This Hyatt Customer Service Interaction Is Brutal: Is It The New Normal?

Over the past year, Hyatt has outsourced a lot of its customer service, and many people have reported a decline in customer support.

I know that historically a lot of people have liked the @HyattConcierge account on X for customer service. However, an OMAAT reader shares a very frustrating interaction he dealt with, which suggests that may be going downhill as well (or maybe he was just really unlucky?).

@HyattConcierge X account can’t provide basic information

A reader shares that he has always appreciated the option to DM @HyattConcierge on X, to get simple things done without calling. However, he says he has noticed a significant decline in recent times. His two last requests have been completely misunderstood, while he previously never had any issues.

He attempted to ask if the Hyatt Centric Delfina is classified as a resort or not. That’s because World of Hyatt Globalist members receive guaranteed 4PM check-out at all non-resorts, while it’s subject to availability at resorts.

Here’s how the interaction went (the bolding is his, and I’ve removed the names of the representatives he interacted with, but all three responses were from different representatives):

Customer: Hello is the Hyatt Centric Delfina Santa Monica considered a resort for 4pm Globalist late check out purposes?

Representative: Hello John! Thank you for reaching out to us with your inquiry. It is my pleasure to assist you today! I would like to inform you that Hyatt Centric Delfina Santa Monica is not classified as a resort property which means Globalist 4pm late checkout does not apply here. If there’s anything else you’d like me to assist with for your stay, just let me know, I’m happy to help!

Customer: Hi there – if it’s not a resort, then 4pm late checkout does apply there, correct?

Representative: Good Morning John! I am happy to assist you today. That is correct, late check out of 4:00pm is one of the Globalist benefits. Here is our weblink showing the additional perks. However, if you have a current reservation, I do recommend adding the request for late check out in advance to ensure that the hotel is aware of the expectation for the stay. Is there a current reservation where I may add this request to?

Customer: My question has not been answered here in the last 3 attempts to get an answer. Is it possible to escalate this question to a manager? The question: is the Hyatt Centric Delfina Santa Monica considered a resort for 4pm Globalist late check out purposes? If it isn’t a resort, then 4pm check out does apply.

Representative: Hello John, thank you very much for your patience and please accept my sincere apologies for any confusion or frustration caused. Yes, the Globalist benefit of 4 PM late check-out applies for our Hyatt Centric Delfina Santa Monica. As always, this is based on request and availability on day of departure. I hope this answers your question; please do not hesitate to reach out for additional support.

This World of Hyatt member’s question wasn’t complicated…

Are others noticing a decline in Hyatt customer service?

Back when Hyatt first outsourced customer service, I shared my first interaction with the “new” Hyatt Globalist line, which involved a 74-minute call to try and get a Suite Upgrade Award applied.

Honestly, at this point I do everything in my power to avoid picking up the phone and calling Hyatt customer service, though some things still can’t be managed online.

In theory there’s My Hyatt Concierge, which is offered as part of the Milestone Rewards program. While my assigned concierge is perfectly nice, she typically gets back to me days later, which isn’t of much use if I’m trying to apply an upgrade, or something else time sensitive.

I guess the sweet spot nowadays is to call the general My Hyatt Concierge phone number, which seems to have some of the few remaining non-outsourced agents that can be reached by phone.

I’m curious, have others also noticed a decline in Hyatt’s customer support? If so, what’s your strategy for avoiding frustration nowadays?

I’m more strategic in dealing with Hyatt customer service

Bottom line

Over the past year, Hyatt has outsourced much of its customer service. There’s no reason outsourced agents can’t provide good service, but the issue is that with a heavy focus on cost cutting, there’s also often a lack of training.

While Hyatt’s X account has long been useful for getting basic customer service assistance, a reader’s experience suggests that the once excellent service here is no more.

Have you noticed a decline in Hyatt’s customer support, whether by phone or through X?

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omarsidd Diamond

Broadly seems true of American corporate customer service across all industries, although there's individual sweetspots still. eg: Hilton's Diamond line seems to still be enthusiastic and efficient the few times I have to call. Overall: there's far too much focus on squeezing the last pennies out of margins in this late stage capitalism, even if it causes lasting damage to brand values (and to people). So all the outsourcing, all the chatbots on front ends, and AI triaging online support, single CSRs handling many chat sessions at once, etc. It's dystopic. And once it's outsourced, it's really difficult (in this corporate environment) to bring it back in-house. So then it's just damage control for the damage they've done to themselves. Sigh.

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AD Diamond

Ironically, I'd just emailed @Ben yesterday before I looked at my digest asking him to write on this topic. My wife is a globalist and it typically takes weeks for her concierge to respond. As an Ambassador, I don't find that the Ambassadors actually do much, but I get answers within hours.

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Russ Guest

Obviously an AI response.

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W Ward Guest

I don’t understand hotel “membership, points or rewards.” Hotels remodel & are not located consistently enough to merit loyalty. Lately, when I plan trips (3 digit, interior door, non smoking w/breakfast properties only), I see reviews about roaches, lumpy beds, mediocre breakfast, poor wifi & card keys not working. In the room: signs about every 4th day housekeeping, virtue signaling about environment, but really about staffing (yet leave a tip in this envelope, hand-signed with a smiley face heart. smh!) Hotels data-harvest contact & AAA info during the reservation, so what more is there to give, for the privilege of nonchalant service? Not to mention that 99% of so-called ADA rooms are not. (beds too high, narrow doorways, poor lighting) My husband can’t wait to leave well before the 1100 check-out. There’s No reason for anyone not to get their lazy toes out of bed so hotels can turn over the room. And No reason to feel Entitled to write articles complaining 3 times about late checkout. Just pay for another night. 4pm seems late to be driving to next destination. (Yes, I clicked to read & leave a comment - as my tip…)

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David Guest

Twitter/X concierge used to be very good service. Then they fired all the people with experience and now have people that really aren't trained well. I recall an interaction I had with them about combining a cert and points stay and the concierge accused me of trying to circumvent the rules for certs and actually removed the one I had legally applied for part of the stay. Since then I really don't use the twitter/X concierge anymore, do most things myself and only call when absolutely necessary.

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