Swiss SMEs fight back against the big post office! “Many of Swiss Post’s current business practices are unrelated to their service contracts and their monopoly position,” the Swiss Trade Association (SGV) criticized in a letter published by the newspaper “Le Temps”. For example, the acquisitions of companies in the field of advertising and software are “questionable” and the prices paid are “hardly comprehensible in line with the market”.
SMEs must be squeezed out
In the letter to the Swiss Federal Court of Auditors (SFAO), the SGV suspected that the business model of the Swiss Post would ultimately lead to the squeeze-out of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). For example, from markets such as communication, payment transactions, fiduciary and IT services. As an example, the SME association mentioned the takeover of the company Klara, active in the field of confidential transport of digital information.
From the point of view of SMEs, the question arises whether Swiss Post is breaking the law on subsidies in pursuing such business models, the letter continues. Accordingly, the SGV assumes that Swiss Post will have to “prove” in an investigation by the SFAO that it is not funneling money into unsubsidised areas. A review of the post is therefore considered “absolutely necessary”.
No «buyout strategy»
At the request of Keystone-SDA, the Post defended itself: it adheres to the guardrails provided by law. “In the public debate, the impression sometimes arises that Swiss Post is buying up a large number of companies at will,” the written response said on Saturday.
However, Swiss Post does not follow a “purchase strategy”, but a “focus strategy”. Ultimately, it is a “small number of defined and strategically selected companies” that Swiss Post wants to acquire.
Swiss Post is convinced that only through growth and the associated long-term acquisitions can a politically desirable and nationally relevant universal service be delivered on its own merits. “We need a ‘portfolio adjustment’ to be able to finance the public service in the long term,” it sounds. (SDA/pbe)