Combo funeral homes offer a number of benefits to families, with a comprehensive, holistic service that’s realized through the integration of funeral and cemetery or cremation services.
Streamlined planning, coordinated service delivery, and consistency of care should all come together to help alleviate some of the burden on grieving families during the most difficult of times.
However, many of these potential benefits are undercut by the limitations of older, disjointed systems and the lack of connectivity they impose upon each aspect of the operation.
Rather, these constraints become challenges: where there is no clear through line between the funeral home and cemetery or crematory, system limitations become apparent, silos are created and processes become leaden.
Duplication of effort and poor communication are just some of the outcomes that not only result in inefficiencies across the organization, but more importantly, a poorer customer experience all round.
But it isn’t all bad news.
The key to overcoming many of these challenges can be found in a deathcare management system that creates a single source source of truth - all data in a single system, updated in real time and accessible by everyone from anywhere at any time.
That’s important for a number of reasons.
We talk a lot about disjointed systems, but what that essentially means is that the methods of collecting and processing data that you use - whether that’s spreadsheets, paper files, or a computer platform of some sort aren’t linked and don’t talk to one another.
The information within each, essentially exists in a vacuum.
Utilizing separate systems in this way can lead to inefficiencies and errors - think for example of one system handling scheduling, while you process client information in another, or looking in another to view what inventory is available.
Now, coordinating tasks between them becomes labored.
Information fragmented in this way can have knock-on effects - a switching between systems may increase the likelihood of errors and omissions - something as simple as entering the wrong date or double-booking a service suddenly causes significant disruption and potential stress for the family and the funeral home.
Entering data multiple times across different platforms is not only time consuming but also increases the risk of inconsistencies.
This lack of integration may also lead to inefficiencies across the operation - manually transferring information between systems, following up on outstanding tasks, or coordinating between different teams using phone calls, emails, or paper forms - all of these things slow down processes and negatively impact service levels.
We talked about silos just now - and where they appear, they create barriers to communication.
Where the information held by your funeral home or mortuary team can be shared automatically with the cemetery or crematory - for example, between contracts and scheduling - any potential errors, delays and potential stress can be avoided.
In short, saying goodbye to manual processes and the duplication of paperwork, will help to reduce errors and keep you focus where it should be - on your families.
Now lets talk communication.
Communication can be a common challenge for any business, and combo funeral homes are no exception - especially when coordinating between multiple aspects of what is essentially a single operation.
A centralized platform that ensures critical information and updates are shared between teams will help to bridge the gap between funeral and cemetery or crematory services - helping to coordinate efforts right from first call.
That’s important for many reasons - consider what needs to happen and by whom once a booking is made - from collection, to deceased tracking, to interment, to billing and so on.
With a shared booking schedule updated in real-time, everyone now knows exactly what’s happening and when, meaning they can manage time and resources more effectively - from funeral directors and grounds crews, to transport teams and admin staff. In this way, everyone is aware of their responsibilities and can coordinate accordingly - ensuring a much more efficient service.
Providing staff with automatic notifications of amends or changes can also be helpful in making them aware of important updates. For example, a last minute change in the timing of a funeral service is no problem when all relevant staff are made aware and plan ahead; and it’s this enhanced level of responsiveness that ensures timely and coordinated service delivery.
Which ultimately is what it all boils down to - the ability to provide a consistently high level of service across all aspects of the operation; something that is crucial for building trust and credibility with families - families who rely on funeral homes to deliver a seamless, empathetic service.
Ultimately, what we’re talking about here is the experience of the family, and returning to the earlier point, disjointed systems and processes are not the best enabler to achieve that.
Some of those advantages you can provide again: a range of services under one roof without multiple service providers, simplified planning processes with a single point of contact; coordinated service delivery, expertly negotiated timings, viewings and other arrangements; a more personalized and tailored experience; potential cost savings and packages; a consistent level of care…and it goes on.
However, the ability to provide a more cohesive, meaningful and seamless experience is far from assured when the systems aren’t in place to make all of that happen.
When they are, information does not need to be recorded several times or on several different occasions, and families aren’t being asked the same questions more than once.
With real-time updates, families can remain reassured and well-informed throughout the entire process; with greater coordination between teams, every aspect of the service can be delivered more smoothly and effectively - from the ceremony to the burial, with less stress; scheduling, as we’ve mentioned, helps to avoid timing conflicts, meaning no delays or last-minute changes; and with all of the required documentation in one place [such as death certificates, contracts and permits] comes greater transparency and trust.
Together, with practicalities and logistics in hand, staff can focus on attention to detail.
So, by streamlining communication, enhancing coordination, reducing time spent on admin, by improving responsiveness, and providing consistent follow-up, funeral homes can deliver an more exceptional, empathetic level of care with full transparency throughout.
What does that transparency look like?
It means a seamless experience right from first call - setting the tone for the entire process, facilitated by access to information that allows staff to provide accurate details about services, pricing, and scheduling options - helping families to better understand their options and make informed decisions.
Real-time task management means that complexities are reduced, with every detail being handled in good time - for instance, once a service is scheduled, tasks such as transportation arrangements, venue preparation, and flower deliveries orders can be automatically assigned and monitored, ensuring nothing is overlooked.
With families placing their trust in funeral homes to handle their loved one with dignity and care, accurate deceased tracking is of course the highest priority. With misidentifications leading to incorrect burials or even loss of remains, a robust deceased tracking system is a necessity in avoiding undue distress and a lack of trust.
The return on investment this transparency affords? Greater operational efficiencies, less errors, and ultimately, improved customer satisfaction.
Together, what does all of this mean for combo funeral homes?
In providing a centralized hub for communication and collaboration, funeral home businesses become truly connected to their cemetery or crematory business.
And that means delivering on the promise of what they provide to their families.