UVC's Communication, or Lack of It, Part I

UVC's communication with members ranges from poor to non-existent. That is, unless they're trying to get us to spend more money. They're all over that! In the next four posts, I'll provide examples of just how poorly UVC communicates with its members.

1.  There were price increases for reservation fees and other basic club services in October 2023. UVC gave no notice to members that the price increases were coming, which prices were increasing or what the new prices were going to be. Especially with their loyalty customers, most businesses give advanced notice of price increases. That didn't happen in Hyatt's UVC. Members were just supposed to figure out for themselves what prices were increasing and when it was going to happen. I found out about these increases in my Owners' FB groups, so I asked UVC in the Official UVC FB group back in October 2023 if there was going to be an announcement of what services were getting price increases and what the new prices were. 

The Official UVC FB group didn't answer my question. They wouldn't even publish it to the group.  It's a basic question that most businesses would consider of obvious interest to a loyalty member. I think most businesses wouldn't have to be asked a question like this. They would volunteer the information to their customers. UVC wouldn't answer it. This is Hyatt's UVC.

2. Information on new resort openings has become increasingly vague since Hyatt bought ALG. In most cases, Hyatt announces new resorts and major renovations when construction starts and gives an estimated completion date. UVC posts links to these Hyatt press releases in the Official UVC FB group. Rarely, does Hyatt provide updates on openings after the initial announcement even though resorts rarely open in the month that's originally projected. Eventually, Hyatt begins taking reservations based on the projected opening, but more often than not, even the date they begin accepting reservations get delayed and folks who made reservations have to cancel or get re-booked. Hyatt does a poor job of estimating construction completion and a worse job or communicating extended opening dates with members.

3. Hyatt doesn't even communicate with UVC members when new resorts become available for booking. Not too long ago, Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana and Secrets Mirabel Cancun were made available to members, but there was no notice from UVC to its members that those resorts were available for booking on the members' website. 

Pre-opening pricing for both of those resorts was very good. A normal business would be trumpeting things like this to its loyalty members. UVC doesn't. They were completely silent with members about these new openings. Even when it's in UVC's interest to do so, they choose not to communicate with members. Members are just supposed to figure it out for themselves. I don't get it.

4.  Hyatt doesn't communicate with members on failed openings, or on resorts leaving the UVC inventory. Zoetry Halkidiki and Breathless Sunny Beach were both announced to be opening more than a year ago. Neither has opened, and Hyatt hasn't informed its members of their status. AluaSoul Alcudia Bay and AluaSoul Costa Malaga used to be part of the European Collection but no longer are. They just disappeared from the UVC inventory without any notice to members. In Feb 2024 Hyatt announced a new Breathless would open in Puerto Vallarta in 2025.  It didn't. The project was supposed to be a renovation and rebranding of the existing Krystal Grand Puerto Vallarta.  2025 has come and gone, but there's been no further communication with members on the Breathless project.

The inventory of UVC properties is of paramount interest to members. Someone in an authoritative position in the Hyatt organization should be communicating with UVC members whenever that inventory changes.

5.  I can find better information on new UVC resorts from travel agents on YouTube or in FB fan groups than I get directly from UVC. The travel agents posting on social media tell their followers that their information comes directly from Hyatt. Hyatt treats travel agents better than its loyalty UVC members. Why is that? Why aren't UVC members given the same information, and on the same timing, that Hyatt gives travel agents? Why doesn't Hyatt allow UVC members, or their representatives, to attend the same video conference updates on new resort openings that Hyatt invites travel agents to? Deliberately excluding UVC members from receiving information that's of obvious interest to them, and that's willingly shared with travel agents, is another example of Hyatt's contempt for its UVC members.