Suhail Niazi, president and founder of ReturnMe Lost & Found (asi/82261) in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC, discusses his company’s innovative new product: a brandable app that helps people find their lost mobile devices.

Q: What are your company’s specialties?
A: We provide lost-and-found products, mostly for the U.S. market. We have a variety of recovery tags for different uses, like wallets, cellphones, luggage and pet collars. One side has the client’s logo, and the other has “return me” information if it gets lost, including a URL, phone number and unique ID. They make ideal gifts-with-purchase.

Q: How do your products work?
A: The user activates the tag online when they receive it, and the person who finds it and whatever it’s attached to calls our toll-free number on the tag. We’re there to answer 24/7, and we can use the unique ID number to identify the owner. Then we’ll give the owner and the finder the option of returning the item in-person if they can and want to, or we’ll offer logistical support anywhere in the world through FedEx and UPS.

The new branded ReturnMe app offers a quick and easy way for mobile users to recover their lost devices.

Q: What’s the ReturnMe app, and how does it work?
A: About five years ago, we had a new app functioning but we didn’t put a lot of marketing behind it so we put it on the back burner for a while. But last year, we got it back on track and rebuilt the app and website from scratch. We started pilot testing with select customers in October, and now it’s available to anyone in the Apple and Google app stores. It’s unique – it’s functional, people-friendly and can be ready to launch for a client in just under 30 minutes, once we have artwork approvals. The cost is very low per impression.

Once the user downloads the app (from an app store or returnmeapp.com) and creates an account, they enter a code which gives them the ability to get a ReturnMe ID that appears on the lock screen with a client’s branding. So, each time they pick up their phone, they see the logo and if they lose their device, the person who finds it can contact us without having to enter the passcode.

We’re selling downloads of the code, like 5,000 at 50 cents each. Say for instance a beverage brand wants 100,000 downloads. They can do whatever they want with the code – they can tweet it, put it on bottles, push it out on signage. The user downloads it (it might be something like the brand’s name) once they get the app, and then they register their device and get their unique identification number.

Q: How have brands been using it so far?
A: AAA uses them in direct-mail pieces. They send millions of letters a month, so they can’t afford to send a hard good in each one. With the app, they can include a flyer with the code and they’re not losing anything. A major tech accessory company is considering using them as a gift-with-purchase. It gives them massive brand exposure.

Q: What are the benefits of using the app?
A: It’s 100% environmentally friendly, it comes with a super-fast production time, it’s a way to protect people’s devices and it comes with worldwide support. It also offers unparalleled brand impressions. It’s a solid product and very unique in the marketplace, not just in promo.

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