Hot Interview :: Craig Francis at Quasar Group International

from Hotelier Indonesia Magazine

Issue 17, April 2014

www.hotelier-indonesia.com

We have had the good fortune of interviewing the founders of Quasar Group in past issues.  In September 2013, Hotelier Indonesia interviewed the firm’s President & CEO Craig Francis.  In April 2013, we interviewed Bill Healey, Director and market advisor. In the current issue, we

Hotelier Indonesia Magazine
Issue 17, April 2014

expand our review to their multi-lingual, international management software for Spa, Golf and Hospitality.

Building on market experience in excess of 75-years in golf, club and leisure, Craig & Bill have brought their unique insights to leisure management software through Quasar Group International.  

Collaborating with leading club & leisure technology experts around the world, Quasar’s solutions are designed to enhance the processes in which a club and spa engage with their members and guests. Extensive client data and Social Media contacts are maintained by the system, allowing for an advanced level of interaction between club and client.

With a successful history in implementing Spa & Golf software around the world, Hotelier Indonesia is pleased to have Quasar’s directors back for further insight into their efforts.

[HI] Not sure we can pin either of you down to one city. Where are the two of you based?

[CF] We’ve both traveled frequently through the years. I split time between homes in Switzerland and the Bahamas.

[BH] It does seem as though we’re living out of a suitcase much of the time. I do spend some time at a family compound in Michigan (USA), but most often in Bali.

Though these would be where the two of us are based, we also have business partners in China, Thailand, Canada and a few other areas coming onboard soon.

[HI] As the two of you traveling and living quite far apart, do you ever catch up?

[CF] With the internet, we’re able to catch up at anytime through Email, Skype or other methods. We have been able to meet for corporate events in recent months. Back in November 2013, we had a 3-day management meeting at the Fairmont Hotel in Toronto where we introduced our Canadian partner to the industry.

Just a couple months back (January 2014), we had product introductions at the Raffles Hotel in Beijing, and the Shangri-La Pudong in Shanghai. It provided us the opportunity to meet each other, Quasar business partners and with industry leaders.

[HI] Having a look at the Quasar management solution, it seems to do well in providing for the leisure and hospitality industry.

[BH] Our solution has been designed to manage spas, golf clubs, golf academies and membership clubs. The advanced functionality provides for extensive membership

with features that include lifestyle & preference tracking, transactions history, social networking links (Facebook, Twitter, Weibo, WeChat, etc) and more.

A Spa will be able to manage advance spa bookings, therapists, inventories, Point of Sale and Revenues. Similarly, a Golf Club would be able to manage tee times, caddies, inventories, POS and revenues. CRM is a key component of the system, allowing the site to utilize data within the system to build stronger marketing campaigns.

With my base in Bali, we will be able to bring international features to the large spa market here in Bali and throughout Indonesia. Our frequent visits with our business partners in Thailand and China will allow us to fully address the growing leisure market throughout Asia.

[CF] Along with the system’s advanced data capabilities, we have invested significantly in the usability of the system. The user-interface was designed by one of Geneva’s leading graphics artists, giving Quasar a unique and sophisticated look.

We have also translated the system into more than 40 languages, giving both local users and foreign managers the ability to use and review data within the system with a language they understand. The system’s languages include Bahasa Indonesia, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, and the European languages like English, French, and Spanish.  We have also adapted to languages such as Arabic, Hindi, Burmese and Khmer which are typically more difficult for software systems to use.

Providing users of all abilities with an easy to understand Point of Sale and Management Solution will help the site achieve better standards of customer service and increased levels of business.

[BH] Quasar’s system is browser-based, allowing our clients much more flexibility in systems implementation. Our users can run on Windows, Apple MacBooks, iPad and Android tablet computers. We also offer the ability to use iPhones, Android and other smart phones. With Spa and Golf managers frequently traveling, they’re able to stay up-to-date on the current day’s sales and revenues through their mobile.

[HI] How is the Quasar System supported?

