Simply Digitizing Manual Processes is not the Way to Go
The traditional process of managing a lost and found system has typically involved a manual, paper-based approach. However, in recent years, with the advent of AI technology, many organizations digitized with our Lost and Found Software to be more efficient. While digitization is often a step in the right direction, simply digitizing a manual lost and found form and process is not enough to effectively manage this important task.
Don’t be afraid to ask the customers questions. You can avoid having to repeatedly ask questions to identify the owner by gathering the necessary information upfront.
Asking customers for enough information about their lost item is crucial in order to avoid problems when trying to match and return the item to its rightful owner. Insufficient information on web forms leads to repeat questions by staff, as seen with previous vendors or in-house solutions.
Bad example:
This can be avoided by asking necessary information up front.
When it comes to matching and making sure the item is returned to the real owner, it is important to have as much information as possible. For example, if a customer loses a black iPhone, every black iPhone in your inventory that fits the date will match. AI can’t solve this issue for you. This can lead to a lot of inquiries for black iPhones because customers will ask regardless of whether they lost it on your property or somewhere else. Additionally, if someone found the item and handed it in to the police, the customer will still ask you to increase the chance of finding it again.
It is important to have a dynamic form that allows for the inclusion of different attributes like color, manufacturer, etc. individually per category. It is also helpful to have the option to make these attributes mandatory for the customer to fill out and have thought about the perfect user experience. This way, the matching algorithm can work much more precisely — until the AI can take over the communication with your customers totally.
Some may argue that asking for the location will solve all the problems, but in reality, matching the location is one of the most inaccurate pieces of information that people register with found items and the ones losing them. Customers may not be 100% sure where they lost the item or where it was found (Airline or Airport). To match and save everyone’s time, it is essential to have as much information as possible.
One important issue with a simple “single” item inquiry form is what happens if the customer loses a laptop within a bag. The lost and found registers the bag and writes laptop inside in the description. Customers will always search for the most valuable item first. This means they will search for the laptop and the lost and found will now need to search all items and check if a laptop was inside and registered. Using Lost and Found Software with the capability to create sub entries and sub inquiries solves this problem by matching a laptop main inquiry with a found sub entry laptop.
In conclusion, it is important to ask customers for enough information about their lost item in order to avoid problems when trying to match and return the item to its rightful owner. A dynamic form with different attributes and the option to make them mandatory for the customer to fill out is crucial for the matching algorithm to work effectively. Additionally, using Lost and Found Software with the capability to create sub entries and sub inquiries is a great way to streamline the process and save time for everyone involved.
About Lost and Found Software
With AI integration, the Lost and Found software offers many advantages. AI technology facilitates image and text recognition and categorization, reducing manual labor and enhancing precision. This results in a quicker and more effective matching of lost items with their owners.
For employees, the software simplifies the lost and found procedure, saving time and alleviating the workload. They can easily access the database of lost items and help in finding missing possessions. The AI integration also streamlines communication with customers, saving time without sacrificing control.
By utilizing Lost and Found Software with AI implementation, you can bring substantial improvements to your lost and found process, making it more efficient, accurate, and user-friendly for everyone involved. www.lostandfoundsoftware.com
