No matter your reason for needing a vehicle, there are some important elements that you should consider before placing your order.  Fortunately for you, here at First Travel Solutions, we’ve most likely done this already as part of our continual business improvement process.

 

ISO Certification

FTS holds ISO certification for Quality Management, Environmental Management and Health and Safety Management, but what difference does that make to our customers?  Well, in order to maintain these awards we have to demonstrate to an independent auditor that we adopt recognised ‘best practice’ in all aspects of our work, achieved through a progressive and innovative business improvement programme.  In reality, this results in us having very strict onboarding criteria and regular audits of our suppliers.  This makes us confident that we will always deliver to our clients' vehicles and drivers that are top quality and that are as safe as possible.  You can also be assured that these ISO’s will help to support your own Duty of Care to your passengers.

If you’re considering several suppliers for your vehicles, check to see which ones hold ISO certifications.  FTS invests a great deal of time and effort to obtain this status and we do this as a demonstration of our commitment to customer service excellence.

 

Professional Memberships

We hold memberships of many trade bodies within the business sectors that we’re proactively engaged with.  Many of these are obtained through invitation only, and still, more will insist on only granting membership through evidence-based applications.  This often makes us the only transport supplier that some industry sectors officially endorse and trust.    

There’s a reason why many of these peer-to-peer organisations and associations welcome FTS as members.  We can demonstrate a track record in their business sector and we understand the need for professionalism and excellent service.  Most often our fellow members have direct experience of working with us and the same clients and feel comfortable in recommending our services to new contacts.

 

Ownership

FTS is a wholly-owned by Aberdeen based First Group, a business that also operates many of the UK’s regional bus networks and railway franchises.  They’re also listed on the London Stock Exchange and are recognised as one of the best and largest transport companies in the world.  This gives FTS fantastic backing and in-depth resourcing, not just in financial terms, but also indirect experience gained from running our own buses and trains.  This level of backing has enabled FTS to have confidence in weathering 2020/21 over the Covid-19 pandemic which has been a challenging time for any business in the travel sector.  Our public transport operations have also enabled us to be at the cutting edge of providing a safe travelling environment through intense cleaning regimes and establishing social distancing parameters.

The important things here are that, firstly, any vehicles provided will be presented in a Covid-compliant state of cleanliness.  Secondly, you can rest easy that FTS is a business that will be here for years to come.  If one of our suppliers ceases trading then we will source your vehicles from an alternative supplier of similar quality – and we won’t re-negotiate the price!  Imagine if you booked elsewhere and the company fails – what would be the implications for you, in terms of both money and time?

 

Honesty

One of the reasons for FTS’s success in the managed transport market has been our commitment to honesty in all that we do.  When we say that we have a 24/7 Control Centre – we do.  When we agree on a price we stick to it – there won’t be any surcharges due to rises in fuel prices or the addition of some mysterious tax or another!  We also won’t cancel your booking in favour of taking business from somewhere else at a more profitable rate for us, which we gather some bookers have experienced in the past.   

Clearly, we can’t speak for anyone else, but this is how our business works.  To us, a 24/7 Control Centre is just that, and not a mobile ‘phone on a bedside cabinet!  We aim to make our pricing as competitive as we can whilst maintaining our high standards and commitment to honest dealings with our clients.  Check elsewhere to see if others will give these same guarantees.

 

Finally, we’re a team of friendly experts with a passion for providing managed group transport in the UK market.  Our aim is to build long-term business relationships with our clients and we’d love to be working with you too.