Sending forgotten guest items back

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Probably just slipped their mind, but how nice of them to acknowledge that you sent something back and to pay you for the postage!
I kept things found in the room and waited to hear from the guest, unless I knew that there would probably not be a problem emailing them to let them know they left something behind. Have had things left after "flings" and didn't contact the guests....those items went to the donation box, if appropriate.
Had a gentleman leave some clothing when he stayed here & contacted him and offered to return it and would charge his credit card for the postage. He said that he would send a postage paid mailer. I guess he thought that I'd charge him a whole lot more than it cost to return the item?? The pre-paid mailer worked out well. After that, that's the direction I took for most people with larger items. Send me a mailer and I'll return your item.
I had a lady leave a small jewelry case here and FINALLY got the daughter (who had booked the rooms for her parents) to respond to my repeated emails with an address to send it to. I don't think the jewelry was that expensive but I sent it insured & delivery confirmation, which I received. Never heard back from the mother that she received it, even after enclosing a note thanks for your stay & to please email me that it arrived safely. Didn't receive payment for the mailing either. This made me change my procedure to get addresses on everyone in our rooms, even when booked by someone else staying here.
A guest lost a necklace somewhere here in town that had sentimental value & I felt so bad for her! Probably lost it while walking around and taking photos. :-(
Our guest registration form (which is generated by the rez system) had a note that read something like "XYZ Inn not responsible for lost or stolen items"...taken right from some hotel registration form.
A guest that takes the time to send back the postage, no matter when, is a nice guest!!.
Samster said:
A guest that takes the time to send back the postage, no matter when, is a nice guest!!
Yes, but a check for 87 cents? Just send the woman a buck, for crying out loud!
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I guess I try to look at the bright side of things. The guest could have done nothing at all. :)
 
It should be something valuable to ask me to stand in line at the post office. :) I like the "If you need something returned via mail there is a $20 service fee in addition to the postage" My gas, my time.
I won't send anything without charging the guests credit card. I have not had to send anything back for a while, I am accumulating goodwill stuff, I hold onto it for about 30 days then give it away. We have more belts and cell phone chargers at our goodwill than any in our area. LOL!.
Right now, sitting on my side table, waiting to be relegated to the cellar (next stop Goodwill) are:
  • a makeup mirror (which I will probalby put with the other one and then just leave in the rooms for guests to use (and steal)
  • a belt (doesn't fit any of us)
  • a book (that will go out on the shelf with the others)
  • a padded laptop sleeve (for a backpack or some such- I'll use that if it doesn't get claimed. But, it's a repeat guest so I may just give it back next time)
  • directions for a lego set (and parts)
  • a weird little thing that I opened up and found out it is a shopping bag. It's in a little pouch, but when you open it up and flip it inside out it's this big shopping bag. I will never use it.
In the cellar are quite a few insulated lunch 'boxes', a pillow (in a plastic bag, but they haven't called for it) and a t-shirt & shorts which also haven't been called for.
Oh, and a very nice pair of men's shoes which I'll donate because they were deliberately left behind.
But, really, it was the idea of the check for such a little bit of money that started this. And me wondering if what I sent JUST got there, 2 months after I sent it. Or, did the owner read up somewhere that the proper thing to do is pay for it? But, he'd have to know the postage which makes me think he just got it. And it's been 2 months!
 
It should be something valuable to ask me to stand in line at the post office. :) I like the "If you need something returned via mail there is a $20 service fee in addition to the postage" My gas, my time.
I won't send anything without charging the guests credit card. I have not had to send anything back for a while, I am accumulating goodwill stuff, I hold onto it for about 30 days then give it away. We have more belts and cell phone chargers at our goodwill than any in our area. LOL!.
Right now, sitting on my side table, waiting to be relegated to the cellar (next stop Goodwill) are:
  • a makeup mirror (which I will probalby put with the other one and then just leave in the rooms for guests to use (and steal)
  • a belt (doesn't fit any of us)
  • a book (that will go out on the shelf with the others)
  • a padded laptop sleeve (for a backpack or some such- I'll use that if it doesn't get claimed. But, it's a repeat guest so I may just give it back next time)
  • directions for a lego set (and parts)
  • a weird little thing that I opened up and found out it is a shopping bag. It's in a little pouch, but when you open it up and flip it inside out it's this big shopping bag. I will never use it.
In the cellar are quite a few insulated lunch 'boxes', a pillow (in a plastic bag, but they haven't called for it) and a t-shirt & shorts which also haven't been called for.
Oh, and a very nice pair of men's shoes which I'll donate because they were deliberately left behind.
But, really, it was the idea of the check for such a little bit of money that started this. And me wondering if what I sent JUST got there, 2 months after I sent it. Or, did the owner read up somewhere that the proper thing to do is pay for it? But, he'd have to know the postage which makes me think he just got it. And it's been 2 months!
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Probably just went to the bottom of the guest's Round 2 It pile. :)
 
I had a freebie that left MEDICATIONS - a huge amount of them - in a dresser drawer. I sent them immediately. No reimburse. I HAVE had people send checks for postage, but it is a rare and wonderful thing when it happens.
 
