Privacy policy

Who is responsible and how to get in touch

Adam Birds, trading as ADB Software Solutions is based in Manchester, United Kingdom. This policy covers adbsoftwaresolutions.co.uk and enquiries made through this website.

For privacy questions or to exercise your data protection rights, use the contact form and mention privacy in your message. You can use the same route to raise a complaint about how your information has been handled.

• Contact ADB Software Solutions ↗

The information collected

If you use the enquiry form, I receive your name, email address, business or project name if supplied, selected service, message and the website page from which you submitted it. Follow-up conversations may include further contact information and details of the work you want to discuss.

The website and its infrastructure also process technical information such as your IP address, request time, requested page and browser information to deliver pages, investigate errors and protect the service. Your IP address is used to limit repeated form submissions.

Providing an enquiry is optional. A name, email address and message are needed to respond through the form; the business name and service selection are optional. Please do not include passwords, payment-card information or sensitive personal information in your message.

Why the information is used

I use enquiries to answer your questions, discuss a potential project, prepare proposals and keep track of the conversation. If you become a client, relevant correspondence becomes part of the project and customer records.

Technical information is used to operate and secure the website, troubleshoot faults and prevent spam and misuse. Google Analytics is also used to understand visits, pages viewed, engagement and broad device and referral information so I can improve the website. It is not used for advertising profiles.

Sending an enquiry does not subscribe you to a mailing list. I do not sell enquiry information or use the contact form to enrol you in unrelated marketing.

The lawful bases for processing

When you enquire about services for yourself, processing needed to respond and prepare for a possible agreement is based on taking steps at your request before entering into a contract. Information needed to deliver an agreed service is processed to perform that contract.

When you contact me on behalf of a business or another person, I rely on legitimate interests in communicating with business contacts, assessing enquiries and managing customer relationships. Legitimate interests also support proportionate website security, spam prevention and the handling of complaints. These uses must be balanced against your rights and reasonable expectations.

I also rely on legitimate interests in using aggregate website-usage statistics to improve this website. You can object using the privacy controls on this page. Some records may need to be kept to comply with legal obligations, such as applicable tax or accounting requirements. If a separate use requires consent, I will explain that use and ask first; you can withdraw that consent without affecting processing that was lawful before withdrawal.

Where an enquiry goes and who can access it

Enquiries are stored in the shared ADB business system, identified as enquiries for ADB Software Solutions. The information may also be recorded as a support or sales conversation so replies and related work stay together. The shared system supports ADB Web Designs, ADB Software Solutions and ADB Technology.

Access is limited to people authorised to handle the enquiry or operate the business systems. Service providers used for hosting, data storage, backups and business email may process information to deliver those services. Professional advisers may receive relevant information where needed, and information may be disclosed when required by law.

Using a shared system does not mean your information is published on the other ADB websites. Portfolio entries and testimonials are separate public content; submitting an enquiry does not authorise publication of your name or message.

Storage and international processing

Working with overseas clients does not by itself mean their enquiry data is transferred to their country. Website-usage information sent to Google Analytics is separate from the content of enquiry forms. Names, email addresses, messages and notes are not deliberately sent to Analytics.

The website and enquiry platform are hosted on DigitalOcean infrastructure in London, United Kingdom. Google Analytics processes website-usage information through Google’s service, which may involve processing outside the UK. Business email is handled separately through Microsoft 365.

You can contact me for information about the service providers and processing locations relevant to your enquiry.

• Contact ADB Software Solutions ↗

How long information is kept

Enquiries that do not become client projects: unsuccessful enquiries are reviewed for deletion after 36 months without meaningful activity or correspondence. Deletion currently requires a manual review and approval. A record may be kept for longer where there is a documented reason, with a further review date. Active enquiries and client records are handled separately.

If you become a client, relevant project and business records may be retained for longer to deliver the service, meet legal record-keeping obligations or establish, exercise or defend legal claims. Technical security records and backups follow the retention arrangements of the systems that hold them.

Information should be deleted or anonymised when it is no longer needed. A justified legal hold may require particular records to be kept longer. You can ask about the retention of your enquiry or request erasure, subject to the rights and exceptions described below.

Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you can request access to your personal information, correction of inaccurate information, erasure, restriction of processing or a portable copy. You can object to processing based on legitimate interests. These rights are subject to the conditions and exceptions in data protection law.

Contact me to make a request. I may need enough information to confirm your identity and locate the records. Requests are normally answered within one month; where a lawful extension applies, I will explain the reason. Making a request is normally free.

Enquiries are reviewed by a person. This website does not use your enquiry to make solely automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects.

• Contact ADB Software Solutions ↗

Complaints

You can raise a privacy concern with me using the contact details above. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK supervisory authority. You do not have to contact me first to exercise that right.

• Make a data protection complaint to the ICO ↗

Browser storage, other websites and updates

The cookie policy explains Google Analytics and the display preference stored by this website. The privacy controls on this page let you switch off analytics and stop remembering your theme. Links to other websites take you to services with their own privacy and storage arrangements.

This policy may be updated when the website or its use of information changes. The date shown above identifies the latest version. If a material change affects information you have already supplied, additional notice will be provided where required.

• Read the cookie policy ↗

Authenticated accounts and business operations

This website also hosts an authenticated operations workspace. Account identifiers, sign-in and security records, access permissions and the business records needed to deliver services are processed separately from public browsing statistics. Access is restricted to authorised users; public website visitors cannot access those records.

The unsuccessful-enquiry review period does not automatically apply to client work, invoices, contractual records, security logs or other operational records. Their purpose, legal requirements and relevant agreements determine their retention. Please use the contact form to ask about a particular record or exercise your rights.