Navigating Equipment Returns After Leaving a Big Firm: A Personal Experience

Leaving a prestigious role at one of the Big Four consulting firms is a significant milestone, yet it can come with its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to returning company equipment. About ten months ago, I made the decision to resign from my position. Since then, I’ve been managing a couple of their laptops—one of which is non-functional.

When I left, I took the initiative to fill out a return survey detailing the equipment that required shipping back. In this survey, I clearly indicated my need for shipping labels and boxes for returning the two laptops. Since I was primarily working remotely, I wanted to avoid the hassle of traveling nearly 40 minutes to the office, not to mention paying for parking just to return these items.

After submitting my request, I waited patiently for the shipping materials to arrive, but they never did. After a while, I reached out via phone, only to find myself connected to a different department. While the gentleman on the call was courteous enough to take my contact information and promised that someone would get back to me, I ended up waiting indefinitely without any follow-up.

Fast forward a few months, and the pile of laptops has become a pressing issue. My current home office needs to be more streamlined and functional, but the presence of these old devices is taking up valuable space that I desperately need.

I recognize that reaching out again is the logical next step, yet I can’t shake the feeling that returning borrowed equipment shouldn’t be this complicated. If you’ve faced a similar situation or have any tips on efficiently handling such returns, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Let’s help each other navigate these post-employment hurdles!