I had a freebie that left MEDICATIONS - a huge amount of them - in a dresser drawer. I sent them immediately. No reimburse. I HAVE had people send checks for postage, but it is a rare and wonderful thing when it happens..
gillumhouse said:
I HAVE had people send checks for postage, but it is a rare and wonderful thing when it happens.
Sadly it's very rare, but I don't think it's wonderful when they do. Isn't it just a common courtesy and indication of gratitude that someone at the B&B took the time and effort to return the item?
 
WE had someone leave a whole closet full of clothes. Cost me $9 to mail them back.
RIki
 
the funnyest one we had was a whole warrobe of stuff was left by some australians (we are in the Uk) would have cost about $160 to post luckily her sister was visiting her later in the year so she paid for postage to the sister $30 who then took it out with her but you would think you would notice you had half as much stuff as you came with. Also one of our guests was her room mate packed up for her and left her blackberry charger and packed the flex of one of my lamps instead! so I posted the charger and she posted the lamp flex LOL
 
the funnyest one we had was a whole warrobe of stuff was left by some australians (we are in the Uk) would have cost about $160 to post luckily her sister was visiting her later in the year so she paid for postage to the sister $30 who then took it out with her but you would think you would notice you had half as much stuff as you came with. Also one of our guests was her room mate packed up for her and left her blackberry charger and packed the flex of one of my lamps instead! so I posted the charger and she posted the lamp flex LOL.
One of our first guests was here with family. Oddest bunch we've ever had. The one sister and her husband snuck out the front door everyday, never said a word to us. Being new, we waited breakfast for them and they never showed. The other 2 family members took separate rooms because they don't like to share a bathroom. And the third sister got so sick she ended up in the hospital.
They were all hush hush about what was wrong with her so we totally disinfected the room when she left. BUT, because they took her to the hospital, all of her stuff was left behind.
One sister (not anyone who was staying with us) came to pack her things and took all of our room amenities (blow dryer, hangers, etc) thinking they belonged to her sister.
The one who snuck out everyday LEFT all of her clothes here even tho her husband's clothes and all the suitcases were gone. Very odd family.
 
I recall a similar discussion where it was discussed making contact with the departed guest.....a phone call, email......
As for shipping and handling costs.......I don't understand why some would chose not to get reimbursed?
I've got the picture of the daily activity of the innkeeper.......that extra destination to the post office, or UPS.....would seem to be as if throwing a wrench in a machine.....I couldn't imagine not recovering postage and time served...............if it's a letter type thing..fine...........if it's a box package......$2,3 or even $10 in postage + time should be recovered.
I understand..........$.88 or a buck or two is not going to make the sky fall..........What, when the years total amounts to $50, $100 or more ?
And in the thread regarding pricing rooms..........I mentioned labor, broken down to the hour..........add that to the years total..........so it's not just $50 or more for the year.......it can then be $ hundreds
Everyone pays for a service.......house cleaning, car washing, rug cleaning, lawn care, plumbing, electrical, and so on...........handling a lost item for a guest is a service................a service not described in the ammenities for the establishment.
 
I recall a similar discussion where it was discussed making contact with the departed guest.....a phone call, email......
As for shipping and handling costs.......I don't understand why some would chose not to get reimbursed?
I've got the picture of the daily activity of the innkeeper.......that extra destination to the post office, or UPS.....would seem to be as if throwing a wrench in a machine.....I couldn't imagine not recovering postage and time served...............if it's a letter type thing..fine...........if it's a box package......$2,3 or even $10 in postage + time should be recovered.
I understand..........$.88 or a buck or two is not going to make the sky fall..........What, when the years total amounts to $50, $100 or more ?
And in the thread regarding pricing rooms..........I mentioned labor, broken down to the hour..........add that to the years total..........so it's not just $50 or more for the year.......it can then be $ hundreds
Everyone pays for a service.......house cleaning, car washing, rug cleaning, lawn care, plumbing, electrical, and so on...........handling a lost item for a guest is a service................a service not described in the ammenities for the establishment..
One Day said:
I recall a similar discussion where it was discussed making contact with the departed guest.....a phone call, email......
As for shipping and handling costs.......I don't understand why some would chose not to get reimbursed?
I've got the picture of the daily activity of the innkeeper.......that extra destination to the post office, or UPS.....would seem to be as if throwing a wrench in a machine.....I couldn't imagine not recovering postage and time served...............if it's a letter type thing..fine...........if it's a box package......$2,3 or even $10 in postage + time should be recovered.
I understand..........$.88 or a buck or two is not going to make the sky fall..........What, when the years total amounts to $50, $100 or more ?
And in the thread regarding pricing rooms..........I mentioned labor, broken down to the hour..........add that to the years total..........so it's not just $50 or more for the year.......it can then be $ hundreds
Everyone pays for a service.......house cleaning, car washing, rug cleaning, lawn care, plumbing, electrical, and so on...........handling a lost item for a guest is a service................a service not described in the ammenities for the establishment.
iloveyou...oops did I just type that out loud? ha ha Just kidding...no you are not on your own on this one, not sure why anyone would mail something and not charge the guest? I have said this for years, charge them, they THINK you are charging them, they are not expecting you to pay for it to be returned.
Why are you NOT charging them is the real question? A spanner in the works is correct, going to the post office is not a big deal, but it upsets the machine.
Don't give comp .25 cent sodas but mail stuff back for free? Nope, makes no sense to my thinking.
 
