Simplifying IT Asset Returns for a Remote Workforce

ReturnCenter enables seamless IT equipment returns for remote and field employees.

When it comes to IT asset management, the goal is clear: recover equipment in good condition promptly, whether it’s leased or purchased. However, achieving this can be particularly challenging when dealing with remote employees, especially those working from home or traveling as part of a field service team.

ReturnCenter partnered with a multinational HVAC company to address this challenge. With hundreds of remote technicians and sales representatives equipped with laptops, printers, and monitors, the company faced the recurring task of retrieving these assets every two to three years for lease return or refresh cycles.

The ReturnCenter platform eliminates blind spots in IT asset recovery, providing visibility, control, and efficiency for clients managing equipment returns—even when processing one item at a time.

The Challenge

The rise of remote work, accelerated by the pandemic, created a significant logistical hurdle for companies: ensuring secure, timely, and efficient asset returns. For remote employees who rarely visit a company office, the process of returning equipment can be cumbersome. Typically, they’re responsible for:

  • Printing or waiting for a shipping label.
  • Finding appropriate packaging.
  • Personally delivering items to a carrier like UPS or FedEx.
  • Navigating reimbursement or expense processes for related costs.

This disjointed approach creates major inefficiencies for employers. Companies often rely on ad hoc tracking through labels, emails, and spreadsheets, leaving them with limited visibility, accountability, or control. This process also increases the risk of damaged equipment, as employees typically use unsuitable packaging for shipping. For larger organizations, the problem compounds with scale, leading to missed deadlines, damaged assets, and financial penalties.

The Solution

ReturnCenter provided the HVAC company with a private, secure online platform exclusively for their employees. The streamlined solution allows remote workers to:

  1. Access the portal to request a shipping kit specifically designed for their equipment type.
  2. Receive a pre-paid, pre-addressed shipping kit tailored to their device (e.g., a laptop kit, a monitor kit, etc).
  3. Ship the equipment with confidence, knowing it’s well-protected and trackable.

With shipping kits dispatched the next business day, both employees and IT asset managers can rely on a process that ensures timely, damage-free returns.

The Advantage

The company now benefits from a standardized, easy-to-use return process managed entirely within the ReturnCenter platform. Employees authenticate via a company-defined method—such as an employee ID or asset number—and gain immediate access to resources.

For IT asset managers overseeing returns, the benefits include:

  • Centralized Tracking: Visibility into every stage of the process, from kit requests to delivery and return.
  • On-Demand Reporting: Instant access to activity logs and shipment data.
  • Efficient Oversight: Elimination of manual tracking via emails, spreadsheets and labels.

With all IT asset return data centralized in one cloud-based system, the company enjoys a streamlined process, fewer headaches, and greater accountability—along with a single, consolidated invoice. The implementation of ReturnCenter has not only reduced administrative burdens but also improved asset recovery timelines and reduced equipment damage during transit. Employees appreciate the simplicity and efficiency of the platform, which eliminates frustrations around sourcing shipping materials or navigating reimbursement processes. For the HVAC company, the seamless integration of ReturnCenter into their IT asset management strategy has turned what was once a logistical challenge into a reliable, scalable, and employee-friendly solution that supports their global remote workforce.

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To learn more about how ReturnCenter can streamline your IT asset management process, please contact us.