We're back with more on creating a great lost and found service in your business. In case you missed the first installment in this series, it can be found here. Having a great lost and found can be an essential tool for success in your business. How? It's easy - people talk, and not just to their neighbors. They talk on social media, on Yelp! and Google reviews, and all of this means one thing - positive advertising for your business. By creating a positive experience with lost and found your customers develop trust in your business and your business practices. As the old saying goes, "Good news travels fast." Our customer service staff at T & L has worked with coin-op owners over the years to create a meaningful experience for their customers. One of the key elements to that experience is the lost and found process. Here are our best tips for creating a great lost and found.
How to Have a Great Lost and Found Service
- Make It Easy. Have a clear policy in place to deal with lost and found items. Have a system that allows your employees to see what was found or turned in quickly and easily. Customers should be able to identify and pick up their items with minimal hassle.
- Announce It to the World. Put a Lost & Found link on your website and promote it on your social media channels. If a customer loses something they can fill out a form and describe their item in detail. This makes it easy for staff to keep an eye out for something specific and gives them a concrete record with a phone number to call if the item is found.
- No Reward Needed. Encourage your staff not to take tips and rewards for returning items. What they are doing is just a good business practice. If a customer is insistent, have your staff take the tip or reward and then donate it to a local cause or charity.
- Great Communication. Once you have been made aware an item is missing and a search has been conducted - follow up! Whether the item was found or not, let the customer know so that they can keep looking elsewhere or they can come pick up their lost item.
- Express Empathy. When a customer calls to report an item missing - no matter how small - it's nice for them to hear that your staff is concerned about the item too. Reassurance that you will look for the item and follow up with them will make the customer feel better about the situation and about your business.
- When in Doubt - Don't Throw It Out! Found an item that you aren't sure about? Hang on to it. What looks like a ratty old towel may be a dog's favorite. That holey t-shirt could be a prized memento. Bag it and see if someone comes to claim it.
Once the item has been returned, most people will take to social media and post about the great service they received from your staff and your company. If you see these posts, it's important to respond to them positively and let the customer know you were happy to reunite them with their item. A great lost and found can become one of your best marketing tools for your business.
Need more helpful tips on running your coin-op laundry? Want to stay up on all the latest news about laundromats? Check our blog often! From product information to news you can use, T & L Laundry Equipment strives to be a leader in the commercial laundry industry. With over 40 years of experience in Raleigh and Charlotte - put our team to work for you.
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