Centurion Travel turns to Ferdia to modernise its coach operations

For Steve Spiller, a 25-year veteran of the industry, the drive for change was clear; the need to modernise his coach operations. "Observing how other sectors have evolved, it became obvious that we had a real opportunity to improve our efficiency," he explained. The hours spent on manual tasks were a key pain point, highlighting the necessity for a solution that could free both time and resources."I’m just trying to move our company into the next century," Spiller says. 

A conversation in an operator group led him to Ferdia, a Norwegian company offering online capabilities, interactive quoting, and AI-driven tools in their solution. "It matched the vision I was looking for," Spiller says, highlighting Ferdia’s potential to streamline operations and implement a consistent, dynamic pricing model. "Here we are," he concludes.

The transition to Ferdia, implemented just over a week prior to this interview, has been seamless. Steve expressed his initial surprise at the instant adoption by his drivers, who embraced the app fully from day one. "Our drivers have been fantastic, and we’re fully online without any issues," Spiller reports. "Operationally, it’s been easy to visualize where we are. The safeguards are working, and everything is running smoothly," he says. Both drivers and customers have provided positive feedback, reinforcing Spiller’s confidence in the decision to move forward with the platform.

A cornerstone of the successful implementation has been the close collaboration with the Ferdia team. From the initial exploratory phase to the go-live date.Ferdia's proactive support, including regular interactive sessions, comprehensive training, and on-site visits, has been invaluable. "They've truly held our hand through every step, reacting quickly to any questions we've had," Steve acknowledged. 

This partnership has fostered a fresh perspective on Centurion's internal processes, with Ferdia actively contributing solutions tailored to their specific needs.

Spiller sees great potential for Centurion Travel’s future with Ferdia. "My main ambition is to spend more time at home and let the system work for me," he says. The goal is to streamline every function, from dynamic quoting to booking and delivery, with minimal human input, increasing efficiency and margins.

Looking to the future, Steve envisions a transformative partnership with Ferdia. His personal goal of achieving a better work-life balance is intertwined with the ambition of an increasingly autonomous system that streamlines every aspect of the business, from initial customer inquiries to final service delivery, the potential for leveraging AI in intelligent vehicle allocation and the prospect of seamless collaboration with other operators across the UK through the platform, are also key drivers for Centurion's long-term strategy. "The vision is to create a truly seamless experience for the customer," Steve explained, "where they can book and receive a service through one central point, mirroring the convenience they expect from larger platforms."

Ultimately, Steve anticipates a significant positive impact on Centurion's customers. While acknowledging a brief period of familiarisation with the new interface, he is confident that Ferdia will deliver a more transparent, user-friendly, and value-driven experience. The enhanced communication capabilities and the ability for customers to access all their booking information in one centralised location. Particularly beneficial for school networks, promise increased efficiency and potential cost savings. "The simpler, easier booking process that Ferdia facilitates will be a key differentiator for us in the future," Steve concluded, showing Centurion's commitment to providing a superior service in an evolving industry landscape.