ACS managed to launch the term courier in the Cypriot market, paving the way for a new era on the island, the company's Co-founder and Managing Director, Christoforos Potamitis, has emphasised.
Initially, in 1998, the company offered international courier services through its global network Skynet Worldwide Express. Speaking at INSPIRE 2026, Potamitis said that the current circumstances have made courier an absolute necessity.
"At that time, in Cyprus there was only internal transport (express), with the transport of envelopes and small packages from office to office, as the concept of courier did not exist in the Cypriot market. A collaboration was started with ACS Greece, through which we wanted to bring 'door to door' service to the island," he noted.
"They called us crazy, they looked at us with suspicion and they were sure that we would be forced to close, since out of the 30-40 cents of a pound that was the cost of sending an envelope, we were asking them for 1.50 pounds. However, gradually, we convinced the organisations to make door-to-door transfers," he pointed out, among other things.
Asked about the difficult times for ACS, Christoforos Potamitis referred to the coronavirus period, during which the company worked 10-12 hours a day and on weekends in order to serve consumers. "It was a good period financially, but difficult for us. Most employees were willing to work because they could leave their homes," he highlighted.
He also noted that in the period 2002-2023, the company was called upon to make serious financial decisions, as despite the increased turnover, a liquidity problem nevertheless arose. "Despite the increased turnover, we were faced with a liquidity problem, due to the credit that some customers had, that reached 5-6 months. At that time, we decided to inform them that the credit is only 30 days. We lost some customers, several of whom returned," the Co-founder and Managing Director of ACS Air Courier Services (Cyprus) Ltd said.
He also pointed out that there is no limit to success, which continues, emphasizing that the one who is always one step ahead survives. "We have reached the point of paving the way for the rest to follow us," Potamitis emphasised.
"The Game Changers" discussion was moderated by Gogo Alexandrinou, Public Affairs Consultant, PUBLICIST CREATIVE COMMUNICATIONS.
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(Source: InBusinessNews)
