Return orders and packaging requests were processed through SmartSupport (iu-staff.smartsupport.de / Smart Support GmbH) via the portal path Coverage → Rückgabe → Auftrag anlegen (/service/device). Interactive-form failures were resolved in many cases by clearing the browser cache and cookies or using the browser’s private/incognito mode; switching to a different browser (Chrome/Edge) or to a mobile device also restored functionality when forms or fields were unresponsive. When orders failed to finalise or labels did not appear staff re‑requested labels via the portal’s /service/done page, regenerated the order, or escalated to SmartSupport or the vendor. Labels were delivered as printable PDFs or as QR codes; when only QR codes were provided staff obtained printable PDFs, asked SmartSupport to reissue labels with tracking, or arranged alternate franking and forwarded printable labels to users via Microsoft Teams or email. Missing or expired labels were reissued and tracking numbers or order numbers were clarified with the vendor.

For multi‑parcel shipments staff created separate return orders so vendors could issue per‑parcel labels, and they collected per‑package weights and full sender/pickup postal addresses and local contact numbers; when users could not confirm weight a conservative default (e.g. 4 kg) was sometimes used. Bulky items were flagged as Sperrgut to obtain additional labels or alternate franking after carrier rejections. When country or address options were missing (examples included Switzerland and UK) staff coordinated with SmartSupport to obtain corrected cross‑border labels; address‑format validation that rejected non‑German addresses (UK) was escalated to a change ticket and SmartSupport provided corrected QR labels or alternative shipping arrangements or expense reimbursement where necessary.

Packaging shortages or non‑receipt were handled by asking SmartSupport to resend appropriately sized boxes/packing material or by advising temporary padding until vendor supplies arrived; SmartSupport commonly required several business days (typically 4–5) to fulfil packaging/label requests and hardware.return@iu.org or hallo@smartsupport.de were used for escalation and direct follow‑up. Reports that Chrome marked the portal as "not secure" (SSL/TLS warnings) were recorded in tickets but did not have documented remediation in these cases. When IU sign‑in or password‑reset emails failed staff verified or created orders using alternate contact addresses (including private emails) and accepted addresses shared via Teams or email rather than posting them in Jira. For cross‑border or carrier requests staff collected procurement/invoice information, declared item values and serial numbers when required for customs/export paperwork. Returned assets were forwarded to the refurbisher or processed into inventory after inspection and recorded as received; Apple devices were confirmed signed out of Apple ID and factory‑erased when required prior to return.

Local in‑person returns were accepted only at campus IT sites or front desks that had published procedures and hours; staff recorded serial numbers, provided receiving confirmations, and either stored items for internal consolidation or routed hardware to the organisation’s appointed refurbisher for secure wiping, cleaning, redistribution, or disposal. Where on‑site acceptance had been discontinued or a site explicitly declined hand‑ins (for example the Berlin location in one case), users were directed to the vendor/returns workflow and Smart Support contact points (including hallo@smartsupport.de) to arrange alternative packaging or vendor pickup and to provide case numbers for coordination. The internal return portal generated packaging guidance and return labels via vendor packaging portals (including Verpackung‑Label and Smart Support) and hardware.return@iu.org notifications used Smart Support links to organise pickups; the internal return form failed in Firefox and required Chrome or Edge for successful entry. When vendor collections failed because of unsafe palletisation, scheduling or sender delays, staff repacked shipments, arranged alternate collection windows, coordinated internal transport between campuses, or escalated to the refurbisher and tracked follow‑ups where labels had been created but shipments were not dispatched. Short‑term loans and small peripherals were marked pending in tickets and recorded as returned when handed back; appointment‑based handovers and tracked loans used scheduled appointments, Automation for Jira due‑date notifications and Microsoft Teams scheduling. Hygiene‑sensitive items and devices that remained linked to a personal Apple ID and could not be deregistered were treated as non‑reusable and scrapped; staff supplied deregistration guidance and Apple support references when applicable. Special‑handling groups (notably Windows‑11 early‑adopter devices) were routed to central collection points per internal process; when decommissioning was scheduled across an office, collections were deferred and consolidated and documented in tickets. When users lacked original manufacturer packaging, staff accepted devices securely packed in alternate packaging and arranged shipment to central IT unless a local site explicitly refused drop‑offs, in which case vendor coordination via Smart Support was used.

