Lost and Found is a problem of timing. Often when an item finally shows up the owner isn’t nearby. Now you have a logistics problem on your hands and there are a lot of ways this can go wrong. Let’s dive in.
An obvious solution; make it free. Collect a mailing address from the owner, pack it, and send it off yourself. But…
Downsides:
Also, if you’re willing to pay for the shipping you should spend that capital upfront to return more items while owners are around, they’ll appreciate it.
Many organizations have their customer send over a shipping label–covers the cost of shipping and lets the customer choose the speed. But…
Downsides:
Having the customer register and provide a FedEx account number, or other third-party alternative, much much better than sending in a label and sounds reasonable enough–the customer is paying, your using a preferred carrier, and packaging can be figured out later. But…
Downsides:
It’s an option and not a very good one. Some organizations have chosen to limit options to only pick up–not very customer centric.
Lost and Found is a customer service effort. Finding the sweet spot between efficiency and customer support creates the ideal outcome.
Integrate shipping into the process. Selfishly, the Liff App balances all the best options for you and your customer.
Quick watch out: the Liff App isn’t the only provider of integrated shipping, but some of the alternatives may take advantage of your customer during a stressful time.