Funeral Home Software

My greatest pet peeve in funeral service??? Funeral service software.

A few minutes ago I sat down to look at a demo of one "leading" software package (it will remain un-named for the moment as I may very well need to purchase the product and I don't want to burn any bridges before I've made a final selection), and with one glance at the screen, I know this company doesn't pay attention to details. And if they cannot even take the time to line up the fields and the lables neatly on the work screens, I have to wonder what kind of shortcuts they've taken "under the hood" where this software actually has to keep up with the details of my business.

I know software can be devilishly difficult to design and develop. At one point I worked with a couple of developers who had the talent to pull off a world-class design, but the world-class cost of developement kept me from getting past the discussion phase. I didn't see how this industry would ever support those development costs.

Still, we could use a true technology visionary in our industry who could help us move beyond current methods and into a system which not only organizes our basic data and helps pump out a little bit of paperwork, but onto a system which enables smoother workflow within the funeral home and perhaps even internet collaboration with the family.

Funeral One certainly has the eye for detail I'm talking about. I strongly recommend their video software, but so far they haven't looked at the broader funeral home management market.

We will have to see if they (or a company like them) will step in and make something cool and truely effective happen for funeral homes.

Of course there may be someone out there I haven't met yet. If you have any recommendations, drop me a line.

Comments

[Ben Kline]

Speaking of good software design for funeral industry application, there is a supply company called Keystone Specialties that has a very user-friendly interface for their A Life Remembered memorial ornament program. They show portions of it at the program site: http://www.keystonespecialties.com/alr
Definitely a well-designed system with a lot of tech support behind it.

[alice]

Funeral home software is an easier way to do case management. It is best for funeral industry. Thanks......

[Dave Carl]

A great resource for funeral home software in relation to producing great looking and professional funeral service programs is a package software from The Funeral Program Site at http://www.funeralprogram-site.com. They are worth checking out. Very popular site with many great selections.

[Christine]

I just bought the Director Assistant for Vista - while waiting for my computer to come in I installed it on my personal laptop so that I had access to it while I waited. The Continental Computer Company sent us an opened package of software so instead of installing it - we let them tap into our computer and it took them over 5 hours to install the program. Once they installed it the program would not work right, always closing on us, not letting us print, the company didn't even have the right funeral home name so when we printed the SSA-721 form, our funeral home was not even on it but a different funeral home. It eventually crashed my $2,800 new laptop. Called the company and they said they couldn't help us because we had already opened the package which we explained that it was sent to us open which we had called and had them note - which they never did. So, after spending $2000 on the new program, having a crashed laptop and having to pay our computer technician to fix all their errors, this program is not worth what we have spent on it. We have been fighting with this company - the CEO has yet to call us back or send us the information we requested from them. If anyone would want the program we now have 2 - they sent us a replacement for the original that we never opened and never wanted!