If there’s one area of customer service that is often overlooked which definitely shouldn’t be, it’s lost & found. Guests lose things regularly but just because it happens so often does not mean that it should be treated lightly.
A hotel’s lost & found management process can seriously affect brand loyalty and customer satisfaction. Therefore, it is imperative to have the right policies, procedures and staff training in place so that when this issue arises, staff are informed and know exactly what to do in the situation.
As the world becomes more digital, it only makes sense that lost and found management systems should follow suit. The days of sifting through piles of lost items and manually logging each one into a paper-based system are becoming a thing of the past. With digitisation, lost & found management can be more efficient, streamlined, and effective. In this blog, we'll discuss the benefits of digitising your lost and found management system and the steps you can take to make the transition.
USING TECHNOLOGY TO REPORT A FOUND “LOST” ITEM
Keeping track of lost & found items can be troublesome particularly if they are in large numbers and done manually. Hotel Managers have increasingly started to adopt digital solutions to help them in this area. Hotel operations software assists Hotel Managers to improve their hotel operations and lost and found management is no exception.
Steps to Digitise Your Lost and Found Management System:
-
- Choose the Right Software: There are many software options available for lost and found management. Consider the features you need, such as a searchable database, accessibility, and the ability to generate reports.
-
- Train Staff: Staff must be trained on how to use the new system effectively, including how to log items, search for them, and update their status.
-
- Establish Protocols: Establish clear protocols for how lost and found items will be managed, including how long they will be kept and how they will be disposed of if not claimed.
-
- Monitor Progress: Monitor the progress of the new system to identify any issues and make adjustments as needed.
USING SNAPFIX AS YOUR LOST & FOUND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
After finding a lost item, reporting it to a software system such as Snapfix can be extremely beneficial.
In Snapfix, you can easily create a “Lost & Found” group and take photos of the found items. In the notes field, you can input all the relevant details such as location, date and time, of when and where the item was found. Tags, such as valuable, non-valuable, perishable, liquor, etc…can be assigned to them and help categorize the items.
This way once a guest calls to ask about lost property, all the lost & found items can be easily checked on your phone or desktop without having to physically go to the designated lost & found storage space and waste time checking all the items.
BENEFITS OF DIGITISING LOST & FOUND
- Improved Efficiency: A digital system makes it easier to keep track of lost items and reduces the time it takes to match them with their owners. Staff can quickly search for items and update the system when items are found or claimed.
- Reduced Costs: Digitising your lost and found system can save money in the long run by reducing the need for paper-based forms and streamlining the process for staff.
- Greater Accountability: A digital system provides a clear record of all lost and found items and their status, making it easier to track accountability and identify any gaps in the process.
Added benefits of using Snapfix as your lost & found management system include: keeping everything in one place, it’s easy to use, it creates order through meaningful features, it saves time, and it mitigates reputational damage.
If you're interested to learn more about how Snapfix can help your hotel manage its lost & found contact our team here.