Support processed returns primarily through the external refurbisher/vendor portals and, where portals failed or requesters lacked active credentials, created return orders and shipping labels directly. When refurbisher orders already existed and could not be modified by IT/Smartsupport, support documented the access limitation, could not add additional items to those orders, and created separate return orders/labels or accepted the shipment as a separate return; combined returns were not possible once a package had already been shipped and written confirmation from the refurbisher was sometimes unavailable. Portal session inconsistencies (browser differences, QR codes without confirmation, missing vendor emails) were resolved by trying alternate browsers; when that failed, support generated and emailed shipping labels to a requester-provided address (including private emails when requested) or arranged in‑person drop‑offs at the Berlin IT office. Found devices were returned via the Refurbishment portal using the iPhone return flow to obtain the correct return address and instructions; common carriers used were DHL (primary) and UPS (where applicable). Partner returns were accepted using previously provided partner labels even when original cartons were lost; devices and accessories were accepted without original boxes and headsets were sometimes retained or destroyed for hygiene reasons. For former employees and contractors whose accounts were deactivated, support created return orders and labels on their behalf using the recipient postal address and tracking numbers were collected. When vendors requested IMEI/EMEI, support followed documented identifier search steps and, if identifiers were not findable, relayed available information to the vendor or accepted the return without the identifier. iPhones that remained signed into a personal Apple ID/Activation Lock were unable to be reprovisioned; support required devices to be signed out of the Apple ID and recommended factory resets before shipping and routed iPhone returns to the documented refurbisher addresses (for example Conbato, Neumünster) when applicable. Support identified affected company phone numbers and owners, requested deletion from company systems, and documented vendor confirmations of number deletion. For MFA/authenticator issues, support transferred authenticator/MFA accounts to a user’s private device when requested and, where available, configured or confirmed Okta Verify on the user’s workstation as an alternative. For eSIM and mobile-authentication, support attempted eSIM transfers and, when transfers failed, provided replacement eSIM QR codes (for example delivered via Microsoft Teams) to enable activation on a personal phone. Telephony/browser integration differences that impacted return or authentication workflows (for example Twilio failing in Chrome but working in Edge which lacked Quick Dial) were documented and resolved using browser workarounds or alternate access paths. International shipment concerns were handled by providing labels appropriate to the user’s shipment location when possible and by using available carrier options for cross‑border returns. Where direct modifications to refurbisher orders were requested, support used the refurbisher/vendor portal or the shared hardware.return@iu.org channel to attempt coordination but recorded cases where order modification was not possible.

Support resolved return and delivery exceptions by coordinating carrier and internal escalations, documenting alternate return paths, and monitoring return tracking until the exception closed. Ownership was confirmed through procurement/invoice/Workday records and device identifiers (service tag, IMEI, SMS/device‑provisioning). When pickup or sorting failed due to missing or incorrect shipment metadata support obtained and supplied required metadata (destination country, package count, exact dimensions, weight, contact phone, precise pickup address), instructed vendors to correct labels, resubmitted pickup requests or arranged alternate slots, and accepted user‑initiated reshipments or alternate domestic delivery addresses when appropriate. For courier‑side failures support reissued or corrected tracking numbers, requested carrier investigations and proof‑of‑delivery or handover receipts, opened lost‑shipment claims, and escalated to regional carrier operations or vendor contacts. Parcels held by customs or blocked by export controls were resolved by obtaining valuations and corrected import/export documentation from refurbishers or carriers and arranging carrier pickup or customs release where possible; regional restrictions and failed customs pickups were documented. For devices containing lithium‑ion batteries support recorded carrier hazardous‑goods refusals (including refusals of cross‑border air transport), arranged business‑account hazardous‑goods shipments or alternate carriers where possible, requested new shipping labels from vendors or regional operations, and noted sender constraints such as inability to ship as a private person and label‑delivery timing tied to contract dates. When packaging or cartons were missing support coordinated with Smart Support/refurbishers to re‑send packaging, monitored user‑provided tracking, and coordinated postage reimbursement via Workday expense claims. For bulk or palletised assets support recorded when senders reported they could not ship due to quantity, logged unreadable attachments or photos that prevented volume estimation, advised and documented palletization/boxing and pallet access requirements for carriers, confirmed site contacts and fire/safety risk, engaged facilities or building management as needed, requested immediate collection from the refurbisher or vendor, and arranged relocation to approved temporary storage or campus mailrooms when refurbishers failed to collect. When requesters or recipients were nonresponsive support performed repeated follow‑ups, noted auto‑closure timelines when tickets lapsed without confirmation, flagged assets in inventory, arranged physical inspections and temporary storage at campus mailrooms, and escalated to HR, Legal, procurement and finance for replacement or compensation when recoveries failed. Support maintained packing lists, tracking audits, refurbisher coordination notes and carrier escalation records throughout each case.

