If you oversee a property, you have customers.
You probably already know this - customers lose their possessions.
It’s bound to happen, right?
It’s inevitable.
Billy loses his cell phone.
Katie misplaces her purse.
Alex loses his wallet.
All of them are going to be very frustrated simply because losing stuff is frustrating.
Lost and found software can help you ease the stress associated with losing one’s possessions.
That is if you’re using the right type of system.
Today we’re going to show you how to move away from using spreadsheets to “manage” your lost and found operation.
We’re also going to show you four ways a superior software solution can be leveraged to maximize your operation’s efficiency.
We’ll conclude with the #1 characteristic your lost and found software is more than likely missing right now – and how to solve that problem.
It’s an obvious one, but one deficit most operations have when it comes to their lost and found efforts.
Are you ready to enhance your customer experience and build enormous amounts of loyalty?
Excellent, let’s get started.
There’s no question, a lost and found solution can bring value to your operation.
Lost and Found software is an easy-to-use application that offers robust functionality to achieve its purpose.
Of course, you want the best relationship an operation can have with its customers.
That means you need a system that’ll help you accomplish this goal.
Next, your team’s ability to provide value for customers should be effortless.
From the system’s implementation to the culmination of returning lost items to your customers, you want the experience to be seamless.
You want to look good.
You also want your team to be happy with the way things are running, which is vital.
But, in order to accomplish all of this – you need to begin using a modernized software solution quickly.
That means no more spreadsheets!
You’ve got to make this change to start managing lost and found smarter, faster, and better.
So, before we jump to the #1 quality your system is missing, and many operations are longing for, check these three very notable qualities of a progressive system.
That’s the beauty of a system you’re probably not using.
We hope that changes today.
Putting a lost and found system in place improves customer loyalty, increases efficiency, and gives peace of mind to your customers, staff, and you.
Your team is operating efficiently. Your stress over this problem is significantly reduced or gone for that matter.
Your customers are happier than ever – even after losing their possessions.
But, many people don’t realize they’ve lost something until they get home or to another destination.
Does that sound familiar?
Does your lost and found department get tons of calls after the fact?
Do you struggle to handle this significant part of your operation?
We know that documenting, tracking, and managing a ‘called in’ lost item claim is frustrating.
We know it interrupts your staff because someone has to stop and gather all of the information over the phone, write it down, log it into a spreadsheet, and then find and communicate it all again with teammates.
Oh, and how many times does your eager staff member attempt to locate the item right then and there?
Next, you have to remember to track this item manually as found items start appearing in your storage bin.
We don’t know what’s more exhausting, your current situation, or actually having to write this in today’s article.
The great news is with many people coming and going from your property, innovative solutions have responded with the ability to manage this large-scale need.
The ability for customers to submit lost items through your website.
The majority of the time, we talk to our current customers, and they love the efficiency and effectiveness of this capability in their lost and found software solution.
When we talk to other industry professionals, it’s the number one thing they’re missing and desperately need.
Here’s the thing, when you have lots of people coming to your property – they lose things.
Most important, they’re not always going to know they lost something right away.
The ability to submit a lost item claim through your property’s website does a number of things to your customer experience and your operation.
Let’s put it into perspective.
Think about your current situation and the original example we noted above.
Taking a ‘call-in’ claim has many opportunities for something to slip through the cracks.
Let’s say your staff notes an incorrect item or the name, phone number, and email are misspelled.
It’s all in the details, and vital information associated with a lost item claim is, well, fundamental.
You can’t miss important information.
Enter innovative lost & found software.
Giving your customers the ability to submit a lost claim – from anywhere – removes the stress and problems of ‘not knowing.’
Customers don’t have to spend endless amounts of time looking for a lost and found department, desk, or kiosk.
They don’t have to rely on whether your staff noted the correct item and contact details.
They don’t have to continuously call to check on the status of the possibility that their lost item was found, and someone just hasn’t had a chance to call.
Your customers have peace of mind in knowing everything was captured directly into your system - from the comforts of where they are.
They get a receipt emailed to them, which they can print as well.
Now, your team doesn’t have to sweat about call after call of lost item follow-up from your customers.
Time is saved by actually managing lost and found items, and creating a consistently positive experience for your customers.
Once your customers submit their requests, it’s in your system for your staff to take care of business.
Miscommunication is no longer hindering your staff’s ability to get lost items back to customers.
Adequate follow-up is even easier than before.
Ah.
Now, that’s peace of mind – and Proactive Operations.
Giving your customers the ability to submit lost item claims directly through your website into your lost and found software is extremely valuable.
Customers love the peace of mind in knowing there is a simple, documented process for reporting and staying up to date on the status of their lost possessions.
When you help them get what they want, you get what you want – peace of mind.
So, how fast will you be implementing lost and found software for your property to reap the benefits of the number one benefit you’re missing?
Editor's note: This post was originally published in January 2016 and has been updated for comprehensiveness and freshness.