the funnyest one we had was a whole warrobe of stuff was left by some australians (we are in the Uk) would have cost about $160 to post luckily her sister was visiting her later in the year so she paid for postage to the sister $30 who then took it out with her but you would think you would notice you had half as much stuff as you came with. Also one of our guests was her room mate packed up for her and left her blackberry charger and packed the flex of one of my lamps instead! so I posted the charger and she posted the lamp flex LOL.
but you would think you would notice you had half as much stuff as you came with.
Perhaps she did some shopping. My daughter just had to ship 3 boxes of clothes via mail because she did so much shopping. She could not fit everything into her luggage to go home on the plane. Of couse, the 4 dozen pepperoni rolls she had to take back for friends did take up a lot of her backpack.
 
Order Priority Mail boxes for FREE from the post office. Print postage online and give to your mailman. This is how I sold on ebay for years. Never had to go to the post office, and customers paid for all postage.
 
I recall a similar discussion where it was discussed making contact with the departed guest.....a phone call, email......
As for shipping and handling costs.......I don't understand why some would chose not to get reimbursed?
I've got the picture of the daily activity of the innkeeper.......that extra destination to the post office, or UPS.....would seem to be as if throwing a wrench in a machine.....I couldn't imagine not recovering postage and time served...............if it's a letter type thing..fine...........if it's a box package......$2,3 or even $10 in postage + time should be recovered.
I understand..........$.88 or a buck or two is not going to make the sky fall..........What, when the years total amounts to $50, $100 or more ?
And in the thread regarding pricing rooms..........I mentioned labor, broken down to the hour..........add that to the years total..........so it's not just $50 or more for the year.......it can then be $ hundreds
Everyone pays for a service.......house cleaning, car washing, rug cleaning, lawn care, plumbing, electrical, and so on...........handling a lost item for a guest is a service................a service not described in the ammenities for the establishment..
One Day said:
Everyone pays for a service.......house cleaning, car washing, rug cleaning, lawn care, plumbing, electrical, and so on...........handling a lost item for a guest is a service................a service not described in the ammenities for the establishment.
Very good point. That thinking follows to several recent forum topics. We are a service industry. We are a BUSINESS. To be a successful business one needs to operate by a set of rules using one's head and not one's heart.
I'm not saying to not be kind or compassionate, but quit giving away the farm!
 
When I worked in the hotel, we would only send things back to them if they called and privided a credit card # and sent it out fedx.
 
WE had someone leave a whole closet full of clothes. Cost me $9 to mail them back.
RIki.
While accompanying one daughter off to an out of state school, I was so upset over her leaving that I left about everything we had in the drawers. Just not in my right mind, and forgot to check. Fortunately, I was able to retrieve the items after a cell phone call from the hotel. Most of my kids, I cried all day when they moved out. A couple of them, I didn't!
 
WE had someone leave a whole closet full of clothes. Cost me $9 to mail them back.
RIki.
While accompanying one daughter off to an out of state school, I was so upset over her leaving that I left about everything we had in the drawers. Just not in my right mind, and forgot to check. Fortunately, I was able to retrieve the items after a cell phone call from the hotel. Most of my kids, I cried all day when they moved out. A couple of them, I didn't!
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Most of my kids, I cried all day when they moved out. A couple of them, I didn't!
I did the Victory Dance! They managed to grow up to move out - that meant they did not kill each other and I did not kill them. VICTORY!! And after the middle son moved back in (he did ask first), we had a family meeting to announce the new rule - The door swings one way and one way only. You had best be set because when you leave you do not come back to live - visits only. We stuck to it also!
 
I was playing a game today (board game) where one question was "Things send at the Post Office?" I yelled out (part of the game is yelling out) "Shoes, Pants, Belts and Phone Chargers!"
Yeah I got a couple odd looks.
 
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