[BH] We work through our business partners who dedicate local staff to supporting our systems. They can best understand the user’s needs and respond appropriately. If the local team needs assistance, we then escalate the support requirement up to our programming team. Quasar is committed to maintaining long-term relationships with our system users. To achieve this, we need to build advanced systems and support them well to all user levels.

[CF] The line of communication with our clients is vital. Quasar products advance based on input from our users -- most of our product innovations come from market feedback.

Quasar thrives based on our ability to get back to the client with proper answers. Clients need their system to remain functional and also advance to meet new market requirements. They look to us as their trusted provider, to remain innovative and provide quality software and ongoing support.

[HI] How does Quasar provide for multinational hospitality groups?

[CF] A chief design component within Quasar is to address the needs of multinationals.

Taking Spa & Wellness as an example: twenty years ago very few hotels or resorts had a Spa and Wellness Center. Now it seems nearly every hotel property has a spa. For multinational groups, that would mean they’d have a spa in 50 or more properties around the world. Local properties would need to operate with their local currencies, while the traveling Spa Director would need a way to remotely access data from any one of their sites with the push of a button. Quasar’s web-design makes it easier to pull data from these remote sites.

One of Quasar’s intelligence tools allows for data mining in a single site, or across multiple sites. The manager is given the ability to create reports to query, sort and report on data throughout the system.

[HI] Thank you again for your time. We wish you success here in Indonesia and around the world. How can our readers get in contact with you?

As provided in Quasar’s advertisement with Hotelier Indonesia Magazine, inquiries can be emailed to: info@quasarinternationalgroup.com

Craig Francis Interview with Hotelier Indonesia Magazine

Hotelier Indonesia Magazine

September 2013

www.hotelier-indonesia.com

Having spent a significant number of years in sport and technology, it’s a pleasure to have an opportunity to interview someone whose experience in both golf and business far exceeds mine.   

Through the years, Craig Francis has been a successful amateur golfer on the

international circuit as well as an owner and director of several multinational businesses.   One of his newer ventures ties the two together, as Founder and Director of Quasar Group International. 

Recently incorporated in Singapore, the firm has been developing golf, spa and leisure management systems by tying together his colorful experiences in sport and business.  The direction Quasar has taken surely has gained interest and momentum.  In this interview, I’m gaining a bit of background in golf and business to see how it all comes together.

[HI]  You have quite an extensive background in golf.   Going back to your school days, what are some of your sporting achievements?

[CF]  I had the privilege of being coached by one of the top golf professionals of the day, Bob Toski.  The regular exposure to golf at such a high level, as well as the advanced tips he provided allowed me to become an accomplished amateur golfer.  My handicap at age 15 was 0, with my lowest USGA handicap reaching +2.

As a student at Le Rosey, the Swiss International boarding school, I was Champion of Swiss independent schools in various sports including the 100 meters, long jump, discus and others.  Golf and sports have had a long history in our family.

Craig Francis
Leading the European Open

[HI]  After school, you frequently played in amateur tournaments around the world.   What are some of the highlights?

[CF]  In 1971 I was the top amateur golfer in both the Swiss Open and the Agfa Open.  In the following years I won the Luxembourg International Amateur Championship (3 times), Swiss International Amateur Championship (3 times), and the Italian International Amateur Championship .   In 1982 I won the Swiss Omiron tournament which also included professionals.

[HI]  With these top finishes, there must have been some course records along the way?

[CF]  In competitions, I set amateur course records that include:  

   66  Sunningdale Golf Club (UK)
   65  Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre (Switzerland) 
   65  Münchener Golf Club (Germany)
   69  Coral Harbour (Bahamas)
   63  Lyford Cay Club (Bahamas)
   71  Hollingwell Golf Club (UK)

My lowest score outside of tournament play is 61 at the Lyford Cay Club in the Bahamas.

[HI]  You mention sports and your family.  Your father was rather accomplished as well.  What is some of his sport background?

