CHARLES
DUNSTONE
The Carphone
Warehouse
is one of
the retailing
success stories
of the nineties.
Founded in
1989, today
it is the
largest independent
mobile phone
retailers
in the UK,
totally autonomous
of all networks
and manufacturers.
The company
was set up
by Charles
Dunstone (33),
in 1989 who
spotted a
real opportunity
for a different
type of mobile
phone retail
outlet. During
the eighties
the majority
of mobile
phones were
purchased
by big businesses
and organisations
so corporate
clients got
good deals
and were well
looked after,
but small
businesses,
the self employed
and Joe Public,
for whom mobile
phones would
be the most
useful, had
to go to some
tacky car
stereo shop
under the
railway arches
and that is
where the
Carphone Warehouse
came in.
In every
aspect of
its business,
the Carphone
Warehouse
provides customers
with honest
and impartial
advice thereby
empowering
them to make
the most appropriate
decision for
his or her
personal needs.
It does not
promote any
particular
tariff, network
or make of
handset above
any other
and consequently
customers
visiting a
store can
select from
products that
embrace 4
networks,
more than
20 types of
tariffs and
over 100 phones
and accessories.
Today it
has over 164
stores in
the UK making
41% of all
high street
connections
and receiving
49% of all
mobile communication
sales by value.
More recently
the company
has expanded
across Europe
with an ambitious
roll out programme
in France
(29), Ireland
(5) and Spain
(2). Its stated
objective
is to extend
the successful
approach that
has made them
the number
one in the
UK and grow
the company
to the leading
communications
retailer in
Europe.
The company
saw turnover
rise from
just over
£8.5
million to
more than
£107
million in
1997.
In the annual
Independent
on Sunday
survey of
the fastest
growing private
companies,
the Carphone
Warehouse
was voted
the fastest
growing company
in 1996 and
came top of
the middle
market performers.
In 1997 the
company scooped
3 major awards
in the fields
of retails
and customer
service, including
Retail Week
Customer Satisfaction
Excellence
Award and
Mobile News
Awards for
Best Retailer
and Best Customer
Service.
In addition,
the Carphone
Warehouse
was ranked
number 16
in a survey
of the fastest
growing companies
in Europe
published
by the Europe
500 Association
in March 1998.
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