Return shipments were reconciled to inventory by serial number before labels were issued; inbound tracking was monitored and received packages were inspected and logged (tracking, recipient, origin, box dimensions/weight, condition, missing accessories). Prepaid packaging and labels were supplied by distributors or generated via the internal returns portal; when corporate mailbox or portal notifications failed, labels/links were sent to employees’ private emails or to managers using Okta contact data. Alternate browsers and prepaid/alternate labels were used where carrier‑route limits or browser incompatibilities (notably Firefox) prevented label creation. Campus drop‑offs and timestamped handovers were offered, HR itemized return lists and deadlines were recorded, and automation raised due‑date notifications with outreach deferred for extended leave.

Inventory and MDM reconciliation cross‑checked Intune, Jamf, Inventory360, legacy imports (OTRS/Excel) and Microsoft Defender telemetry by serial number; devices that checked in under different accounts were identified by serial, records were corrected or devices were marked returned/decommissioned, and missing imports were filled by requester‑provided itemized lists. Account deactivation timestamps were documented and were generally coordinated to occur after handover confirmation; partial or staggered deactivation (for example retaining Office365 while removing telephony/SaaS) was recorded.

Where local factory‑reset or secure‑erase was blocked by admin credentials, FileVault/recovery keys, activation locks, or lack of power accessories, devices were handled case‑by‑case: chargers/power adapters were procured when missing to enable secure wipes, wiping was scheduled and recorded, and devices that remained locked or non‑functional were shipped as‑is to refurbishers who performed secure wipes and hardware assessments. Recovery keys and relevant records were provided to refurbishers and communications/tracking were logged.

Returned devices with irreparable hardware faults or end‑of‑life units were updated in inventory (for example set to "scrapped") and included in scheduled refurbishment or disposal shipments. Laptops requiring refurbishment were reimaged and in‑house repairs were performed when practical; defective keyboards and out‑of‑warranty batteries were replaced using harvested donor parts and donor/recipient repair records were captured. Defective or non‑returnable hardware that could not practicably be returned was documented (serial and symptoms) and authorized for local disposal with records retained.

Portal wording that suggested "send back everything" was clarified and acceptable subsets of items were documented where inventory, contract, or hygiene considerations allowed. Peripherals such as headsets were frequently excluded for hygiene reasons and missing accessories were logged against original hardware requests and checked against lost‑and‑found and returns inventory. Telephony and contract actions (SIMs, Vonage, Salesforce, myCampus, d.velop and similar services) were recorded separately from physical returns. Fixed installed equipment found during site decommission was coordinated with Facilities; serials and storage destinations were recorded and units were transported to IT storage/warehouse and inventory/location records were updated.

Decisions to allow employees to retain specific items were recorded case‑by‑case: support confirmed and logged when users were allowed to keep hardware tokens (for example YubiKeys) instead of switching to phone‑based authentication, and analogous retention decisions (such as keeping a wiped laptop) were documented where contract or inventory allowed. Communications, timestamps and escalation history for retention decisions and outstanding returns were retained in ticketing records. For non‑starters and former employees, recruiting or HR contact details were used to send return labels and shipping instructions when direct returns were not possible.

Procurement and logistics confirmed purchase orders, arranged returns, and either shipped replacements or processed returns when no suitable alternative existed. For the lavalier-microphone case, procurement confirmed PO-012703 specified a Sennheiser XS Lav USB-C; logistics arranged a DHL return and issued a return label for the incorrectly delivered Dell EB525 earbuds, a replacement Sennheiser XS Lav USB-C was ordered and shipped to the user, and delivery/tracking were recorded in the procurement system. For the silent-mouse request, procurement had placed an order for two DELL MS300 wireless mice (PO-006892); after delivery the user reported the mice were not quiet enough and support confirmed no quieter alternative in inventory, support arranged a return shipping label and processed the return. The user's Bluetooth-headset request was recorded but not addressed in that ticket.

