In travel, sports, entertainment, and hospitality, reputation is currency. A single customer interaction can ripple into headlines, viral social media posts, or lasting brand loyalty. And while most executives think about brand protection in the context of safety, cleanliness, or guest experience, there’s one often-overlooked touchpoint that can make or break trust: how you handle lost items.
Why Lost & Found Isn’t “Small Stuff”
For an airline, it might be a misplaced passport. For a stadium, it’s a fan’s phone that holds their ticket home. For a hotel, it’s a guest’s wedding ring left on the nightstand. What feels like a one-off operational mishap is often deeply emotional for the customer — and increasingly public.
When a frustrated guest doesn’t get help, they don’t just tell the front desk anymore. They post on TikTok. They tag your brand on X. They leave a scathing review. Suddenly, a single lost item becomes a reputational crisis.
On the flip side, when a guest receives their lost item back quickly, safely, and with empathy, the story flips. That same person is likely to share gratitude online, tell friends, and deepen their loyalty to your brand.
Three Ways Lost Items Spark Crises
- Delays Become Headlines
Waiting weeks to hear back, or hearing nothing at all, is unacceptable in today’s instant-gratification economy. Every day without an answer can compound frustration. - Mishandling Sensitive Items
Devices hold personal data. Bags contain confidential work documents. Mishandling (or losing track of) items doesn’t just upset customers; it creates liability risks. - Inconsistent Staff Responses
When one employee promises “we’ll look into it” and another shrugs it off, customers perceive disorganization. Inconsistency fuels mistrust.
Crisis Management Lessons From Lost & Found
Executives already plan for crises like weather delays, crowd safety, and service outages. Lost items deserve the same rigor. Here are three takeaways:
- Speed is everything. Rapid acknowledgment diffuses emotion. Even if the item isn’t found yet, communicate immediately that the search is underway.
- Transparency builds trust. Customers want visibility into the process. Sharing updates (not just outcomes) shows respect.
- Consistency prevents escalation. Standardized processes and tools ensure every guest receives the same reliable service, regardless of which staff member they encounter.
Turning a Pain Point Into a PR Win
Handled poorly, a lost item can dominate a customer’s perception of your brand. Handled well, it can become a story they proudly share: “I can’t believe they got my bag back so fast.” These “wow” moments don’t just neutralize risk; they create marketing assets.
At Boomerang, we’ve seen firsthand how returning items quickly transforms frustration into loyalty. Partners across stadiums, airports, hotels, and casinos have turned Lost & Found into a brand-building function rather than a back-office chore.
Skyler Logsdon, CEO of Boomerang, puts it simply: “When a customer loses something, it’s not just an object: it’s trust on the line. How you respond in that moment can either erode your brand or elevate it. The best organizations see Lost & Found not as a problem to manage, but as an opportunity to deepen loyalty and that’s why they join the Boomerang Network.”
Reputation isn’t only about the big moments — the game, the flight, the show, the stay. It’s about what happens when things go wrong. Lost items are inevitable. Crisis isn’t. The difference is how you respond.
Andrew Diep-Tran
Marketing Team, Boomerang
