The concept of funeral home software–especially anything with cutting edge features–may seem at odds with the nature of the deathcare industry. However, funeral directors can and do use software to better serve families and run more efficient businesses. Explore funeral home software features like digital signatures, software integrations, and online funeral planning.
The pace of technological change today–especially in the area of software applications–can complicate and disrupt the ability of any business to operate effectively, especially in an industry like deathcare that highly values established norms and is generally not an early adopter of new innovations.
However, it is important that funeral home software be integral to your business operations. In particular, it is vital to focus on features that clients expect and that can help your business be more efficient.
Here are a few funeral home software options to keep in mind, and a look at how Continental Computers’ platform addresses these functions.
E-sign for digital funeral planning documents
In many cases, requiring that paper documents be signed in person simply is no longer practical. Having some way for clients to digitally sign funeral planning paperwork in a secure way is essential, and is best when integrated into the funeral home software you use in your business.
E-sign is a native feature in The Directors Assistant Web (TDAW®) as part of the software’s digital document program. This means you don’t need to pay a separate subscription fee for a digital signature service like DocuSign. Here’s how e-sign works in TDAW®:
- Select the document you want signed
- Email the document to the person(s) who need to sign it
- Signees receive email notification with instructions
- Track the status of every document within TDAW cases
The ability to handle this essential aspect of paperwork, without paying extra, is one more box you can check off for your funeral home software.
Funeral home software integrations
Another important aspect of funeral home software is the ability of the core platform you use to integrate with other applications. Although TDAW® is a comprehensive platform covering most aspects of your business–including accounts receivable, case management, forms and reporting, inventory management and obituaries/memorials–there will still be times when you need to import from or export to other data sources.
Most often, integration will involve exporting data from your funeral home software platform to other applications or sources, such as accounting programs, state death certificate programs, companies that sell memorialization products, or preneed sales providers. TDAW handles all of these with ease.
Online funeral planning
Often, families planning a funeral are quite dispersed geographically, making an already difficult process even harder and more expensive. With funeral home technology, however, you can offer ways to ease this burden.
Online funeral planning is a great example. For many families, having the ability to log into a planning system from different locations, explore options, and make decisions without being together in person reduces travel costs and may free up room in the budget for additional funeral-related services.
Continental Computers makes this process easy with ArrangeOnline®, a web directory where funeral homes can list themselves as providing online funeral planning services. This allows families to review decisions about a funeral on their own, and then connect with the funeral home to make those arrangements.
Funeral homes can set up their ArrangeOnline® website from within TDAW®, listing the services available.
Online obituaries and memorials
Once upon a time, obituaries were published only in newspapers. While that may continue to be an option some families use, in most cases obituaries/memorials/tributes can be found on the website of the funeral home contracted for arrangements.
For families, the advantage of an online obituary is that they can write a longer or more personalized memorial than would otherwise be affordable or practical. For funeral homes, having software with comprehensive but flexible obituary data entry options is an important aspect of serving families.
In TDAW®, case creation includes entering all information about the deceased and survivors needed to create an obituary or order memorialization items. This data can be easily exported to companies that funeral homes contract to maintain their websites and print/produce memorial items.
Natively within TDAW®, the Memorial Designer Library provides unlimited options for memorialization.
Other funeral home technology options
Use of technology in the deathcare industry can be applied in many ways to serve families and run more efficient businesses. Here are a few more to consider–either as services you offer, or options your clients may be otherwise planning to include in their arrangements.
- Videoconference planning meetings either for preneed planning or standard funeral cases.
- Funeral live-streaming on a platform like Facebook so surviving family and friends can virtually attend the service.
- Social media accounts or groups to communicate funeral details and provide a platform to memorialize a loved one.
- Online payment for funeral services using a credit card or other payment option.
- Virtual tour videos for cemeteries near your funeral home.
- Photo slideshow videos to honor a family’s loved one, either played during visiting hours or published online.
Learn more about TDAW® or contact Continental Computers anytime to explore how our funeral home software can help you run your business effectively and support families with compassionate funeral planning services.
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This blog post is co-authored by Mae Kowalke and Wes Johnson.
Mae Kowalke
Digital Marketing Lead, Continental Computers
Mae grew up in rural Washington State and Vermont. In high school, she worked in public libraries and during college began her career in journalism before segueing into digital marketing. Mae holds a B.A. in Communications and has spent over two decades applying her writing superpower to help businesses communicate the value they bring to customers. Mae’s life experiences provide her with a broad and deep understanding of researching, organizing, and communicating meaningful information to both businesses and consumers.
Wes Johnson
President/CEO, Continental Computers
Wes grew up in the southern United States as an underprivileged child, and went on to serve active duty in the U.S. Army for a decade. Wes holds a B.S. in accounting and an MBA, and is a practicing licensed funeral director. These life experiences provide him with a unique perspective in the death-care industry. He understands the dynamics between the family and the funeral director, including the difficulty families face to pay for funerals. “Let’s solve problems together,” he says.
