The second goal is to push ahead with product development, broadening the scope 0 links' applications, and in particular simplifying and accelerating the implementation process. This will not only reduce both the cost and time involved for the end user, it will also render the product suitable for sale and implementation by third parties, creating for CSols an important new channel to market.

Ongoing development will also help maintain CSols' current competitive advantage. Phil Goddard knows the competition well, and he is convinced that. none of them have the same mind-set as his team. "Competitive systems offer simple linking solutions that tackle one small part of the problem only. We could have released Links gradually in small shrink-wrapped subsets as well, but we are determined to develop a complete system -something no other competitor has in place at the moment."

This idealism is already providing CSols customers with significant benefits. Returns on investment of between 6 and 12 months are reported, together with 30% reductions in run times, and corresponding increases in throughput. Less tangible but no less important benefits also accrue: malfunctioning instruments are spotted more quickly, regulatory procedures are easier to enforce, and analysts gain more job satisfaction, applying their knowledge and expertise to interpreting the results, and leaving the software to handle the mundane tasks.

And in the age of global mergers, there are strategic benefits for organisations in installing a mechanism which integrates operations and systems quickly and seamlessly, ensuring that labs anywhere in the world operate in the same way and to the same quality standards.

CSols have developed something that most entrepreneurs can only dream about -a product that is capable of changing the way an entire industry operates. What Phil and his partners must do now is to translate the ideal into reality.