“Lost & Found Calls Were My Least Favorite Part of the Job”

How Boomerang is transforming a daily operational headache into a brand-defining experience for hotels

Recently, I spoke with Kevin Ballo, a former hotel operator who went on to become an executive at Marriott International, overseeing multiple properties before moving into a corporate role. 

When the topic of Lost & Found came up, he didn’t hesitate:  “Lost and found calls were my least favorite part of the job when I was managing a property.”

Not because he didn’t care. In fact, he cared deeply about the guest experience, the hotel’s reputation, and doing things the right way. But in the absence of a system or smart technology, the process was chaotic and exhausting.

“There was no process. No transparency. No efficiency,” he told me.  “You’d get a call from a guest who lost something important. You’d put them on hold and run down to housekeeping. You’d dig through bins, check logs, ask around, and hope someone remembered seeing the item. All while the guest waited anxiously on the line.”

The pressure? Immense.

“The stakes were always high,” Kevin said. “You didn’t want a guest telling their friends the hotel was careless—or worse, going on social media to accuse you of theft. One bad tweet could get you a call from corporate asking for an explanation about this customer’s complaint.”

Lost & Found wasn’t just a nuisance. It was a brand liability.

That’s why, when Kevin first learned about Boomerang, he didn’t need convincing:  “Boomerang solved an old headache I had every single day. It gives hotels a process, a platform, and peace of mind—for both staff and guests.”

Hotels are built on trust, service, and efficiency. Boomerang brings all three into an area that’s been ignored for far too long.

If you’re still managing lost items with clipboards, pen and paper, and guesswork, it’s time to rethink the true cost: to your team, your brand, and your guest satisfaction.

Let’s replace frustration with relief. Let’s turn Lost & Found into a service your guests remember, for all the right reasons.

Boomerang is here. Let’s partner up.

#FoundOnBoomerang