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Showing posts from April, 2023

About Start Software

Start Software is an award-winning developer and leading publisher of asbestos software, systems for the legal services industry and more.

Want to know more about asbestos software Alpha Tracker? Alpha Tracker is the most used asbestos software in the UK, Australia & New Zealand with more than 60m items of asbestos data stored.

Our legal services software Alpha Legal helps will writers, accountants, solicitors, IFAs and estate agents to communicate securely with clients. Read about developments here on the blog.

Or need help with Alpha Anywhere or Alpha Transform projects or software development? You'll find useful info here.

Silent Killer - watch the video from YouTube's "On The Tools" channel

We are following and supporting Work Right's Asbestos & You campaign:

Follow the campaign here

The campaign is promoting this powerful video from the On The Tools YouTube channel... it's well worth watching:


Sometimes we forget why we are working in the asbestos industry to try to reduce the risks of asbestos in the home and workplace.  Watching this video brings it all home.


Watch Robin build a messaging app for the Big C Atlantic Challenge on the Alpha Anywhere webinar

Our director Robin featured on this week's Alpha Anywhere webinar hosted by Alpha Software.  

Robin talked about Andrew Bedwell's incredible Big C Atlantic Challenge - his attempt to cross the Atlantic in the shortest boat, everAndrew's Big C boat is only 3 feet 2 inches long (just over 1m) - wow!  

Start Software is building an app for Andrew so that he can send updates from mid-Atlantic every day of his 3-month journey.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QajFkuzCyds

Watch the YouTube video to see how Start are approaching the task.  If you're into app development, technology or mad-cap adventures, you might enjoy it!





Webinar #3 recording now available on YouTube. Catch up with Alpha Tracker Tuesday Tips & Tricks

The third Alpha Tracker Tips & Tricks webinar is now available on YouTube.  Here it is!

We showed how to get the most out of Tracker Filer - our amazing intelligent Alpha Tracker assistant!

One feature we forgot to mention is that if you cc Tracker Filer when you are sending emails to key contacts at your clients, the Account Management screen will automatically track those emails and add them to the count of contacts made.  This is a really handy feature and helps you to be confident that you are keeping in touch regularly with the most important people at your clients.

Watch out for next month's webinar which will be on Tuesday 25 April at 12:30 (UK time).  Register for free, here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aS6dJ0j5QCycZ65VbHgBow

Big C is on its way (west not east!) - not long now until the World Record attempt begins

Andrew and his team have packed up the Big C boat into a container and it is on its way to Canada.

Once Big C has arrived, Andrew will be flying out and making his final preparations for his journey back to the UK.  He is hoping to leave St John's on 1 June.  Not long now!

Big C is on its way

Follow all of Andrew's news here on Facebook or via our blog.

Is your consultancy looking for asbestos surveying work in Bristol/Wiltshire? Get in touch

One of our Alpha Tracker asbestos consultancy clients wants to sub-contract some surveying work in Bristol and Wiltshire.

Some of the asbestos consultancies using Alpha Tracker

If you have the capacity and can help, please get in touch and ask for Robin and he will put you in touch.

Alpha Tracker training session at RPP (Rex Procter & Partners)

Kim had a great time with the asbestos staff at RPP earlier this week at an Alpha Tracker training session.

Warm welcome for Kim at RPP

Can we help you to get more out of Alpha Tracker?  Get in touch to organise some refresher training at your asbestos consultancy.

Our next free Tips & Tricks webinar is on Tuesday @ 12:30

It's our next Alpha Tracker Tips & Tricks Tuesday webinar on Tuesday 25 April.  We're running them on the last Tuesday of the month right through 2023.

Click to register

Join us at 12:30 for a 30-minute deep dive into Tracker Filer.  If you don't use it (yet), it will blow your mind.  If you do, we promise you'll learn something new!

We'll have the Alpha Tracker team on hand to answer questions and reply to comments.  It's free and will only take 30 minutes of your time - so join us if you can!

Another MS Access/SQL Server development - Tracker for Cath Tate Cards

It was great to meet the team at Cath Tate Cards' offices in Deptford yesterday when we attended to add extra functionality to their business management software, Tracker.  




Tracker (written in MS Access and powered by SQL Server) manages their busy greetings card business (wholesale and retail) and interfaces with a number of web platforms where orders are placed by retail customers, agents, shops and national chains.




