The Challenge
For multi-location operators, standardization is vital for scalable growth. Prior to PlotBox, Troost struggled with a highly decentralized model where each of their nine locations operated as an independent entity, creating administrative bottlenecks.
Key pain points included:
Disjointed Financial Systems
Troost lacked a unified accounting structure. Each cemetery maintained its own separate systems, utilizing different charts of accounts and completely different terminologies for crypts, niches, and in-ground burials. This base-layer challenge made financial oversight across the enterprise difficult, as they first needed to normalize how revenue and inventory were categorized.
"We had a base layer challenge we needed to solve, which was unifying our accounting. Each location, or group of locations, had been operating like its own island…We realized first that we needed to normalize the accounting process." Jed Geiman, Director of Strategic Planning and Development
Severe Risk to Historical Records
The lifeblood of the organization was tied up in physical index cards, lot books, and interment ledgers. Operating on this paper-based system posed a massive liability; a single fire or flood could have wiped out the essential records of their business.
"Mapping and risk management management were 2 [key requirements], as well as unlocking the value of our data and really improving and optimizing our business processes.” Jed Geiman
Outdated and Inefficient Processes
The lack of modern technology heavily bottlenecked daily operations. Staff were navigating complex, manual workflows - like managing convoluted sales commission structures through third-party software - that lacked the speed and transparency required to drive performance in a modern enterprise.
"I'll be honest, if you had walked into Mount Hope Cemetery in 2014, you'd have heard typewriters... We were still operating in a paper based system, and we saw the limitations of that." Jed Geiman
The Solution
Troost realized that merely patching their old methods would not support long-term enterprise growth. They required a modern, cloud-based platform capable of breaking down silos and driving operational excellence across their entire portfolio.
PlotBox delivered a comprehensive solution tailored for enterprise agility:
A Single Source of Truth
PlotBox replaced multiple disconnected systems with a single, web-based platform to create a single source of truth. This streamlined processes and allowed grounds crews and administrative staff to easily access real-time data - whether in the office or out in the field - eliminating the need for cumbersome local software installations.
"One of the big key differentiators with PlotBox was the ease of use. That was a big thing - being web-based and being able to access that [easily], not needing to install a piece of software, and having the flexibility of being able to access records, no matter what device you're on. This browser-based approach also simplified software management for the IT team while giving staff secure access to the same information from virtually any location or device." Scott Hames, Director of Information Technology
Strategic "Day Forward" Implementation
Instead of delaying the launch to manually backfill decades of historical records all at once, PlotBox championed a phased, "day forward" implementation strategy. This allowed Troost to rapidly deploy the software, learn from initial phases, and realize a much quicker return on investment.
“We were definitely wanting to get a quicker return on investment and start reaping the benefits of having PlotBox manage our systems.” Scott Hames
A full digital picture
PlotBox delivered highly detailed mapping without requiring an excessively expensive or intensive land survey. By integrating precise GIS files, aerial imagery, historical lot records, and ongoing data validation, PlotBox translated Troost's vast 160-acre historical layouts into highly usable, digital maps.
Post-implementation, the Troost team have worked in the background, continuing to bolster their digital data, by digitizing their historic data and working with PlotBox to bulk import those historic records as they went.
An extensive lot card mapping project carried out by PlotBox enabled this data to be matched up with lot card level detail, giving a full digital picture of their cemetery.
“I wish I’d had it when I was a counselor - it would have made life easier.” Michael Mayer, IT Department
Adaptable Architecture for Diverse Portfolios
PlotBox’s flexible system allowed Troost to standardize processes across specialized services, such as their pet cemetery. By utilizing customizable fields to track pet breeds and family names, they brought their unregulated pet burials up to the exact same rigorous management standards as their human interments.
“Who can handle pets?” was one of the main things we were looking for when considering different software providers.” Scott Hames
The Results
PlotBox transformed the way Troost Cemeteries operates, helping unify nine locations under one connected platform.
Streamlined Work Orders & Paperwork Reduction
The implementation of the PlotBox work order module has been transformative, with nearly the full team utilizing the system to drive operational efficiencies and reduce administrative friction.
"In terms of the work order process, every person working at the cemetery, in terms of grounds staff or sales management, is seeing the benefits of it... Now, being able to have it all in one unified, connected system is tremendously efficient." Jed Geiman
Enterprise-Wide Transparency
Troost completely eradicated their reliance on triplicate "onion skin" paper records. Now, every person working at the cemetery - from grounds staff to sales management - operates within one connected digital system.
“Everyone’s a member of one organization, instead of being a member of one of eight organizations.” Jed Geiman
Accountability via Digital Workflows
The system enforces operational standards by ensuring that specific checklist items, such as opening a grave or setting up for a service, must be marked as complete before a burial work order can be closed.
Real-Time Communication
Counselors no longer have to chase down grounds crews to check on family requests, such as fixing a sinking headstone. They can monitor work orders directly in PlotBox and immediately send families updates with attached completion photos.
Unlocking Hidden Inventory & Maximizing Space ROI
PlotBox’s drone mapping and GIS integration provided unparalleled visibility into complex historic layouts, directly driving revenue opportunities:
Discovering Monetizable Space: Management can now easily identify large patches of unused grass and spot gaps in older sections, allowing them to rapidly add new graves into their inventory;
Mobile ‘Ground-Truthing’: Field workers leverage the PlotBox iPad app to seamlessly ground-proof maps and add graves on the fly, a process the team describes as a "well oiled machine".
Empowering Sales Counselors: Staff can locate an available grave for a family in a matter of seconds, replacing the deeply frustrating process of manually flipping through heavy physical binders to cross-reference availability.
"It's definitely been instrumental in helping us find new graves, and in handling existing situations too. Our counselors love it because it's very easy for them to find a grave for the family.” Michael Mayer.
Workforce Productivity & Unifying Corporate Culture
By establishing a single source of truth, PlotBox didn't just organize data; it shifted the operational culture across all nine locations:
Standardized Training and Deployment: Because all locations operate on the exact same digital system, a grounds crew member can be deployed to any cemetery within the network without needing to learn a new, localized process;
Seamless Ecosystem Navigation: The interconnected nature of PlotBox allows staff to jump instantly from a work order to a plot record, or from a decedent file to financial data, saving massive amounts of time and eliminating redundant data entry.
"For us, PlotBox took us from the Dark Ages to the 21st Century." Michael Mayer.
Risk Control, Compliance, and Modernized Brand Protection
Consolidating operations empowered Troost to mitigate risks, improve their bottom line, and completely reimagine the family experience:
Financial Standardization: Integrating PlotBox Pay terminals allowed Troost to accept modern payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay, while simultaneously syncing all sales figures directly back into their Sage accounting platform to ensure operation-wide accuracy;
Real-Time Executive Reporting: Executives now have access to dashboard reporting across all nine locations - a high-level performance view that previously would have taken a month to compile using manual spreadsheets;
Elevated Customer Experience: With administrative burdens removed, Troost is implementing "family meeting rooms" where counselors use large screens to show plot options in PlotBox. This shifts the dynamic from a bureaucratic, transactional paperwork process to providing genuine, empathetic care in a living room environment.
"I would definitely recommend PlotBox to other people looking to increase efficiencies in their locations. Finding a ‘single source of truth’ for all our records, management and processes has been instrumental for us. That ‘single source of truth’ model has brought our organization to new heights." Scott Hames
