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Raja Rajarajan, Senior Director Services, APAC, Agilysys
TDM has started a series of interviews under the theme ‘Going Beyond’ that bring to the forefront ‘a behind-the-scenes look’ at the expertise of Agilysys APAC team members across product engineering, services, HR, and sales, highlighting how each function plays a strategic role in delivering value to hospitality clients.
This series of interviews explores how these teams contribute to key business outcomes — enhancing the guest experience, driving RevPAG, enabling seamless, interoperable solutions, etc. — while providing a deeper understanding of the people, processes, and innovation that power Agilysys’ impact across the hospitality sector.
In Part 3 of the ‘Going Beyond’ series TDM interviews Raja Rajarajan, Senior Director Services, APAC, Agilysys.
Raja Rajarajan explores how the services team supports hospitality providers through smooth implementation, ongoing optimisation, and long-term success with Agilysys solutions. He shares how service excellence drives operational outcomes, enables seamless integrations, and directly contributes to enhancing the guest experience and supporting RevPAG growth across the APAC region.
Travel Daily Media (TDM): As Senior Director of Services, how do you and your team help clients across APAC maximise value from Agilysys solutions, and what does a typical day in your role look like?
Raja Rajarajan (RR): As the Senior Director of Services for Agilysys in the APAC region, based in Sydney, my focus is on helping clients not just implement our solutions effectively, but maximise their long-term value. My team and I work closely with hotels, resorts, and hospitality businesses across the region, supporting them at every stage of their journey – from initial consultation through to onboarding, implementation, training, and ongoing optimisation.
Clients often describe us as ‘innovative and responsive,’ and we take pride in that. It reflects our deep commitment to making a meaningful difference in their daily operations and ensuring that technology never becomes a barrier to great service.
No two days are the same, and that’s one of the aspects I enjoy most. A typical morning might begin with project updates, addressing any escalations, and reviewing resource planning across the diverse markets we serve. Collaboration with our product teams is a key part of my role; bringing client feedback directly into the development cycle to continuously enhance our solutions.
Managing teams across geographies and time zones can be complex, but I see it as a unique opportunity to drive innovation and impact. It challenges me to stay adaptable, communicate clearly, and remain closely attuned to the local needs of each market. The diversity within APAC sparks fresh thinking and helps keep us aligned with the rapid evolution of the hospitality industry.
At the core of everything we do is a simple, shared goal: to deliver service excellence and help our clients succeed.
TDM: Agilysys is known for delivering seamless, end-to-end solutions. How does the services team support hoteliers in achieving smooth implementation and long-term interoperability across their tech stack?
RR: Our services team isn’t just focused on deployment – we’re with our clients throughout the entire journey. Our goal is to ensure each implementation not only runs smoothly but also aligns with the property’s long-term operational and commercial goals.
We conduct detailed needs assessments to gain a deep understanding of each property’s workflows, guest interactions, and any third-party systems in use. With this foundation, we create a tailored deployment plan that minimises disruption, reduces downtime, and ensures seamless integration with existing technology. This thoughtful, proactive approach is a big reason clients see us as responsive and dependable.
We work across a wide range of hospitality environments, from independent hotels to resort groups, new openings, and properties transitioning from legacy systems. Whether it’s upgrading a single module or implementing a full end-to-end ecosystem, we collaborate closely with each client to customise the approach.
Importantly, our support doesn’t stop at go-live. We remain actively engaged through regular upgrades, performance reviews, system health checks, and ongoing training. Our goal is to ensure Agilysys solutions continue to evolve alongside our clients’ needs – becoming not just a software platform, but an extension of their operation.
TDM: In your experience working with a diverse range of hospitality providers, what role does services excellence play in improving guest experiences and supporting RevPAG-focused strategies?
RR: In hospitality, technology should never be a barrier – it should be an enabler. When systems are implemented and optimised with precision, they free up staff to focus on the guest. This has a direct impact on satisfaction, loyalty, and ultimately, revenue per guest.
