INTERVIEW Cornel Morcov, FAN Courier: We want to improve the IT infrastructure and we are interested to develop logistics solutions for the customers in Central and Eastern Europe

The new economic reality has forced companies to adapt quickly, pushing them to rethink their strategies and investments plan during the emergency state caused by COVID-19. This year will be strongly influenced by the changes from the last two months in the market, according to Cornel Morcov, chief commercial officer at FAN Courier. “The current crisis is a lesson from which we all must learn. And the first lessons show that the investments in infrastructure must be continued and the consumption must be encouraged,” he says.

Cornel Morcov underlines that FAN Courier plans to continue its investments, by developing new sorting centres in Romania. It also shows interest in developing logistics solutions for the customers in Central and Eastern Europe. 

What is your company’s business approach in the current economic context?

Cornel Morcov: The new economic reality designed by the crisis of the pandemic brought challenges for FAN Courier to which we adapted quickly. The new rules imposed by the emergency state directed a good part of the consumption towards the online retailers, so the volume of our current activity registered increases of 30% and accelerated the rhythm of the annually planned employments. We will continue the employments of staff and we will keep the agreed investments plan announced at the beginning of the year. The investments will be directed towards the IT infrastructure, warehouses as well, but also towards the professional development of the team members.

What are the market tendencies in 2020?

Cornel Morcov: In our opinion, the year 2020 will be strongly influenced by the changes from the last 2 months in the market. We expect to have an increase of 30% from last year, comparing the year/year results. Also, despite the estimation regarding the decrease of the general consumption, we expect an increase of the delivery transport, most likely as effect of balancing the commerce from offline to online. We expect that many customers will keep the behaviour to purchase online, that they voluntarily experimented or not during the “emergency period”.

How would you describe the latest developments regarding the local courier market?

Cornel Morcov: The close of physical stores and block of the offline activity due to safety and prevention measures, transformed the delivery industry in a „bridge”, a transmission belt between the demand of the customers and the offer of the stores that organized and reorganized fast in the online environment. The need of delivery services came as a natural consequence of the social distancing. We believe that like us, all the operators from the delivery industry made remarkable efforts to be able to manage the full activity under optimal parameters. We had to manage both larger volumes and an additional responsibility – that of the health safety of our employees and customers.

How would you alleviate Romania’s economic stress after this crisis?

Cornel Morcov: In our opinion, the current crisis proved without doubt that where there is an adequate infrastructure, the absorption capacity of the shocks generated by a crisis is bigger. So, the current crisis is a lesson from which we all must learn. And the first lessons show that the investments in infrastructure must be continued and the consumption must be encouraged.

What can Romania do to mitigate the COVID-19 impact on the business sector?

Cornel Morcov: A behaviour dominated by responsibility and adaptation to the new forms of social relation are vital until the moment when the crisis generated by COVID-19 can be fully controlled. If the danger is present, the operation of the economy must be in correlation with the safety measures taken for the population. During this period, all the economical operators have the duty to protect the customers and employees, in the same measure. It is important that each of us, both professionally and personally, proves maximum responsibility. As we take care of us, we should take care of the one near us.

What are your short and medium-term plans in Romania?

Cornel Morcov: The plans of the company include the continuous investments. We will develop new sorting centres in Romania, we are in full investment process in the regional HUB from Cluj-Napoca and we want to double the sorting capacity from the Brasov HUB, opened some years ago. We also proposed to improve the IT infrastructure and we are interested to develop logistics solutions for the customers in Central and Eastern Europe.