There is no doubt that we have all experienced changes to our usual way of life as a result of the COVID-19 situation. As a network, The APC has adopted many measures to protect the safety and welfare of those who work within the network and of those that we collect from and deliver to.
We would like to thank our customers for your patience and understanding as we work closely with our network member depots that have faced difficulties in providing consistently good service levels. We have appreciated the support of many of our customers who have phased their despatch volumes over a full week and re-set expectations with their customers about despatch/ delivery that are reflected of the challenges we are all facing and have also been tolerant of the service adjustments we have temporality made.
Operational Changes
Expect Messaging Pre Alert Suspension
With effect from Friday 17th April, APC are temporarily suspending the APC Expect e-mail and SMS pre-alert notifications on all deliveries. This will not impact on any APC Pinpoint activity. We will re-instate the functionality when appropriate.
‘Leave Safe’ delivery option
To allow us to make as many first time deliveries during these difficult times, we strongly encourage you to use our ‘Leave Safe’ delivery option where possible.
As deliveries into consumer addresses continue to increase, along with consumer self isolation, consumers and drivers will welcome the ability to have goods left in a safe place, as per the address label special instructions.
Collect From Depot- Option suspended
To prevent footfall into depots, from Wednesday 25/3/2020 until further notice, APC Overnight have suspended the collect from depot option across the APC network. redeliveries can be arranged but not a collect from depot option.
Drop into Depot- Option suspended
In an effort to limit the possible exposure to office staff, we have also taken the decision to suspend the practice of dropping items into our depots nationwide.
Account customers can still continue to book collections online in the usual way and customers without accounts can use the pay online solution APC Direct at
https://www.apc-direct.co.uk/ where a collection can be arranged on a collect next day, deliver next day service (ND1600 only, no liquids/fragile).
Consignments Addressed to Depot for Collection- Engineers/Mobile Workers
Similarly, where customers are manifesting consignment’s to depots for their mobile workers to collect, please wherever possible manifest to an address other than that of the depot e.g. the mobile workers home address.
Suspension of Live Fish/ Movement of Bees
With immediate effect we are will no longer be accepting Live fish/ bees within our network. We are implementing this change until further notice as delays may be experienced in this service.
Suspension of Same Day PURS- next day booking only
To ease the pressure on delivery drivers, with effect from Wednesday 25th March all PURs are for next day collection and not same day action.
RTS of Goods which are for ‘closed’ businesses
We are aware that the announcement by The Government to close businesses that are not retailing essential goods will result in goods within depots that cannot now be delivered. From now, until further notice these will automatically be returned to sender.
View our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Risk Assessment
