Data entry and job logging by the dispatcher and foremen, Stephanie says, is roughly 1½ times faster than paper and radio. More efficient routing has cut fuel costs by about 30%. And employees have stopped making unauthorized stops. Stephanie estimates a net improvement in performance of 10% to 12%, or roughly $1 million for 2007 not a bad return on $50,000. "It really does work," says Stephanie. "If you have the patience to get it to work," adds her 17-year-old CTO.

Thanks to real-time mapping and travel data, the company discovered its assets were parked outside of lunch spots that were NOT ON PRESCRIBED ROUTES.

SIDEBAR STORY:

Business owners weigh in on e-books.

I USE THE SONY PRS-505 E-BOOK reader that was reviewed in "Libraries to Go" (Owner Tested, February), and I think it's amazing. Most Sony products operate on closed platforms, but this device is really open. I've converted most of my e-books using free software available on the web. It has become my preferred method of reading.

I also took the Amazon Kindle out for a test drive, but the price and the fact that I couldn't load what I wanted onto it at any time from any computer were decided turnoffs. The Sony reader works much better for my purposes. I can download any file that I want because the computer sees it as just another USB storage device. Craig Williams Owner, Upper Quad Software Jacksonville

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? I'VE BEEN reading e-books on my Palm device for years, and it's still my preferred method. I'm a 55-year-old who wears trifocals, but I don't mind the Palm's small screen. The backlight lets me read in the dark, and I can also download e-books, PDF files, and websites. While I wouldn't mind a larger screen, I wouldn't buy a dedicated e-book reader just to get one. Bill Bannon Owner, Bannon Law Firm Willmar, Minn.