Shipping a lost item to its owner, professionally

Choosing your packaging

The first step is to choose the right packaging so that the item is easy to pack, and just as easy to unpack. The parcel should be easy for your guest to open, so that they can reuse it for other purposes if they wish.

Protecting the lost item with good packaging

Prepare your parcel carefully so that it does not risk being damaged on arrival. Choose a box size suited to the lost item. Ideally, the item should be wedged inside the box so that it cannot move during transport, avoiding any damage. For more fragile items, kraft paper is strongly recommended to improve protection. Or tissue paper for high-value items, or even bubble wrap for the most fragile ones, although this solution is less environmentally friendly. When shipping a valuable item, treat it with even more care. Use a cardboard box rather than a flexible padded envelope and reinforce the sides of the shipping box with tape.

Choosing the right carrier for the guest’s needs

When shipping, the choice of carrier also matters for guest satisfaction. Do not hesitate to ask your guest about their preferences. Would they rather have a faster shipment? Or a cheaper but slower one? By asking these questions and taking the time to understand their choice, you will avoid complaints later on about the cost of shipping or possible delays. Also make sure your team has the necessary knowledge of the conditions for shipping a parcel abroad (items prohibited for air transport, pro forma invoices to be signed and stamped by the sender, customs codes…).

To help you advise your guest on their shipping choice, here is what distinguishes, in practice, the two options offered by our partner carriers:

	Economy shipping	Express shipping
Delivery time	Longer	Faster (24 to 48 hours in France)
Collection	Drop-off at a post office or pickup point	Collection from the property by the carrier
Coverage	France and European Union	France, European Union and worldwide
Tracking	Depends on the carrier	Detailed tracking through to delivery

Maintaining the relationship with the guest

When shipping, parcel tracking is essential for answering owners’ questions and demonstrating your professionalism. So if you notice a delay in the shipment of the lost item, do not hesitate to contact your guest to inform them and reassure them about the situation.

Also make sure the delivery address is correct. In France, thousands of parcels are sent to the wrong address or the wrong person every day, and are often returned to the sender. With PeeK’in, the guest enters their own address with input assistance: a list of standardised postal addresses is suggested, with error checking to avoid the risk of returns, including internationally.

The guest relationship also means informing them of their options when shipping. For most shipments, the owner of the lost item can add the SafeShip Option at checkout. This means that if the parcel is lost and the loss is documented, your guest is compensated under the terms of the option.

Personalising the message enclosed with the parcel

Finally, personalising a shipment with a message is an excellent way to show the attention paid to the item’s owner. Your guest will feel valued. It is also an excellent communication tool for maintaining the property’s reputation. The message we recommend to PeeK’in client properties fits on one page with the property’s letterhead: a few words expressing the pleasure of returning the lost item, wishing them a safe receipt and inviting the guest to come back, with the address of the property’s website.

You now know the tips for handling the shipment of a lost item professionally. Over to you!