United Parcel Service continues to invest in winning and retaining small-and-medium businesses, a key market constituency it has targeted over two years as a profit center as it deemphasizes low-margin, final-mile deliveries for large e-commerce shippers. On Thursday, the Atlanta-based parcel logistics giant unveiled several digital tools aimed at enhancing and simplifying the shipping experience for sole proprietorships. With the "Smart Pickups" feature, businesses can save up to 50% over the cost of a daily pickup, UPS said in a news release. In the first quarter, when average daily volume increased 1.6%, SMBs made up 34.5% of total U.S. domestic volume, marking the highest small business penetration in the company's history, and 60% of volume in Canada. Reducing common friction points and providing reliable nationwide service helps UPS attract smaller firms, he explained.