Lost and found: best practices for professionals

Optimise your storage

Managing the storage of lost and found items can quickly become a real headache. When items pile up, it is easy to get overwhelmed if they are not sorted properly. If you do not use PeeK’in, here are a few simple but effective tips to manage your stock as well as possible and reduce the risk of error:

• Write all the details of where and when the item was found on a sticky note and attach it to the item. Or, better still, put the item in a reusable plastic bag.
• Sort your items by month, in a single box per month if possible, so that they are easy to find.
• Keep valuable items separate from “ordinary” items in order to keep precious items secure.
• Create a spreadsheet of the items stored each month and stick it on the corresponding box. When you take an item out, remember to update the list: you will save a great deal of time searching.

These techniques require collective organisation and good communication between staff. But if they are followed, they will save you a considerable amount of time in managing your stock.

Turn lost and found into a source of guest satisfaction

With good organisation and the right tools, lost and found management can become real added value for your guests.

• If you decide to contact a guest who has left something behind, do it as quickly as possible. Your responsiveness will be noticed and seen as a mark of excellent service. It may also allow your guest to get their item back sooner if they are still nearby.
• Agree a return date with the owner and prepare the item in advance so that you can hand it over quickly on the day.
• Optimise your spreadsheet: pre-format the date field, save the list of staff so you only have to select the right person, and add a column with several preset statuses to choose from (for example found / in storage / in the safe / returned / destocked). Filling in the details will take less time.
• Record complete information so that you can answer a guest quickly: date found, location, name of the person who found it and, above all, a clear and precise title with brand and colour.

Many professionals see lost and found as a tedious, uninteresting subject. Yet it is an opportunity to do your guests a favour, leave them with a good impression after their stay and therefore build loyalty. When you consider that several million items are found every year by professionals in France and that most properties do not contact the owners of found items on a regular basis, good lost and found management can be a thoughtful touch and a source of guest satisfaction.

Handle payment for shipping without stress

Who pays the shipping fees is often a delicate subject between the guest and the professional:

• The guest does not always understand why they should cover these costs, assuming they should be part of the service.
• The amount can be a source of disagreement and lead to negotiation.
• The payment method, and the fact that payment must be made before shipping, are further sources of discussion.

If you are a PeeK’in user, this delicate step is handled by the application: no more negotiating. Otherwise, we suggest avoiding discussing shipping fees over the phone and using email instead. In a summary email, state the shipping address, the shipping method and the cost. And add a simple payment method, such as a bank transfer or PayPal. This will save you from charging your guest’s bank card, a practice that is not recommended.

You now know some tips for managing the items your guests leave behind, and you know how to ship a lost item to its owner professionally. You can now make lost and found a driver of guest satisfaction!