Carphone Warehouse

The CarphoneWarehouse Group PLC

The CarphoneWarehouse (CPW) was founded by Charles Dunstone in 1989 at the age of 25 with£6,000 of savings. He had realised that the majority of mobile phones werepurchased by big businesses and organisations, so corporate clients got gooddeals and were well looked after, but small businesses, the self-employed andJoe Public, for whom mobile phones would be the most useful, had nowhere to go.And that’s where The Carphone Warehouse came in.

Dunstone builtthe business on the premise that what the company stands for is more importantthan what it sells; in this case, a promise of great customer service and theability to deliver ‘simple, impartial advice’ in the ever-complex world ofmobile phone purchasing. In a sector where the product was all that customerscared about, The Carphone Warehouse was established to make customers realisethat it is equally important to buy your phone from the right people. Thecompany firmly believes that if someone needs to buy a mobile phone there is noorganisation that will care more than The Carphone Warehouse.

From thebeginning the company has followed FiveFundamental Rules: · If wedon’t look after the customer, someone else will · Nothing is gained by winning anargument but losing a customer · Always deliver what we promise. If indoubt, under promise and over deliver · Always treat customers as weourselves would like to be treated · The reputation of the whole companyis in the hands of each individual

In July 2000 thecompany floated on the London Stock Exchange and based on an Issue price of200p, the company was valued at approximately £1.7 billion. The companygenerates annual turnover of £4.4 billion (year ended 31st March 2008).

Expanding beyondmobile phones, the company is now a leading provider of broadband services inthe UK,bringing its same independent approach to the competitive laptop and broadbandmarket.

Recentcommercial agreements signed with Best Buy (a major US electronics retailer)has meant the launch of Best Buy mobile in the United States, and will lead inturn to the opening of several Big Box stores in the UK, throughout 2009 andinto 2010.