Los Angeles featured fourth on PayPal’s list and the showbiz core has been instrumental for film, games and multimedia company Summertime Entertainment, another regular user of PayPal services, which assists their worldwide activities. “Paypal allows us to easily provide a secure and familiar payment method for our global player base of 300,000 players that are located in over 90 different countries for our children’s virtual world Legends of Oz World,” says Director of Digital Media, Brad Jashinsky.

“The main advantage of being located in Los Angeles is the talent pool here for the entertainment industry,” he adds. “Los Angeles has everything from entertainment focused programs at major universities to hosting most of the leading industry conventions.”

While we’ve been looking at PayPal’s efficiency for small business across the US, it’s vital to note the growth in international transactions happening all the time via American businesses, a set of circumstances made possible by larger companies like PayPal.

As Anuj explains, one of the fastest growing countries for cross border transactions is Argentina, which is experiencing triple digit growth on cross border. “We think that’s an excellent opportunity for small merchants to start to target these customers that may not be in the traditional boundaries in the US, especially as you start getting into things like Black Friday,” he says.

“Every merchant is going to start offering deals to their domestic consumers, it’s a very traditional part of the retail calendar but if they’re not offering these deals to customers that live outside of the US then they’re cutting off 95% of the potential sale. You’re not just competing now with the stores that are around the corner or even in a domestic market, you’re competing with everyone around the world and consumers from around the world are finding it easier and easier to shop cross border,” he adds.

The volume of businesses that are using PayPal in day-to-day operations indicate that it will be remaining a giant in the field of online transactions. However, it does not exist alone. As we’ve seen earlier, companies like Bill.com have created more options for small business and online transactions but still not quite having the same global reach as PayPal.

The Importance of Follow Up: Lessons From A Little Yellow Letter (Video)

Often times in small business there is one major reason that we are not getting more leads and customers; it’s lack of follow-up. As small business owners we get busy handling all the day-to-day functions that keep our business going. Sometimes we forget or say, “Hey - I’ll just do that tomorrow”, and then tomorrow becomes the next day and then before you know it a month has gone by and now follow-up just seems silly. But follow-up is an essential part of growing your business that you can’t just toss aside.

Check out this video on a why follow up is so important and how it could have changed the outcome for my friend looking for a donation to her great cause.

See why it’s so important to follow up?! Everyone gets busy, so don’t assume that you’re being ignored or that the person you’re trying to connect with isn’t interested. Follow up and stay present in their field of vision. Use a CRM solution to help create a program you to ensure that you are not overly reaching out to them, but reaching out to them in the most effective way possible.

Once you create a system and add follow up as a standard in your business, you just might see a higher rate of conversion in sales and long term customers / clients.

The Importance of Follow Up: Lessons From A Little Yellow Letter (Video)

Often times in small business there is one major reason that we are not getting more leads and customers; it’s lack of follow-up. As small business owners we get busy handling all the day-to-day functions that keep our business going. Sometimes we forget or say, “Hey - I’ll just do that tomorrow”, and then tomorrow becomes the next day and then before you know it a month has gone by and now follow-up just seems silly. But follow-up is an essential part of growing your business that you can’t just toss aside.

Check out this video on a why follow up is so important and how it could have changed the outcome for my friend looking for a donation to her great cause.

See why it’s so important to follow up?! Everyone gets busy, so don’t assume that you’re being ignored or that the person you’re trying to connect with isn’t interested. Follow up and stay present in their field of vision. Use a CRM solution to help create a program you to ensure that you are not overly reaching out to them, but reaching out to them in the most effective way possible.

Once you create a system and add follow up as a standard in your business, you just might see a higher rate of conversion in sales and long term customers / clients.

The 2013 Most Influential Small Business Champions Honored at Small Business Influencer Awards Gala

On Thursday, October 17th, the Top 100 Most Influential Small Business Champions of the Small Business Influencer Awards (#smbinfluencer) were honored at an awards gala at CUNY Graduate center in New York City. In addition to the 100 Champions, Honorable Mention and Community Choice honorees were also celebrated, reinforcing the importance of those who work within the Small Business community.

