Boost Cemetery Efficiency: 13 Reasons for Moving to PlotBox

Calling all ‘13 Reasons Why’ fans! If you haven’t watched this cult Netflix series, I’m sure you’ve at least heard of it or know someone who was glued to it! 

Did you know that Team PlotBox mapped the exact location where Clay mourns for Hannah Baker?

We’ve decided to take this claim to fame and write a blog with 13 reasons why you need PlotBox, and how our cemetery software can boost productivity! 

Check them out below:

#1 Increase efficiencies by up to 75%

PlotBox acts as your virtual filing cabinet, storing all your documents in ONE place. If your current records and maps are in multiple systems or only on paper you're probably duplicating data entry, storing tons of paper and photocopying maps or carrying around map books. With PlotBox, the workflows are designed for cemeteries, so by using PlotBox you can dramatically reduce the number of steps needed for core business processes.

Don't just take our word for it, listen to what our customers have to say:

"What used to take 30 minutes is taking about 5 to 10 minutes and so we are able to take that additional time and apply it to other productivity jobs."

Dave Massey, President of Park View Cemetery, Manteca, CA

"It’s a quarter of the time it would take for us to get up and go and look.”

Jennifer Prieto, Assistant Director of Cemetery Operations, Diocese of Stockton

#2 Risky business

Without digitally updatable records and maps, you're at risk of making a mistake like a wrongful burial or selling the same plot twice due to potential human error. With PlotBox you can manage it all in one cloud-based system, where you only need to enter data once. It’s visible to all staff who need to see it and there are rules limiting certain actions by certain users. This massively reduces the likelihood of mistakes that could cost you a lawsuit.

#3 Spend more time with the families you serve

When a family walks into your office, how long do your sales counselors spend doing detective work, searching lot cards, map books, spreadsheets and filing cabinets? Or writing the same details over and over again in the one meeting?

Wouldn’t it be a more meaningful service to your families if more time could be spent fully engaged with them as opposed to being in the back office or the photocopy room?

With PlotBox all of your data would be accessible in one place at the click of a button.

#4 Quickly access available inventory

Access to inventory in real-time is often reported to us as an issue and a potential risk. If staff can't see the status of a plot in real-time this can result in mistakes or added time spent to ensure there’s a checking process. With PlotBox, at the tap of a button you can view the location and status of all of your inventory, pinned to a high resolution drone image which can also help with the sales process:

#5 Reports that are meaningful

Another complaint we often hear is the time and effort required to produce meaningful reports. Exporting data from a system into Excel to manipulate the information into the right format that you require is a cumbersome task, usually taking up hours upon hours of a valuable member of your team.

As well as the time it takes, it also means you don’t have the information you need when you need it. PlotBox can produce the reports that you need in real-time without having to re-configure the data, giving you back a considerable amount of time that could be spent on future planning and strategic thinking as well as being able to react quicker to information.

#6 Protect your records

Every archivist's biggest headache - protecting old historical records and ensuring that the history of the cemetery is preserved for future generations. PlotBox will allow you to link unlimited images of maps, contracts or other paper records to a deceased record, deed owner or plot location meaning the old records are safe and searchable.

#7 Increase revenue

Did you know genealogy is the 2nd most popular online hobby to pornography? Genealogists and members of the public are interested in your cemetery records and this interest can turn into revenue via lead generation and other online e-commerce opportunities. For example, if you have your deceased records and maps online for searching, someone might be interested in an available plot nearby a deceased relative.

Furthermore, the PlotBox CRM (Customer Relationship Management) will ensure you don’t lose leads that may be lurking in a little black book of a sales counselor. With the PlotBox CRM you have complete visibility and control over the leads in your pipeline.

#8 Save money

Everyone's favorite thing to hear - you can save money! $$$

As PlotBox is a cloud-based solution, you can reduce the cost of managing and maintaining your IT systems and you can eliminate expensive new hardware/software or system upgrades.

#9 Scalability

Ever-changing needs require a certain degree of flexibility and using a cloud-based solution like PlotBox allows your cemetery to scale up or down as required, by adding or removing modules or users as you grow.

We understand that moving systems is a changing process so maybe you start with the mapping or getting your records into one place and then you can add on as you're ready such as starting to use the system to generate contracts or manage your financial reporting.

#10 Better communication with your staff and stakeholders

Share and communicate with other staff members more easily. All employees, across different locations can sync up and work online, simultaneously and receive any updates in real-time.

#11 Enjoy the flexibility of the cloud

You’ll have the ability to access information from anywhere at any time on any device - meaning you can take advantage of the potential to work off-site while connecting to your office quickly and easily. This gives you the opportunity for an outside sales team to efficiently sell within a family home with no need to drive back and forth to the cemetery to check data/maps.

Furthermore, traditional set-down servers require constant updating usually for a fee, however cloud-based service providers will usually update regularly with the latest technology and system updates, sometimes without you even knowing it.

#12 Cater for the next generation of consumers

Say hello to Millennials!

Also known as Generation Y, they're those who were born between early 1980’s to early 2000’s. They’re the fastest-growing, most diverse generation of consumers in the US, and their buying power has taken over that of Baby Boomers this year!

They're engaged in helping their parents make decisions about big purchases such as booking a holiday, buying a new phone and even after life decisions, such as purchasing a plot. Their attendance at services now are going to influence their future decision making so it's of high importance that we make efforts to capture their attention! Most importantly, these guys never have their phones out of their hands, and if they can’t do something on their phone they’ll most likely not do it all!

PlotBox can make sure you are ready for Millennials.

#13 Excellent in-app customer support

Last but probably the most important reason for choosing PlotBox as your technology partner is our team, especially our Customer Services Team.  PlotBox provides immediate in-app customer support from our highly skilled and friendly support agents. We currently have an average response time of just 3 minutes! Our happy customers can testify to that.