*Guy is a finalist in the 2011 IWCYC Challenge - click here to read more*

Like most people I'm frustrated that poor or patchy customer service is my everyday experience as a consumer, and often it's the case in business too. Through the company I've set up, which is software to help people deliver great service, I'm now determined to do something about it and to help things improve.

Doing a good job for customers has always been important to me and as someone in business responsible for product delivery for many years I would often visit customers to engage with them first hand.  Then I took on responsibility for running a customer services department and I found out just how hard it is to get things right for every customer, every time when it wasn't just about the product.

I worked with my team on all sorts of initiatives to improve customer satisfaction - trying to go from good to excellent.  But despite days of workshops and many walls plastered with flip-chart pages, none of them worked.  Finally we found one that did work, and it turned out to be the simplest of the lot.

I'd always wanted to start my own company but I lacked an idea I felt was strong enough.  After 25 years of working I finally had one, so now there was no excuse.  But I had two small children and still all the bills to pay every month.  It was a big challenge to myself whether I would have the courage of my convictions to actually resign and find two people to work with me to develop the product, feeling also a responsibility to them and their careers as there was no guarantee of success.

I'm delighted that I did it.  The last year has been the most exciting and enjoyable since I first started in the industry.

We've just launched the product, after working with some pilot customers who have been great advocates for us and to whom we're extremely grateful.  We have a trademark and we're going to try and build a brand.  Having just launched we're apprehensive of course, but the interest in our product has been fantastic and we're determined to grow the business.  We're also determined to make sure we do our best for our own customers along the way.