Co-Produced by Small Business Trends and Smallbiztechnology.com, the Small Business Influencer Awards honors small business influencers across organizations, companies and individuals who are influential to small business in the United States and Canada through the products, services, knowledge or support they provide to the small business market.

“The Award recognizes those organizations and individuals who play crucial roles within small businesses, but are often in the background,” adds Anita Campbell, CEO of Small Business Trends and co-founder of the Awards. “With small businesses being such a significant part of our business environment, its wonderful see so many individuals and different types of organizations working with the small business market,” adds Campbell.

“The Award is important as the winners and honorees are chosen by the small business community and then an expert Judging panel,” adds Ramon Ray, Editor& Technology Evangelist for Smallbiztechnology.com and co-founder of the Awards. “To be an influencer size does not matter. You could be a journalist, a boutique consulting firm, small tech company, author or a multi-national Fortune 1000 company. What matters is your impact on small businesses.”

John Lawson, a multiple Top 100 winner and the CEO of ColderICE added, “What we as business owners are doing is important. It’s important as we grow our businesses to look behind us and help the next generation of small business owners see the path to their success.”

This years Top 100 winners included:

To see more on this years winners and others honored at the Gala, click here.

The 2013 Most Influential Small Business Champions Honored at Small Business Influencer Awards Gala

On Thursday, October 17th, the Top 100 Most Influential Small Business Champions of the Small Business Influencer Awards (#smbinfluencer) were honored at an awards gala at CUNY Graduate center in New York City. In addition to the 100 Champions, Honorable Mention and Community Choice honorees were also celebrated, reinforcing the importance of those who work within the Small Business community.

Co-Produced by Small Business Trends and Smallbiztechnology.com, the Small Business Influencer Awards honors small business influencers across organizations, companies and individuals who are influential to small business in the United States and Canada through the products, services, knowledge or support they provide to the small business market.

“The Award recognizes those organizations and individuals who play crucial roles within small businesses, but are often in the background,” adds Anita Campbell, CEO of Small Business Trends and co-founder of the Awards. “With small businesses being such a significant part of our business environment, its wonderful see so many individuals and different types of organizations working with the small business market,” adds Campbell.

“The Award is important as the winners and honorees are chosen by the small business community and then an expert Judging panel,” adds Ramon Ray, Editor& Technology Evangelist for Smallbiztechnology.com and co-founder of the Awards. “To be an influencer size does not matter. You could be a journalist, a boutique consulting firm, small tech company, author or a multi-national Fortune 1000 company. What matters is your impact on small businesses.”

John Lawson, a multiple Top 100 winner and the CEO of ColderICE added, “What we as business owners are doing is important. It’s important as we grow our businesses to look behind us and help the next generation of small business owners see the path to their success.”

This years Top 100 winners included:

To see more on this years winners and others honored at the Gala, click here.

Small Business Owners Should “Think at the Margin”

If you ask an economist for advice on how to make a good business decision, he or she is likely to tell you to think at the margin. This means comparing the cost and benefit of an additional action. My conversations with small business owners suggest that many of them do not follow this advice, which surprises me.

Consider the following example: You own a four-bedroom bed-and-breakfast on the Jersey Shore. A woman calls you up on a Monday morning in February to ask if you’d rent her a room for that Wednesday night for $65.

Should you take her offer?

The Revenue Side

In the summer, you are always fully booked, and get $350 per night on the weekends and $250 per night during the week. In the fall, weekend visitors pay $200 per night, while weeknight occupants spend $125.

However, weekdays in the dead of winter are another story. In February, you receive very few inquiries - about three per month - not even close to the number it would take to fill your place. Since you live in the house, you can’t shut the place down. Instead, you operate a mostly empty bed-and-breakfast all winter long.

