The Challenge
A switch from their existing HMIS system was a necessity.
Michele learned that, after twenty years, it would no longer be supported in its current form. This created a “scary" element of risk for the security and accessibility of their vital records, requiring the Diocese to look for a replacement.
While the HMIS solution was familiar, some limitations meant that many underlying operational processes were manual and time-consuming. And in this way, not ideal for the ultimate goals of a multi-site, enterprise-scale organization.
These manual processes created immediate challenges for both the office staff and the grounds crew, slowing down crucial services to grieving families.
In terms of customer service, finding records for a family lot, checking grave availability, or verifying burial rights meant breaking off communication with the caller: "A lot of times, we'd have to say to somebody, we're going to need to call you back.", said Michele.
This delay involved physically leaving the desk to retrieve records, as she continued, "we'd have to go pull the card, sift through the paper," a time-consuming and frustrating task for staff who sometimes had to venture into their records room (affectionately known as “the dungeon”) to pull out boxes of old records.
Even after retrieving the lot card, finding the relevant permissions or assignments required sifting through paper records that were simply "folded up and attached to the lot cards."
For ground staff, processes weren't joined up. Work orders for things like sunken graves were handled by manual paper forms, a process that included providing the foreman with a paper map and a copy of the physical lot card.
Crucially, Michele noted, "we never recorded any work orders in HMIS," meaning the office had no real-time visibility on job completion and relied entirely on the return of a piece of paper.
The existing system was also hampered by poor data hygiene practices, duplicate contact entries being made due to time constraints - as it was often easier to "just add" a new contact rather than find an existing one.
This issue was compounded by the fact that with HMIS, there was "not a clear way" to link new information (like a changed address) to the existing record.
The potential impacts of this on the subsequent migration was articulated perfectly by Michele: "if you have bad data going in, you're going to get bad data coming out."
The Solution
The appeal of PlotBox was more than just finding a replacement for HMIS; it provided a path to modernization and legacy protection.
"The ability to scan documents was very important.”
Being able to digitize records and important documents was an essential feature to stop relying on boxed up, and hard-to-access physical records.
While other cemetery management systems were evaluated (and some rejected on the basis of cost), the ultimate decision to select PlotBox was influenced by having seen it at conferences, where Michele felt that the capabilities met her needs.
What immediately stood out was "The ability to put much more online," particularly the potential of the public-facing EverAfter digital platform. The primary goal was clear: using an online search tool to reduce calls and improve customer service with a resource that people could access online.
The implementation itself was unavoidably complicated by the onset of COVID. This was further compounded by the pressure of support for HMIS for windows stopping and a lack of dedicated internal resources - despite Michele’s ask for staff to commit "24 hours a week strictly to PlotBox."
The biggest lesson learned from the transition was the gap in knowledge about the old HMIS system: "We really needed to know the database better…we didn't really know the setup."
For any organization undertaking a similar transition, Michele advises they "really need to have a strong understanding of the actual setup of that data.” in order to avoid issues further down the line.
Despite these internal and external pressures, the PlotBox implementation team was consistently responsive: "I don't have any complaints with the support I got.”, Michele reflected.
The Results
The move to PlotBox delivered transformation across key areas of the Diocese’s operations, proving the move wasn’t just a necessary replacement for HMIS, but a welcome upgrade.
Immediate Customer Service Impact
With all key documents scanned and available in PlotBox, staff can now handle customer inquiries much more quickly.
If a family calls to discuss available spaces or the rights of burial, staff can now immediately access the digital records and verify ownership or permissions, adhering to Massachusetts state law which mandates specific written assignments for burial rights.
"We can give them an answer there and then."
This change, which eliminates time-consuming trips to the paper archives and unnecessary follow-up calls, has led to a "big reduction" in callbacks, a massive time saver that multiplies up across the dozens of inquiries handled daily.
The process of taking information from a funeral director for a burial is also far more streamlined than with the old HMIS method, as the information goes directly into the diary, and much of the administration can be handled ahead of time, ensuring a smoother process for the family.
Grounds Team and Operational Efficiency
The digital work order system is where PlotBox delivered a "world of difference" to office staff and grounds crew.
The former manual, paper-based process is gone, replaced by a digital workflow that seamlessly integrates the field staff with the office.
Work orders, primarily used for flat marker installation and pouring foundation for monuments, are now created in PlotBox right when the application comes in, even if the work isn't scheduled for months.
This is a vast improvement over the old system, where monument foundation applications were filed in a "3-ring binder" and had to be manually reviewed when the foreman was ready.
PlotBox also gives foremen direct access to critical information, eliminating the former reliance on trips back to the office.
The foreman can look at the picture of the monument, he can double-check the size of the foundation, because all that paperwork is scanned.
This has significantly improved coordination and synergies between the office and those in the field.
Michele’s assessment of the change is powerful: “...now we don't have to wait for the piece of paper to come back to know if it's complete or not. They just respond on PlotBox - that it's completed. So that has made a world of difference."
Financial and Reporting Improvements
For Michele, whose role heavily involves financial oversight and month-end balancing, PlotBox has delivered a substantial time-saving in reporting.
Under the old system, she had to manually track burial numbers by type: "I used to keep spreadsheets, and update them at the end of every month. I had a spreadsheet that had every cemetery, and I'd mark down every full burial, cremation, infant… and I would enter all the numbers."
With PlotBox, this entire manual process is eliminated. All burial data is automatically recorded in the system, meaning that when reports are needed for budgeting or a director request, the information is immediately accessible: "I don't have to do that anymore… Because that's all recorded on PlotBox."
She notes that not only is this "definitely better" reporting, but it also means she can get "more accurate data quicker," saving her time every month and providing management with faster, more reliable information for their five-year average budget planning.
The ability to quickly export reports to Excel, rather than having to file and keep stacks of paper reports generated from the old HMIS system, is another small but significant improvement that contributes to overall operational efficiency.
