Australia-based Flight Centre Travel Group has acquired Shep, a U.S-based travel software company to strengthen what it offers corporate clients through its travel management company brand, FCM. FCM had made a minority investment in Shep in January 2020.
According to FCM, Shep’s browser-extension based communication platform will be integrated with its new FCM Platform, a proprietary system that provides a comprehensive, artificial intelligence powered experience designed in an open, flexible platform.
Shep’s technology helps companies manage and measure employee behavior when using corporate booking systems as well as on consumer sites such as Expedia and Airbnb.
“At FCM, we strive to offer a best-in-class traveler experience at every touchpoint of the customer journey,” says Marcus Eklund, FCM global managing director.
“The Shep software has allowed us to extend that experience on third party websites, further building on the flexibility we offer customers that we’ve become known for.”
Shep’s browser tool will enable FCM to customize the content and enhance the user experience on both online booking tools and third-party websites that its corporate customers use, including integration of content related to health, safety and sustainability policies.
“FCM shares our passion for intelligent and ground-breaking technology that addresses pain points and vastly improves the user experience. We are thrilled and excited to play our part in supporting their vision for the new FCM Platform,” says Daniel Senyard, co-founder and CEO of Shep.
In August 2020 Flight Centre acquired WhereTo, a U.S.-based provider of corporate travel technology. Earlier that year it made an equity investment in air content aggregator TPConnects and one year prior it acquired mobile chatbot platform Sam.
“Our continued focus in game-changing technology provides our corporate clients with superior tools and services to help them stay ahead of the rapidly evolving corporate travel landscape. This will allow us to emerge from the pandemic in an incredibly powerful way,” Eklund says.
