The Problem

Let’s be honest about how most of us deal with lost and found: we find someone’s lost item, possibly record what was found in a book or excel file, and then it gets thrown into a closet. Does that sound about right? Is that how lost and found should be managed?

I don’t think so!

In order to understand why this is a poor approach to lost and found, let’s step into the shoes of a guest. For instance, say a guest’s child leaves their $500 tablet in their room, a housekeeper finds the tablet, and it gets stuck in a bottomless storage closet. Meanwhile, the guest has no idea where the tablet went!

Considering most lost and found processes, the tablet would sit there until it is donated to charity. Unless the guest calls to inquire about the tablet, there would be no attempt to contact the guest about it. This is the reason why so few items are returned to their rightful owners.

Hotel Concern

Some hotels choose not to contact their guests about lost items because of privacy concerns or simply because they find it too time consuming. While these concerns have merit, they ignore the expectations and wishes of guests. An independent study, conducted at the University of Utah, found that over 50% of hotel guests expect that a hotel would contact them about their item. The study also found that guests unanimously agree that hotels should contact them about their lost item.

The Solution

The Item Rescue Lost & Found system is the solution to this problem. When lost items are entered into the secure database, the system can proactively notify the guest about their potential lost item through text message and email. This allows you to provide a high level of customer service without the hassle of making calls or sending emails. It also eliminates privacy concerns because the automated notifications never reveal information about the item or guest reservation.