Agilysys VP Tim Hansen on 19% Growth, Tech Consolidation, and the Magic of Human Hospitality

Tim Hansen, Vice President of Sales – Hotels & Resorts at Agilysys, joined us at HITEC 2025 to talk about the company’s impressive growth, the evolution of tech stacks in hospitality, and the delicate balance between automation and human connection.

What is driving Agilysys’ growth?

Hansen attributes the company’s 19% revenue growth to the success of its modernised product suite, what Agilysys calls its ecosystem. Our existing customers used to buy one or two solutions. Now they’re buying multiple, he says. With 35 integrated products, Agilysys positions itself as a one-stop shop for hotels looking to streamline operations and enhance guest experiences.

New business is also coming in because of this unified ecosystem, he adds. We just closed a deal where we replaced seven vendors with one: Agilysys.

One vendor or best-of-breed? The industry is shifting.

On the ongoing debate between unified platforms and best-of-breed solutions, Hansen sees a clear trend: Historically, people avoided putting all their eggs in one basket. But now, more hoteliers prefer fewer vendors, if those vendors can do more, and do it well.

He argues that a connected stack improves not only efficiency but also the guest journey. When everything is integrated, you know the guest is arriving late, has a dining reservation, or booked a spa treatment. You can adapt and respond in real time.

The Book4Time acquisition: strategic and timely

Agilysys recently acquired Book4Time, adding 1,800 spa clients to its ecosystem. 800 of those had never purchased an Agilysys product, says Hansen. It’s a big opportunity for cross-selling and growth, but also a chance to deepen our spa expertise with a strong, knowledgeable team.

Does automation go too far?

Hansen draws a clear line between task automation and replacing human interaction. The magic of hospitality is people, he says. Automation should free staff from repetitive tasks, not replace their ability to engage with guests.

He sees technology as a way to enable hotel staff to focus more on soft skills: You want them spending time creating experiences, not staring at a screen.

Empowering people, not replacing them

Responding to concerns that some tech companies are prioritising cost-cutting automation, Hansen is pragmatic but cautious. Startups often promise to make things more efficient by removing people. But in hospitality, great guest experiences are made by people.

Still, he acknowledges that automation can be appropriate in limited-service properties where human contact is not expected. In some cases, the best guest experience is the lack of experience. You just want to get in, get online, and rest.