Great to see that NORAC has shared our Damage report update for November 2024.
Visit norac.org.uk to read more |
Read more here: https://alpha-tracker.co.uk/damage
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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.
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Or need help with Alpha Anywhere or Alpha Transform projects or software development? You'll find useful info here.
Great to see that NORAC has shared our Damage report update for November 2024.
Visit norac.org.uk to read more |
Brussels at Christmas takes some beating |
Meso UK Liz talking about asbestos in UK schools and hospitals |
The Alpha Tracker "Damage" November 2024 update was on every table |
Professor Roger Willey from ACS Risk and his enthralling presentation |
The most moving moment - a tribute to Helen Bone |
In the middle - Sam Collins (BOHS/IATP), Philip Hibbs (Hibbs Associates), Roger Willey (ACS) |
Roger and Alpha Tracker's Robin |
The report update is heading to Brussels (with Robin!) |
Melika has returned to us after her work experience month and has started her career with us. We were delighted to offer her a job as she impressed us so month during her first spell in our Telford software development office.
Melika Smith, our new trainee |
Melika will take on a variety of roles, gaining hands-on experience in how we run our business and develop software for our clients. She'll apply her coding training as she progresses toward becoming a full-time developer.
Melika's a fascinating person to talk to and has arrived in Telford via Glasgow, Turkey, and many other place inbetween! So do get chatting if you call and she answers the phone. You can't miss her, she's the only one with a Scottish/Turkish accent!
We've just recorded an interview with another software company about the launch of our Lab Sample Exchange - and their identity might surprise you!
Our collaboration might turn the asbestos lab market upside down! |
We launched the original report with MPs from all parties |
We had a paw-sitively great Alpha Tracker training session this week —our furry trainee didn’t miss a single bone of information! |
We currently support four different statuses on our enquiries & quotations within Alpha Tracker.
The statuses are:
The four quote statuses currently in Alpha Tracker |
ChatGPT invented the image - it's getting better! |
Nice hat! Catherine is our Quality & Information Security captain |
If the news that Alpha Tracker & FLS are working together has your "productivity boosting" juices flowing, you're in for a treat.
We're co-presenting a webinar on Thursday 5 December (at noon) to show how we are bringing the power of the FLS scheduler optimiser to work within the Alpha Tracker framework.
Simon Spriggs from FLS will be co-presenting our webinar |
Simon Spriggs from FLS is joining our normal Alpha Tracker webinar team to show how the two products work together, and how this can drive huge productivity gains into your business.
The webinar is at noon and will only last 20 minutes or so. Register here for free: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cNr2w1-MRfCYWHDl_xzNFw#/registration
Looking forward to seeing you on Thursday!
Kim with some of the Acorn scheduling team |
Mavis & Ray were walked through the Palace of Westminster |
Craig reading some very moving words sent in by Ray |
Julia Buckley MP sharing her thoughts about the next steps |
Representatives of the UK asbestos industry and charities |
Mavis & Ray in Westminster Hall |
We had chance to explore the Palace |
Our final photo on the terrace |
I couldn't find a picture of Kim "in action", so this headshot will have to do! |
Robin at the Access User Group |
Highlights from last year's EAF conference |
Watch out for our updated "Damage" report with the latest data about asbestos in UK schools |
Catherine, Chris and Kieran |
Team Leader Dan helping Melika |
October 2024 was another 1,000 ticket month - 1,167 to be precise. Zac, Jamie & Lucas were joined by Melika this month, helping customers using our apps to get the most from their software.
6 months of Support Desk performance |
Find out more at www.livingwage.org.uk |
Another new Alpha Tracker feature |
The Daily Mail has published a story on the front page about the forthcoming "tsunami of deaths" from asbestos-related disease.
The Joint Union Asbestos Committee (JUAC) has published a report - "What Is The Real Risk From Asbestos In Schools?" - following an investigation by unions representing heads, teachers and support staff. The report has concluded that hundreds of thousands of staff, exposed to asbestos in their schools, are predicated to die from mesothelioma.
The Daily Mail front page today |
Here at Start Software, we produced our own report in 2023 called "Damage: The Poor Condition of Asbestos in our Schools, Hospitals & Houses" - which used data from more than 3 million asbestos samples from asbestos software Alpha Tracker. Our report was launched at the Houses of Parliament with asbestos campaigners and Sir Stephen Timms, Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee.
Read our Damage asbestos report here |
Finally, the Daily Mail's campaign is also proposing a national online database of every non-domestic building that contains asbestos - something that we have supported for many years.
