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The idea for this entry came to me courtesy of Darren Bezani, one of my many listeners and readers from the UK.  Thank you Darren for an incredible story.

Darren sent me this story because it is a great customer service story.  But beyond that it is a story of one man who refused to be stopped by any self-imposed limitations or the dreaded “Realistic Goals.”  

Darren writes, “I was listening to your podcast about the mobile phone industry and the poor customer service you experienced in the Bell store, so I thought I would share a real success story from this side of the water.”

Darren goes on to write; “One man saw an opportunity which he believed could become very big. He was a sales manager selling office equipment and noticed many of his successful colleagues and customers were buying car phones. His idea was to set up his own company selling car phones because he could see the potential in the market."
 
"He went to various suppliers and asked to open accounts and extend credit terms, but struggled to get the doors open.  Eventually he went to the bank and borrowed £6000 (that’s British pounds for those of you who don’t recognize the symbol) and started this business in his flat in London."
 
"Starting out mainly with telesales, it wasn't long until he had too many people working in his flat, so he opened a retail store. The primary focus was on providing excellent customer service along with simple impartial advice. This customer service soon turned into 5 fundamental rules which are as follows:"
 
1. If we don't look after the customer, someone else will
2: Nothing is gained by winning an argument and losing a customer
3: Always deliver what we promise - if in doubt under promise and over deliver
4: Always treat our customers they way we would like to be treated
5: The reputation of the whole company is in the hands of the individual
 
The business started in 1989, and following these rules customers just kept coming back again and again and again.
 
Now from the loan of £6000 and providing excellent customer service "The Carphone Warehouse" has grown to become Europe’s largest retailer for mobile phones, with over 14,000 employee's and nearly 2000 stores across 10 countries!
 
"I hope that this will inspire some of your small business owners and other readers and listeners to not set "realistic objectives," but dream the dream and place no limits on their ability to achieve. The Founder and still CEO of The Carphone Warehouse PLC, Charles Dunstone, was prepared to be different, did not listen to the big players who said it would never work and was recently voted Retailer of the Year for 2005, beating long established retailers such as Tesco and Marks & Spencer.”