[CF]  My father, Francis Francis played golf for England and won many international amateur events.  One of many golfing achievements, he had finished 1 shot ahead of the infamous Bobby Jones in the 1936 Masters. As an amateur, he twice led or was tied for the lead of the British open after two rounds.  On one occasion he and a fellow amateur played an exhibition match against Ben Hogan and Sam Sneed at their peak and lost in a very close contest: 2 & 1.

His other sporting achievements included: Fencing for England and was the Army Champion. Running the 440 and 880 for England and was also the Army champion. He was considered one of the country’s top athletes.

[HI]  In your years of golf, you have played with quite a quite a few famous golfers.

[CF]  A few I played with include Nick Price, Sam Sneed, Ian Baker-Finch, Seve Ballesteros, Sam Torrance, Al Geiberger and many more.  I also had the good fortune of knowing Sam Sneed, Gene Sarazen, Ken Venturi, Dow Finsterwall and others as good friends of the family.  Our conversations and shared experiences provided a wonderful fount of golf knowledge.  There were also a considerable number of infamous sports figures and Hollywood personalities who played into the mix, on and off the golf course.

[HI]  Bringing this back to business, what experience had you accumulated prior to starting Quasar?

[CF]  Upon completing school at Le Rosey I was involved with our family’s global investments.   In the 1970s – 1980s I ran a successful shipping company in the Caribbean, which we named Caribbean Shipping.   I was also partner in IGI Golf Investments and Cosmos International.

With IGI Golf Investments, we were involved in golf club management, golf course design and international golf travel.   In our club endeavors at IGI, we saw a need to bring in a technology solution capable of addressing the diverse management needs of golf managers around the world.  That is where Cosmos came in, and we were assisting golfers in areas far-apart as Kenya to Japan to Guam, etc.

[HI]  Stepping back to your family’s investments, their success in business seems to match well with their success in sports.  What business background did you grow up with?

[CF]  Though my father comes from the Bostwick family (Standard Oil) through his mother, he honorably fulfilled his duty to country as a pilot during World War II after graduating from the famous Sandhurst Military Academy.

He founded and financed the Martin-Baker Aircraft Company, which is very well known for developing new aircraft.  Martin-Baker also developed the Aircraft Ejection Seat which he tested himself. He also owned and chaired on the board of many international companies.

On a lighter note, my grandfathers were amongst other things, businessmen, authors and fishermen.  The fisherman was known to take trout into New Zealand.

[HI]  It appears your newest venture with Quasar Group brings together your considerable history in golf, clubs and international business.

[CF]  In recent years, we have had a significant number of industry contacts looking for something new terms of club & villa management.   These requests have ranged from a need for enhanced membership systems tied to social media, to multinational management groups needing a similar system in diverse countries, to multi-lingual systems that must appear to be created in each club’s home country.

Many of these incoming system requests originate in China and East Asia.  They’ve seen the strength of western systems developed through many years of golf and club experience.  But at the same time, they’ve seen the same systems that have failed to adapt to their local needs.  

These Asia-based clubs have experienced western systems translated into local languages, only to see it partially successful.   They attribute this to:  a) a system being older technology not capable of full translation due to record incompatibility, b) a system structure that doesn’t provide for multiple languages, and/or c) a firm unwilling to make the investment in enhancing code or adding features to meet the local needs of a club.

[HI]  Aside from these requests from Asia, what else has come into consideration?

[CF]   We have had a significant level of contact from both end users and partners throughout Asia Pacific and into Europe, Africa and the Middle East.   We have seen the difficulties many western golf, club and leisure software developers have when entering Asia.   Because of this, Quasar has based its development in Asia.  Here we have resources experienced in developing multi-lingual, multi-national systems.

We also see that the world’s strongest growth markets for hospitality, golf & leisure are in China and throughout Asia.   Following China are strong markets in Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Myanmar.  We feel we are making the proper moves in development and distribution.

Hotelier Indonesia would like to thank Craig Francis for his time, and for his insight into the hospitality, golf club and leisure technology markets.

For further information: info@quasargroupinternational.com