We often lose our valuables in the hustle and bustle of everyday work. Research has shown that more than 960 items for every 100 guest rooms are lost in hotels every year. People are willing to spend more than $90 to retrieve lost items such as wallets, passports and cell phones. These numbers show that companies that maintain an efficient “lost and found” system have the ability to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

When developing the customer service component of any business, a lost and found section can make or break brand loyalty. According to Brian Colodny of Chargerback Inc. ‘the lost and found should be as important, efficient and customer-service oriented as your Front Desk staff.’

A business that gives importance to the lost item and its owner can leave a lasting impression on the customer and has a greater chance to increase business through positive word-of-mouth. In a survey conducted by Wakefield Research in 2013, 1 in 3 travellers said that they were willing to change hotels if they received sophisticated lost and found services, and nearly 66% said that they would change hotels to one that offered an efficient lost and found service.

With over 54% of people leaving their belongings in hotel rooms, the lost and found section has become a deciding factor for many when it comes to booking a stay during a vacation. As the competition between hotels only gets stronger, a lost and found section provides many hotels with a creative way to distinguish themselves from the rest.

For added value, many hotels are now implementing a digital lost and found section where a guest can upload a picture of their lost item on the portal which can then be matched with all the other items in the hotel’s lost and found section. This makes it easier to assist guests who voice their concern about lost items even when they are back home. Betsy Lemus of the Holiday Inn Club Vacations says, ‘lost-and-found operations often do not impact hotel review scores outside of the few times guests are adamant they left something behind, and end up frustrated when a hotel fails to get back to them. In this case, lost-and-found technology is best used to avoid negative reviews, which is why the technology must be counted on.’