Given the number of inquiries you receive in February, the odds are essentially zero that you will receive enough inquiries in the next 24 hours to fill all of your rooms. If you don’t rent to the bargain hunter who has just called, you are going to have an empty room for the night.

The Cost Side

You have a pretty good handle on your costs. You spend $400 per month on your utilities and $2,000 on your mortgage. Insurance adds another $100 per month. You spend about $300 per month on general upkeep and $300 to advertise the business. Those costs alone set you back $25 per room per day - 365 days a year.

You also pay your cleaning person $25 to clean a room. It costs you $5 in ingredients to make breakfast for a guest. You value your time at $30 an hour and you spend an average of one hour per guest (between doing all the paperwork to book a room, making breakfast and answering questions.)

What Economic Theory Says To Do

Microeconomic theory indicates that the lowest offer you should take is the one that exceeds your marginal cost. That’s $60 - the $25 to clean the room; $5 in breakfast ingredients; and $30 for your time. Those are the costs that you incur only if you take the prospective guest’s deal.

The cost of your utilities, mortgage, insurance, upkeep and advertising don’t matter. Those are sunk costs - past expenditures that cannot be recouped. Whether you take the guest’s deal or turn her down, you are still paying them.

Many small business owners find it difficult to take the $65 offer. They think about how little revenue the deal would bring in. How much more money the rooms generate in the summer months; how high their average costs are and even how much they hate bargain hunters.

But none of those things change the basic equation: If someone offers you marginal revenue that exceeds your marginal cost and no better alternative comes along, it’s in your interest to take the deal - think at the margin.

Margin Photo via Shutterstock

Small Business Owners Should “Think at the Margin”

If you ask an economist for advice on how to make a good business decision, he or she is likely to tell you to think at the margin. This means comparing the cost and benefit of an additional action. My conversations with small business owners suggest that many of them do not follow this advice, which surprises me.

Consider the following example: You own a four-bedroom bed-and-breakfast on the Jersey Shore. A woman calls you up on a Monday morning in February to ask if you’d rent her a room for that Wednesday night for $65.

Should you take her offer?

The Revenue Side

In the summer, you are always fully booked, and get $350 per night on the weekends and $250 per night during the week. In the fall, weekend visitors pay $200 per night, while weeknight occupants spend $125.

However, weekdays in the dead of winter are another story. In February, you receive very few inquiries - about three per month - not even close to the number it would take to fill your place. Since you live in the house, you can’t shut the place down. Instead, you operate a mostly empty bed-and-breakfast all winter long.

Given the number of inquiries you receive in February, the odds are essentially zero that you will receive enough inquiries in the next 24 hours to fill all of your rooms. If you don’t rent to the bargain hunter who has just called, you are going to have an empty room for the night.

The Cost Side

You have a pretty good handle on your costs. You spend $400 per month on your utilities and $2,000 on your mortgage. Insurance adds another $100 per month. You spend about $300 per month on general upkeep and $300 to advertise the business. Those costs alone set you back $25 per room per day - 365 days a year.

You also pay your cleaning person $25 to clean a room. It costs you $5 in ingredients to make breakfast for a guest. You value your time at $30 an hour and you spend an average of one hour per guest (between doing all the paperwork to book a room, making breakfast and answering questions.)

What Economic Theory Says To Do

Microeconomic theory indicates that the lowest offer you should take is the one that exceeds your marginal cost. That’s $60 - the $25 to clean the room; $5 in breakfast ingredients; and $30 for your time. Those are the costs that you incur only if you take the prospective guest’s deal.

The cost of your utilities, mortgage, insurance, upkeep and advertising don’t matter. Those are sunk costs - past expenditures that cannot be recouped. Whether you take the guest’s deal or turn her down, you are still paying them.

Many small business owners find it difficult to take the $65 offer. They think about how little revenue the deal would bring in. How much more money the rooms generate in the summer months; how high their average costs are and even how much they hate bargain hunters.

But none of those things change the basic equation: If someone offers you marginal revenue that exceeds your marginal cost and no better alternative comes along, it’s in your interest to take the deal - think at the margin.

