ACS: Suspends the extra emergency charge

The explanations given by the company for the additional charge that it tried to impose.

ΣThe additional cost of its associates is attributed to the extra charge that ACS tried to impose last week on each shipment but recalled after a surprise inspection of the company by a section of the General Secretariat of Commerce and Consumer Protection and the financial police.

The company clarifies in a new announcement that, among other decisions, it has chosen to subsidize its independent companies - stores in order to be able to cope with the new increased needs imposed by the emergency.

It is recalled that the company had announced that from April 1 it would temporarily proceed with the application of an additional charge due to coronavirus, for all domestic shipments, worth 0,45 euros plus VAT per shipment.

Referring to the tension with the Panhellenic Association of Publishers of Scientific Books, ACS emphasizes that the Association had requested the company to undertake the delivery of 1.000.000 textbooks in the home of each student, something for which the company had clarified that with the current data is not able to undertake and had informed both the Association and the Ministry of Education: "Therefore, there is no breach of any binding agreement by the company."

"Unprecedented pressure"

In detail, in its announcement, ACS notes:

• ACS and its dealer network, consisting of independent small businesses with 270 stores nationwide, have been operating in recent days under unprecedented pressure conditions, due to excessively high demand (over 60% in e-shopping deliveries), shortages staff (reduction by 20% due to health protection measures) and emergency measures to avoid congestion, both in sorting centers and in its stores. The unprecedented situation that prevails, results in the delay in the delivery of shipments and the reduction of the level of service of its customers.
• ACS, seeking to assist in this emergency, has chosen, inter alia, to subsidize its independent subsidiaries with € 0,45 per shipment, in order to immediately make the necessary investments in additional staff, storage facilities, means of transport. etc. For this purpose, it announced to its customers an equivalent extraordinary charge, from 1/4/20, in order to cover part of the estimated additional operating costs. Similar actions have been taken by international courier companies inside and outside Greece, which apply a similar "emergency situation surcharge", trying to maintain the level of their services.
• On 3/4/20 the ACS Management withdrew the additional charge, acknowledging in practice the inconvenience created, and undertook to subsidize the businesses of its partners. The company expresses its regret and clarifies that this charge was of a temporary nature and the sole purpose was to strengthen the business of its agents, in order to better serve home deliveries in the coming period.
• On the occasion of the aforementioned additional charge, a tension in the company's relationship with the Panhellenic Association of Publishers of Scientific Books received wide publicity, which, however, had little to do with the issue of this charge. The Association had requested that ACS undertake the delivery of 1.000.000 textbooks to each student's home. In this case ACS had made it clear that, with the current data and regardless of the price charged, is not able to undertake this huge project, as it was asked and proposed alternatives. The Publishers' Association, as well as the Ministry of Education, were informed about this on 31/3/20. Therefore, there is no breach of any binding agreement by the company.
• Finally, ACS announces that it has not increased the prices of its services in the last decade. On the contrary, it has made repeated price reductions, while proceeding with large investments and innovative solutions, which improve the experience of its customers. For almost 40 years ACS is the first courier company in our country, with a significant market share, extensive distribution network throughout Greece and with its sole priority the service of businesses and consumers.

The company has also posted the following announcement on its page.

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