Who you’ll meet at #GBTA2023: Daniel Senyard, Founder & CEO, Shep
One of the reasons why the FCM Platform and the entire FCM technology suite is so innovative is because FCM has made smart decisions regarding tech partnerships. The travel tech space hasn’t historically been a place for groundbreaking change, but FCM sought to find startups that were trying to change the game, just like we were…and in walked Shep.
Shep was created originally as a leakage data capture tool for when employees booked travel on consumer sites but pivoted into a COVID-19 notification tool in 2020. In 2021, FCM fully acquired Shep and integrated the technology into our FCM Platform, now reborn as the FCM Extension. Today it provides real-time updates on everything from unused tickets for your preferred airline to sustainable travel guidance, and even political unrest in your intended destination. It’s a decision support tool that turns your regular booking experience on its head, for the better – think of it like a guided shopping tool.
We sat down with the founder and CEO, and now FCM team member, Daniel Senyard, to get the scoop on what he’s most excited about regarding the FCM Extension, what’s next, and what you can expect to see at booth #2538 at GBTA 2023 in Dallas.
Fresh perspectives on GBTA Convention
To fully understand how Daniel feels about GBTA Convention, you need to go back to his roots: startup life. “FCM, and our parent company, Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), talk a lot about something called ‘Brightness of Future,’” said Daniel. “It’s how we approach the internal mobility of our employees, to encourage them to grow their careers with FCTG. But I like to think I had my own Brightness of Future at GBTA…I went from a very small booth with Shep in the back of the expo hall all the way to one of the prime booths with FCM, filled with a ton of buzz and foot traffic. And that feels really special.”
And that growth is why Daniel loves going to large conventions. “As someone from the startup space, I really appreciate seeing all size companies at GBTA, from the early-stage startups to the decades-old established enterprises. It’s fascinating how both types of companies can not only learn from each other, but successfully partner on key initiatives.”
And when it comes to partnerships, GBTA Convention was really where the magic happened for Shep and FCM. “Over the course of my first few GBTA attendances, I was able to deepen my relationship with John Morhous (Chief Experience Officer, Flight Centre Travel Group) and meet the rest of the FCM team. These meetings are what solidified that FCM was the correct culture fit when we were looking to be acquired.”
The FCM Extension takes center stage
Since Shep evolved into the FCM Extension, the functionality has obviously…extended. And the innovation hasn’t stopped, either.
“I really can’t wait to share our latest AI innovation with buyers at GBTA 2023,” said Daniel. “It’s amazing to think that a little employee side project that was started during an afternoon hackathon is now an upcoming product feature. And I need to stop myself now before I say too much and ruin the surprise! Buyers will just need to stop by the FCM Tech Bar at our booth (#2538) to see it in action.”
But there are other things and features within the FCM Extension that Daniel is ready to showcase. “Mainly, it’s flexibility. It solves so many different issues and pain points for customers. Think about it, you can configure alerts for sustainability, safety & risk, unused tickets…the list goes on.” And talking about flexibility reminded Daniel of one of his favorite customer stories.
“The Extension wasn’t designed for change management, but one of our customers took the pre-made templates we provide and made their own change management communications/education flow within their OBT,” he said. “And this is the most exciting thing about the tool – the ability to empower users on both sides, including administrators and end users. Admins had the ingenuity to take this flexible tool and create what they needed from it. Users then got the education they needed. It’s really inspiring and has helped us create a baseline for how we use the Extension for change management frameworks in the future.”
On to the event!
There’s so much more to see and learn about the FCM Extension – we couldn’t possibly cover it all here. If you want to get hands-on with FCM’s most innovative tool yet, and say hi to Daniel in the process, stop by our Tech Bar at booth #2538. And if you’re looking for a more personalized demo experience, book an appointment with one of our Business Development Managers and Solutions Engineers!