5 ways technology is useful in the Funeral Home.

There is a lot of value that can be added through technology and we are going to discuss the top 5 ways technology has been useful in our Funeral Homes.  We have witnessed a change in our industry over the years… How people interact and communicate, how people grieve, how people want to remember those and how they want themselves to be remembered.  In any type of business it is important to see the changes and adapt your goals to achieve your overall vision of the company.  We have spent countless hours in adding value to our services through meeting the growing needs of our client families.  Last week we just finished up another Website and Audio/Visual upgrade to our chapels… here are the reasons we keep making these additions.

1. Website | Our website has been crucial in expanding our overall communications with the community.  In years past the only way to receive information regarding funeral services was through obituaries in the newspaper or listening to local radio stations who would announce death notices.  Today it seems that people want the information fast and right at their fingertips… this is why we pour so much effort into our website.  We also have created a site that is a “virtual” representation of the funeral service / funeral visitation.  We wanted the public to be able to experience the service just like they were in attendance even if they were not physically able to attend.  We created a tribute wall to express written memories that you can share and read… just like you were there, we created a photo wall to view and exchange photos… just like you were there, we created the ability to view slide shows… just like you were there and we actually show pictures of the flowers that were sent in honor of the deceased right on the webpage.  With society being so busy we wanted to give everyone the opportunity to express their love no matter what situation they are facing.  With our site we are able to post times, dates of services as well as directions.  More people in the community come to our website first because they know just as soon as we know something then the information will be posted.  We just launched a new website that is easier to navigate and puts more information directly into your hands.  We are proud of the visual and functional changes we have made to our site.
2. Projector & Screen | When you enter either of our chapels you will notice a full audio / visual setup that would rival many conference center’s, Churches or music venues that offer that capability.  The reason for this is that we have noticed that families want to personalize their services with pictures and audio.  With our projector and screen we are able to show slideshows, place the words of congregational hymns, make special announcements and give special directions as well as anything else you could imagine.  Our families find that a photo can express more than their words ever could so we can express this for all to see during the visitation or service.  Many people find that it is hard to speak at a funeral and with our technology we are able to video record what needs to be said in a more comfortable setting and play back that conversation during the service.  One of the best features is that we are to broadcast someone who cannot make the service and place them on the big screen to deliver their eulogy or speech… just like they were right there!
3. High Definition Camera’s | Being able to record the service in full HD is a great keepsake and memory that the family can cherish for many years.  Just like in many weddings we have discovered that our families want to record and keep this service so that it can be shared and experienced for a lifetime.  This is a great addition but we took it a step further… We can live stream any funeral service through our video technology that will allow anyone the ability to be a part of the service, in real time just like they were there!  This is a tremendous offering because so many families are scattered all around the world and now they do not have to miss a thing.  This recording can also be placed on our new website so that others can watch the service when their schedule allows.  Just a few weeks ago we were able to stream a service to a very sweet lady’s grandson who is across seas in our military, he was able to log on and view his grandmothers funeral service in real time.  There are no words that can express what this meant to that family… or to that grandson who is fighting for our country.
4. Audio | Music is a part of our culture and helps define who we are as a person.  In death, we can see this does not stop and our families have special request for music that we can meet.  With our audio system we are able to customize the service through live performances and song selection.  We have the capabilities to wire in a full band of instruments, put mic’s on a full choir, or just download and play any song that the family could imagine through our amazing sound system.  With the ability to play any type of music the personalization options are endless… there is nothing like walking out of a funeral to the persons favorite team’s fight song!
5. The Funeral Home Team | One of the biggest reasons for technology in the funeral home is for our Team here on staff.  This is something that most people will never see but it plays a huge part in our success as an industry leader.  Our Team is able to communicate and know exactly what is going on at every moment in every day.  We are all connected through smart phone apps, computer systems, productivity tools and other devices that keep us plugged in.  Not only can we communicate what needs to be done or what families we are serving but all of our Team Members have access to our full library of information that can be given to a person in need in just a few moments.  We obviously are not a company that operates from 8-5 Monday thru Friday, however with our system in place we are able to spend more time with our own families while still “virtually” sitting right at our desk.  With the great size of our Team it is important that we can all communicate quickly and efficiently and we have built a system that allows that… making sure that our client families have the best possible experience without fail.

There are many more reasons why we incorporate so much technology into our funeral home but this highlights a few examples of what we can accomplish through our technology.  Everyday we are adapting and learning and we want to make sure that every family who call’s on Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home will never hear the words “I don’t think that we can do that here”.  We are very proud of the fact that we can customize and provide any type of service that will meet and exceed anyones request.

For more information on how you can customize your own service please feel free to reach out to our Amazing Team!