Margin Photo via Shutterstock

Dell Introduces Laptop Updates and New Tablet for Business

Dell recently introduced a new line of Windows and Android Venue tablets. But the news overshadowed an equally important announcement, especially for business users. The company has updated two of its Windows laptops which feature its special XPS viewers. There is also a new XPS 2-in-1 in the series. (This is Dell’s name for a tablet also designed to function as a laptop.)

XPS is a special Windows file format used to archive online receipts, contracts, memos, webpages, reports and other documents.

Microsoft says it created the format as a way to waste less paper and take up less space then printing. In a post on the company’s official website, Microsoft explained:

You can create XPS documents in virtually any program, simply by selecting the Microsoft XPS Document Writer as your printerâ€"no extra software is needed. The XPS version will look exactly like the original.

While XPS files can be created from almost any format, they can only be seen through a special XPS viewer. Dell has built that viewer into a line of computers and is introducing two updated models and the new tablet.

Here’s a look at one of the new XPS devices from CNET TV:

Updates include:

The XPS 15:

Pictured above, the XPS 15 is a 15.6 inch laptop Dell claims is the first of its size to feature a Quad HD+ display. The company says the display has a resolution of 5.7 million pixels, five times the amount of standard HD, and touts the laptop as excellent for multimedia. It will retail for $1,499.99.

The XPS 13:

A 13.3 inch laptop with HD display and longer battery life. Dell says the device is built to be extremely portable and weighs less than 3 lbs. It will retail at $999.99.

XPS 11:

This is Dell’s new tablet (see the video above). Weighing 2.5lbs. and with a width of just 11-15mm, it is the thinnest and most compact device of its kind on the market, the company claims. The device is a 2-in-1 Ultrabook that transitions from laptop to tablet with a 360 degree swinging hinge. It will retail at $999.99.

The XPS 15 is now available on Dell’s website to customers in the U.S. and other select countries. The XPS 11 and XPS 13 will not be available until November.

Image: Dell

Dell Introduces Laptop Updates and New Tablet for Business

Dell recently introduced a new line of Windows and Android Venue tablets. But the news overshadowed an equally important announcement, especially for business users. The company has updated two of its Windows laptops which feature its special XPS viewers. There is also a new XPS 2-in-1 in the series. (This is Dell’s name for a tablet also designed to function as a laptop.)

XPS is a special Windows file format used to archive online receipts, contracts, memos, webpages, reports and other documents.

Microsoft says it created the format as a way to waste less paper and take up less space then printing. In a post on the company’s official website, Microsoft explained:

You can create XPS documents in virtually any program, simply by selecting the Microsoft XPS Document Writer as your printerâ€"no extra software is needed. The XPS version will look exactly like the original.

While XPS files can be created from almost any format, they can only be seen through a special XPS viewer. Dell has built that viewer into a line of computers and is introducing two updated models and the new tablet.

Here’s a look at one of the new XPS devices from CNET TV:

Updates include:

The XPS 15:

Pictured above, the XPS 15 is a 15.6 inch laptop Dell claims is the first of its size to feature a Quad HD+ display. The company says the display has a resolution of 5.7 million pixels, five times the amount of standard HD, and touts the laptop as excellent for multimedia. It will retail for $1,499.99.

The XPS 13:

A 13.3 inch laptop with HD display and longer battery life. Dell says the device is built to be extremely portable and weighs less than 3 lbs. It will retail at $999.99.

XPS 11:

This is Dell’s new tablet (see the video above). Weighing 2.5lbs. and with a width of just 11-15mm, it is the thinnest and most compact device of its kind on the market, the company claims. The device is a 2-in-1 Ultrabook that transitions from laptop to tablet with a 360 degree swinging hinge. It will retail at $999.99.

The XPS 15 is now available on Dell’s website to customers in the U.S. and other select countries. The XPS 11 and XPS 13 will not be available until November.

Image: Dell