On the way home, we called into the Postmark shop at London Bridge station to see the some of the range on display - they looked great!



If we can help you to improve or troubleshoot your Microsoft Access or SQL Server application, do get in touch.

We contributed to the Asbestos in Workplaces debate in Westminster this week. Watch the debate yourself on parliamentlive.tv

We sent data to help Jane Hunt MP introduce the Asbestos in Workplaces debate this week, held in Westminster Hall on Wednesday.

Watch the Asbestos in Workplaces debate yourself - click here

Asbestos software Alpha Tracker holds data about more than 60 million building materials surveyed for asbestos.  We are always looking to share data (with the permission of our asbestos consultancy clients) to help research and campaigns to reduce the risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

Asbestos blamed for 150 deaths of school and hospital workers in England

The Observer published an article yesterday about the tragic deaths of 150 people linked to asbestos in schools and hospitals: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/apr/16/150-deaths-school-hospital-workers-blamed-on-asbestos

Read the full story in The Observer online

Our own analysis of asbestos data from asbestos software Alpha Tracker shows that 55% of asbestos in education settings shows some level of damage, and 63% of ACMs in hospitals are damaged.  These are alarming statistics for sure.

You can do your bit to help by supporting the "Don't let the dust settle" campaign from Mesothelioma UK.

Would you like to see ChatGPT incorporated into Alpha Legal? How?

I'm sure you've seen ChatGPT in the news.  It's the incredible new AI website and app that can write essays, create poetry, answer questions and hold a discussion about virtually anything... exciting and scary stuff!

How can we use ChatGPT to help you?

We know of Alpha Legal users who are already using ChatGPT to help them to write letters to clients, generate legal documents or write marketing material or content for their website and social media posts.

Can you imagine a use for ChatGPT within Alpha Legal itself?  We'd love to hear your ideas.  Get in touch!

Would you like to see ChatGPT incorporated into Alpha Tracker? How?

I'm sure you've seen ChatGPT in the news.  It's the incredible new AI website and app that can write essays, create poetry, answer questions and hold a discussion about virtually anything... exciting and scary stuff!

How can we use ChatGPT to help you?

We know of Alpha Tracker users who are already using ChatGPT to help them to complete tenders for asbestos management contracts, for example.

Can you imagine a use for ChatGPT within Alpha Tracker itself?  We'd love to hear your ideas.  Get in touch!

Please sign this petition! Don't let the dust settle

Please sign this petition supported by Meso UK and the Mavis Nye Foundation:



Alpha Legal has been updated. Look out for better performance throughout the system

We've published another update to Alpha Legal.  You should notice better performance throughout the system.

Look out for better performance through Alpha Legal

Let us know what you think!  Contact us here.



There's lots going on during Global Asbestos Awareness Week. Help us to spread the news

April 1-7 2023 has been designated Global Asbestos Awareness Week.

Two organisations we support have been posting to raise awareness.

We're doing our bit to publicise Global Asbestos Awareness Week

Read NORAC's post here: https://norac.org.uk/global-asbestos-awareness-week/

Read Mesothelioma UK's post here: https://www.mesothelioma.uk.com/dontletthedustsettle/

SCK Group choose Alpha Tracker to automate their asbestos surveys

It's great that another asbestos consultancy has chosen Alpha Tracker to automate their asbestos surveys.  Welcome on board SCK Group!

Check out the SCK Group website here

SCK Group is a nationwide specialist carrying out asbestos surveys, asbestos removal, land remediation and demolition works.  Contact them here: https://sckgroup.co.uk/contact-us

Nature's Consultancy goes live with Alpha Tracker

New Alpha Tracker user Nature's Consultancy has gone live with asbestos software Alpha Tracker.

Welcome on board, Nature's Consultancy!

Based in Romford, Essex, Falgun and the team welcome all enquiries for asbestos surveys, air testing & lab sample analysisContact them for more information.

Busy month on our Support Desk (March 2023)

Our Support Desk was kept busy in March with just over 1,000 calls for assistance. 

James, Zac, Jack and the rest of the team were busy last month

Our performance stats suffered slightly as a result of the increased number of calls, but overall they were still OK.  89% of High Priority issues were resolved within 2 hours and 82% of all problems were sorted within the timescales agreed with the caller.

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