Meeting Your Families (And Associates) Where They Are Through Technology in Your Funeral Home

“Just because families expect it, doesn’t mean they are going to get it.”

This was the response that was said by a funeral home owner during a discussion

about implementing basic technology into a funeral home. Since the pandemic,

families do expect certain forms of technology to be available wherever they do

business. Even when making final arrangements for their loved ones.

The owner did not believe in the value, nor did they want to take the time to learn a

new skill that could substantially increase the call volume of the firm, but also

decrease the burnout felt by their associates.

Let’s be real: most funeral homes are still using pen and paper; maybe even a

typewriter for their files. They are still burning CD’s for music (most cars don’t

even have a CD player anymore) and the best they can do for e-signatures is to

scan in a document, email it to a family, and make them print it out to sign it (most

families don’t have a printer).

Since 2020, families have learned that so much of the day-to-day tasks that we

once performed in person, could in fact be done over phone, email, and other tech

platforms. Something as simple as implementing e-signatures for authorizations,

contracts, and disclosures would not only help your firm save the family time, but

also help your funeral directors, during a time in the profession where burnout is at

staggering levels.

It is disheartening to a family when they ask for the simple technologies they enjoy

at their home, only to be met with “we don’t offer that here”. Livestreaming, e-

signing, and even the choice for a family to make a shareable playlist for a

visitation.

When we say things can’t be done, families know they can do it themselves. So

why would they bother paying us not to give them exactly what they want? They

have a Bluetooth speaker at their house that they can hook their playlist up to. No

hassle and no one telling them that music can only be burned to a CD that may or

may not skip or have a song limit. They have Facebook Live that they can stream

themselves at another venue, possibly for no cost. And they CAN find a firm that

will allow them to do everything over phone and email.

Families want technology and convenience. Technology is not just a passing trend.

It's time to adapt, adjust, and modernize without sacrificing service. We want to

integrate technology to make our lives and jobs easier. Not to mention, the next

generation of directors are digital natives. Allowing your associates the opportunity

to look up a case they are working on at their home using a data entry program

instead of making a family wait for them to travel to the funeral home to pull a

physical file, will make your families and associates happier, all while creating

better service.

To modernize your funeral home, decision makers need to see the value in

integrating these essential technologies. Embrace the change and provide the

convenience and efficiency that both your families and associates deserve and

expect. Your commitment to innovation will not only enhance your service but

also ensure the long term success and growth of your funeral home.

-Allyse R. Worland, CFSP