Visit OpenAsbestos.org to find out more |
Our OpenAsbestos asbestos data sharing protocol was built with this in mind and our long-term support for UKNAR - the UK National Asbestos Register - demonstrates our commitment here at Alpha Tracker.
Look out for the new "Support" menu |
Press "Water" to enter water hygiene data |
Andrew is involved in every step of the design and build |
The Start and Alpha technical teams in discussion |
September 2024 saw 1,085 tickets logged by our Support Desk. That's the most tickets ever, and reflects the number of lovely new clients who have joined us over the summer.
Despite the high number, the Support Desk team still managed to resolve 90% of all tickets within the target timeframe. 95% of High Priority issues were resolved within 2 hours, quite an achievement.
Zac, Jamie and Lucas receiving their vouchers from Jack |
The core of the Support Desk team are Zac, Jamie & Lucas. Here they are being presented with £100 Amazon Gift Cards to thank them for their hard work.
If you use LinkedIn, you'll have seen the announcement launching the partnership between Alpha Tracker and FLS: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/fls-fast-lean-smart_asbestos-legionella-fieldservice-activity-7242492709238710273-dqEN?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
Our partnership will bring huge opportunities to increase efficiency and productivity for our biggest asbestos and water hygiene consultancies. The FLS approach to optimising staff schedules has to be seen to be believed! It's truly exceptional, and the integration we have now enables the power of FLS to be delivered alongside the operating efficiency of Alpha Tracker.
You can read the FLS announcement here: https://fastleansmart.com/en/blog/fls-fast-lean-smart-partners-with-alpha-tracker/
Get in touch to learn more - we'll be glad to explain how our new integration works.
Note to editors:
Alpha Tracker® is a comprehensive, cloud-based software solution specifically designed to meet the needs of environmental consultancies worldwide, particularly those dealing with asbestos, water hygiene, and fire risk assessments. Trusted by hundreds of consultancies globally, Alpha Tracker offers a versatile and scalable platform that enhances operational efficiency and streamlines project management from start to finish.
One of the key strengths of Alpha Tracker is its ability to integrate seamlessly with various tools and platforms, providing users with a flexible and customisable experience. The software easily connects with popular calendars like Microsoft and Google, ensuring that scheduling and project management are synchronised across your organisation. Now that the power of FLS is available to Alpha Tracker consultancies, huge productivity increases can be made without extra manual scheduling effort.
The platform is designed with adaptability in mind, offering features that can be tailored to suit the unique requirements of each consultancy. For example, Alpha Tracker enables mobile data capture through both Android and Apple devices, allowing field teams to collect and upload data in real-time, directly from the site. This capability not only improves data accuracy but also accelerates the reporting process, enabling faster turnaround times for clients.
Furthermore, Alpha Tracker's open and adaptable nature means that it can easily grow and evolve alongside your business. Whether you are a small consultancy or a large enterprise, the software can be configured to match your specific workflows and operational needs. The system’s automation features, such as automated reporting and invoicing, further enhance efficiency, allowing your team to focus on delivering high-quality service to your clients.
In addition to its powerful features, Alpha Tracker is backed by a dedicated 24x7 support team that understands the challenges faced by environmental consultancies. This ensures that users receive the assistance they need to maximise the benefits of the software, making it an invaluable tool for consultancies looking to optimise their operations and expand their services.
In summary, Alpha Tracker is a robust, flexible, and highly integrated software solution that empowers environmental consultancies to manage their projects more effectively. With its global user base and proven track record, Alpha Tracker is the ideal choice for businesses seeking to enhance their operational efficiency, improve client satisfaction, and drive growth.
Our latest Alpha Tracker webinar is now available to watch again here: https://alpha-tracker.co.uk/webinars
Dan & Kim show how to use the asbestos sample tracking feature (barcoded or manual), otherwise known as asbestos sample "chain of custody".
You can watch on our website, or live here on YouTube:
Kim training PS Asbestos Management |
Remember our (brief!) appearance in the Coracle World Championships 2023? https://blog.start-software.com/2023/09/zac-jack-tom-dan-kim-could-be-world.html. We entered again this year.
Lucas, Kim, Jamie & Dan sporting fine headgear! |
The new team of Captain Lucas, Kim, Jamie and Dan performed better than last year and reached the Quarter Finals. Not at all bad!
The event raises funds for Macmillian Cancer Support so please do donate if you can: https://macmillan-org.enthuse.com/pf/start-software
Bring on 2025!!