IT staff generated and distributed carrier return labels (DHL, national post, FedEx, UPS and Transglobal Express for some international routes) and emailed tracking notifications to requesters or end users after dispatch. Where a sender address was required, labels used either the requester‑provided address or the designated company return address; labels were issued per item or for multiple devices shipped together and oversized monitors were assigned appropriate weight classes or multiple labels. Package counts, approximate weights and dimensions were accepted as reasonable estimates and standard new‑hire shipping figures were used as fallbacks; multi‑package returns were supported. Packaging materials were not mailed as a standard kit but users were directed to an online portal to request packaging and return labels; recipients were asked to photograph provider‑supplied cartons or QR‑code return emails to document condition and contents. Courier pickups were arranged by staff coordination or via provider SMS/pickup codes; pickup requests lacking required details (package count, dimensions, contact number, desired pickup date) were cancelled and tickets closed when users could not provide the missing information. When refurbisher‑supplied boxes were incorrect, staff referred users to the refurbisher (Smart Support) or the creator of the return shipment because internal teams lacked access or authority to send replacement boxes. When users reported items as shipped without labels or tracking, IT collected shipment details and device identifiers and escalated to the refurbisher/third‑party warehouse to confirm receipt; receiving logged serial numbers into asset‑management and inventory statuses were updated only after refurbisher confirmation and serial recording. Cosmetic or physical‑defect returns were routed to Hardware Operations and vendors for warranty/RMA handling; replacement devices were shipped where appropriate and return instructions provided for the defective unit. Wrong‑shipment cases and unopened carrier deliveries were resolved through return‑label and carrier coordination and, when relevant, procurement/accounting or vendor coordination to arrange exchanges or replacements. Duplicate orders and extra kits received return labels and were returned; minor label typos were treated as non‑blocking unless they prevented carrier processing. Internal handling teams (BAL) received some return requests and IT performed account deactivation during coordinated offboarding when requested. In cases where users did not require returned hardware, staff accepted and documented on‑site transfers to nearby colleagues when the colleague took possession. Reports of carrier emails requesting payment for delivery or return (flagged by users as possible fraud) were recorded as suspicious while the device disposition was resolved by transfer or coordinated return.

An approval workflow was triggered and approved by the designated approver (stephan.schaefer@iu.org). Procurement (handled by Sarah‑Maria Vogel) created PO-007375 and ordered a replacement wireless Bluetooth headset; delivery was arranged to Bauerlegden 9, 38124 Braunschweig and the defective headset was authorized for electronic-waste disposal. For a defective Apple Pencil (1st Generation) that would not charge or rapidly lost its charge, IT/procurement ordered a replacement (order placed 2024-09-23); the replacement was shipped to the user’s delivery address and arrived (confirmed 2024-09-30), and the user confirmed the new Pencil worked. The user packaged the defective Pencil, printed the provided return label and returned it; package arrival at FRA was confirmed (2024-10-07). Tickets were closed/marked done after order, shipment, and return actions were processed.

The device was returned to IT using a provided return label. IT inspected the MacBook and determined the fault could not be resolved remotely. The MacBook was wiped and reimaged (erase and reinstall of macOS Sequoia), test-booted successfully, and then shipped back to the user.

Support followed up with the assigned contacts and issued automated and manual reminders until the devices arrived. In one case a DHL label had been provided on 2024-07-18 and automated due‑date reminders were sent on 2024-07-25 and 2024-08-19 along with a manual reminder on 2024-08-19; the Dell 27" USB‑C hub monitor was physically received on 2024-08-23 and logged into inventory (DELL 27” S/N CN0KCHC0TV2003BF0NLB) before the ticket was closed. For outstanding iPad returns staff followed up with the assignee, waited for the incoming shipment, confirmed receipt when all iPads arrived, and then closed the ticket.

Accepted and processed multiple forms of on-site hardware returns, room decommissions and storage cleanups. Actions taken included: logging hand-ins into inventory (example: ThinkPad T14 S/N PF49YSPG, Dock S/N ZHK41F52, Monitor S/N V30APT5L and peripherals), instructing users to remove personal accounts (Apple ID) from mobile devices prior to return, placing devices into interim storage locations (e.g., server room compartments, 2nd-floor interim storage, basement staging), and later collecting and registering those assets into inventory. A full dismantle of Room 128 (8 desks) was performed; equipment was transported to interim storage and the room was marked inactive in Deskbird pending a future partial reinstall. The former IT office/storage/server room was cleared: network and hardware assets were removed, heavy items were staged on pallets for pickup, and waste was routed through campus disposal procedures. Hardware in the basement was sorted and moved between floors as required, and old Lenovo laptops were prepared for shipment to an external recipient (SmS). These activities covered acceptance, asset recording, interim storage and staging, preparation for shipping/pickup, room-state updates in the room-management system, and disposal staging for bulky or waste items.

Windows updates were applied to the affected Lenovo P14s; those updates improved overall system responsiveness and mitigated the initial stability and Wi‑Fi issues. The affected device exhibited persistent, severe application-switching delays and sustained high CPU usage (near 100%) while running workloads such as SPSS, MAXQDA, Word and Excel; restarts did not resolve the behaviour, so the notebook was prepared for return/repair and shipped for service. The user had disconnected OneDrive but Office applications and the mail client still surfaced cloud-hosted files and messages; Cybersecurity/IT confirmed the device was handled through the sanctioned device-return and sanitization workflow prior to refurbishment or disposal.