In our most recent issue, under the title Wooing of Luxury Agents: New Game in Town, we laid out the evidence that wooing and winning the affections of high end agents had gained real momentum among suppliers in luxury travel

Even before the downturn of late '08, there was strong evidence that hotel marketing groups like Leading, SLH, Preferred, and hotel brand clusters around the globe, were working harder to create stronger bonds and benefits for the best luxury producers from the agency sector. But the "new game in town", as we dubbed it, was the seeming rush of some large consumer oriented sites (whose client or member hotels display their offerings), to accommodate luxury agents surfing their sites for good values for their own clients. Read Wooing of Luxury Agents: New Game in Town

And wow! Did we ever get great reader mail -- particularly from high end agents on (1) why luxury hotels are indeed eager to have luxury agents exposed to their deals in this difficult economy, and (2) how luxury properties should treat these ‘tough time' sales to build better long-term relationships with enterprising agents responding to those consumer ads.
I was mindful, as I read my mail, that our coverage of the new value of high end agents being discovered by high end hoteliers in this downturn, was triggered by a conversation with Matthew Upchurch last December on what I labeled The Virtuoso Process in customer relationships, retention, and high reward, plus the incomparable multiplier effect thereby delivered for both agent and supplier.
So, to Coming Attractions: I doubled back to Virtuoso, this time to President Kristi Jones, and had a lively conversation that included opinions expressed by readers of my column. Too good to get clipped by limited space in this Issue. Look for it April 23, please.

Hershel Sarbin