Based on its recent analysis of the market for courier, express and parcel (CEP) service providers, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Aras Kargo with the 2014 Turkish Frost & Sullivan Award for Growth Excellence Leadership. With a growth rate of 15.5 percent in 2012, Aras Kargo outpaced the overall CEP market, which grew at 13 percent during the same year. Aras Kargo demonstrated double-digit growth for the past three years, growing by more than 80 percent from 2008. It is well on its way to becoming the top CEP player in Turkey.
Aras Kargo’s Chairperson of Board and CEO, Evrim Aras, received the prize at the ceremony held in London. Evrim Aras expressed her gratitude for being recognized and summarized the work on the path to success: “We deliver shipments important to our customers all around Turkey. We are focused efficiency that leads to profitability, which is like water and air for companies. 12,000 people work long hours through great effort. There is truly elbow grease behind this award.”
Aras Kargo stands out for its high quality of services, which has enabled it to attract both local and foreign investors. In 2011, a local private equity firm invested $9.8 million in Aras Kargo and gained 20 percent stake in the company. In 2013, Austrian Post took over the 20 percent holding from the firm and an additional 5 percent from Aras Kargo, with an investment of $69 million. This partnership gave a huge boost to Aras Kargo’s prospects of becoming a top-rung participant in the CEP market.
“Aras Kargo is known for its outstanding levels of service; the company has only 0.05 percent shipping error and 0.03 percent damaged cargo,” said Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Sri Hani. “Its ISO 9001:2000 certification proved that it provides consistent services that clearly meet customer and regulatory requirements.”
Furthermore, Aras Kargo’s participation in the National Quality Movement conducted by the Turkish Quality Association and its adoption of the European Foundation for Quality Management’s (EFQM’s) perfection model demonstrate the company’s commitment towards enhancing its service quality.
“Despite operating in a concentrated CEP market, the company has grown faster than the market for two consecutive years,” noted Sri Hani. “Aras Kargo has gone beyond offering the usual delivery services, by having well distributed branches acrossTurkey, a wide range of delivery service options, and impressive service quality offerings.”
Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in growth and customer value. It recognizes the superiority of the product/service as well as the overall customer, purchase, ownership, and service experience offered, which has resulted in the recipient company seeing above-market growth and increased share of wallet. The award lauds the growth, diversification, and sustainability strategies of the company.
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.
