Jamie Biesiada
First in Service Travel (F1S) recently introduced its One Global Network (1GN) concept to help further grow its network and travel advisors.
1GN has four pillars, touching on everything from diversity to championing excellent service, but it was actually born out of a challenge, F1S CEO Fernando Gonzalez said.
Almost 15 years ago, F1S lost a key account to a competitor. Much of the agency's revenue was dependent on that account.
But there was a positive to the loss, Gonzalez said: "It started really allowing us to define and focus on the things that characterize us and really distinguish us, and the things we do really well."
The agency is in a much different position today. It emphasizes leisure and entertainment sales while still supporting corporate travel. F1S recorded $313 million sales last year, a figure expected to grow by double digits this year. F1S is opening more physical offices and is expanding into new markets like the U.K. and Mexico.
And, coming full circle, Gonzalez recently introduced the 1GN concept, defining the things that are most important to F1S in four stylized pillars: f1rst culture, fanat1cal service, front1erless and f1ercely independent.
The culture pillar refers to F1S's family-oriented approach; service refers to consistent and exceptional service; frontierless refers to promoting a multicultural, borderless environment to further connectivity and diversity; and independent refers to the fact that F1S has remained independently owned by Gonzalez and his co-owner and sister, president Erika Reategui, since its founding in 1991.
Today, F1S has around 225 travel advisors around the world.
"Our focus is to continue to grow that network, to continue to hire people to support it around the world," Gonzalez said. "There's double-digit, continued growth."
F1S is also focused on building its own technology, according to the Gonzalez.
While it is more expensive and difficult to build its own technology than to partner with a third-party provider, Gonzalez said the technology needs to serve F1S's advisors and what they do, specifically operating in a more premium space. It is also necessary for providing the level of service that 1GN calls for.
Growth will also come from expanding F1S's network of independent contractors. The agency is now active in Vancouver, and Gonzalez said it has plans to further expand to Quebec. There are a number of restrictions and licensing requirements to operate in Canada, but he believes it's worth the effort.
"Canada's not an easy market, but I think that's what makes it so exciting," he said. "There aren't as many players. There's quite a bit of really wonderful travelers in that luxury, premium space."