When front-of-house and back-of-house systems are tightly integrated and fine-tuned for operational efficiency, properties are better positioned to personalise experiences, upsell intelligently, and respond to guest needs in real time. That’s how RevPAG is unlocked – not just by having the right tools, but by using them to their fullest potential.
Notably, our support doesn’t end at implementation. We view every relationship as a long-term partnership. Our services team remains actively engaged, providing ongoing consultation, system reviews, and tailored advice. This allows us to respond as needs evolve and ensures that our clients can continue to elevate the guest experience over time.
TDM: Can you share a recent success story or common challenge where the services team played a key role in helping a client improve operations or drive revenue outcomes?
RR: One common challenge we frequently see is fragmented guest data across multiple systems. Many hospitality providers rely on separate platforms for property management (PMS), point-of-sale (POS), inventory, and loyalty – which leads to siloed information and an incomplete view of the guest journey. This not only affects staff efficiency but also limits personalisation and targeted marketing opportunities.
We recently worked with a multi-property resort group facing exactly this issue. Their front desk staff couldn’t access guest preferences or past bookings from spa or dining outlets, missing critical upselling moments and opportunities to personalise the experience. Meanwhile, their marketing team lacked a consolidated view of guest spend across departments, making targeted campaigns ineffective. Staff spent far too much time manually cross-referencing data – time that could’ve been spent with guests.
Our team stepped in with a strategic approach, not just to implement Agilysys’ integrated PMS and POS, but to unify their broader ecosystem and create a single source of truth. We started with a full data flow analysis, identifying gaps and delays in how guest information was captured and shared. Working closely with IT and operations, we developed a plan to import and sync legacy data into the Agilysys platform.
This resulted in a fully unified guest profile. Today, front desk agents can instantly access a guest’s previous spend, dietary preferences, or favourite activities, regardless of where that data originated. Real-time updates from new bookings – like a last-minute spa appointment – are captured immediately and reflected across the system.
Beyond the tech, we focused heavily on cross-departmental training. It wasn’t just about adoption, it was about workflow transformation. Front desk teams learned how to act on guest insights to offer meaningful upsells. F&B staff were trained to recognise returning guests and tailor service accordingly.
The transformation was significant. Manual processes were reduced dramatically. Staff became more empowered, guest engagement improved, and operational efficiency increased. Over time, these enhancements translated into measurable gains – stronger guest satisfaction, more ancillary revenue, and greater confidence in using technology to drive results.
TDM: Looking ahead, how is the role of services evolving in the hospitality tech space, and how is Agilysys positioned to support hoteliers in meeting the expectations of today’s – and tomorrow’s – guests?
RR: The role of services is becoming increasingly consultative and insight driven. As guest expectations grow more complex – from hyper-personalised experiences to mobile-first interactions and seamless service delivery – hospitality providers need more than just software. They need strategic partners who can anticipate change, share best practices, and unlock new opportunities.
At Agilysys, we’re investing in advanced analytics, AI-powered support, and continuous education to help hoteliers stay ahead of the curve. Our services model is designed to evolve with our clients – ensuring they can not only adapt to shifting guest expectations but consistently exceed them.
We recognise that many operators are understandably cautious about system change. That’s why we prioritise empathy and collaboration throughout every engagement. Whether it’s a phased rollout, a migration from legacy platforms, or a full digital transformation, we walk alongside our clients at every stage – helping them build the confidence and capability to future-proof their operations.
TDM: What does ‘Going Beyond’ mean to you?
RR: For me, Going Beyond is about committing to client success in ways that extend far beyond contracts or service agreements. It’s about being proactive, anticipating needs before they arise, and delivering outcomes that genuinely add value.
It means staying engaged well after go-live – being there when challenges come up, responding with urgency, and celebrating wins as a team. It’s not just about fixing issues; it’s about creating moments of trust, clarity, and collaboration throughout the relationship.
Ultimately, Going Beyond is a mindset. It’s about showing up consistently, standing by our clients through change, and building partnerships rooted in long-term growth. That’s what drives us – not just delivering software, but delivering confidence, continuity, and shared success.
SCHEDULE A CALL WITH AGILYSYS HERE
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