• Stanton Elks Cricket Club
• West Hallam Cricket Club
• Ilkeston Rugby Club
• South Notts Cricket League
• Ten Pin Bowling League (main sponsor)
• Phones Direct Partnership (horse racing)
• Eastwood Town FC
• Ilkeston Town FC
• Priory Celtic FC (main sponsor)

Richard Hunt started Phones Direct in 1996 with two friends, who he bought out within the first few years. His brother, James, came on board in 1997 and now works as sales director with a stake in the business. Together the brothers have grown the enterprise to the formidable creature it is today.

Phones Direct focused on B2B from the start and Hunt realised in order to make the customer feel cared for he needed to have a policy of visiting them wherever they were based. "The difference between other B2B dealers and ours is we go and see our customers at their premises, regardless of whether they have one or 200 phones from us," Hunt explains.

Hunt is always looking at ways to grow the business and over the years Phones Direct's portfolio has expanded to include data solutions, hands-free kit, fleet tracking, satnav and landline systems and equipment.

Phones Direct has made many links with the local community and Hunt is passionate about both sponsorship and building bridges with other businesses in the area.

Rather than forming links with one particular network Hunt thinks it serves his business best to remain on equal footing with them all. "To give good, sound advice to our clients we have to find the most competitive package for them rather than going with a particular network," he says.

Although profit is important, for Hunt it's all about providing the best customer service possible, thus winning customer loyalty. "We don't look at the short term gain for ourselves, we look at building an excellent working relationship over a period of time".