Does Using Funeral Home Software Take Away From the Human Element?

Funeral Industry News April 29, 2015
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Does Using Funeral Home Software Take Away From the Human Element?

The short answer: No, not if it’s built in.

Take the example of cricketer Phillip Hughes in Australia.

Philip Hughes was a much-loved Australian cricketer who died playing the game he loved. The outpouring of emotion after his death on social media was astonishing. What social media and funeral home software did for the cricket loving mourners of and the world and Australia was moving, poignant and united a country in grief but also in celebration of a life lived. Without social media and funeral software this collective healing could never have occurred.

Being Human Without Trying Too Hard

This human element can be shown through your website in many other ways. Your website must show the human element without seeming to be trying to do so. One way to achieve this is to have a solid content strategy. What you post, how you answer, your content must have some sort of value or it shouldn’t be there. It must be respectful, while being interesting and relevant to your clients. The only way to get this information is to get to know them a little. Your software is the best conduit for this.

Have clear guidelines on who posts, when they do and how they answer clients’ questions on the site. Make sure that person’s voice is empathetic and really listens. Try to look out for the little human stories, those small things will be remembered and everyone that logs on/posts or reads the site will see that you are people too.

Present yourself as a person, not a business. Show your clients you are not just a funeral home, but that you are a member of their community who cares.

Mastering Social Media Software

Social media and funeral home software works best when the human element is front and center. Use it to start conversations, not just to post obits and hawk preplanning – your clients will see right through this tactic and you’ll lose them.

Remember, you are there for your clients, no matter what services they may or may not need, always remember to guide, don’t push.

Your clients are social network savvy and are real people. Part of delivering the human element through funeral software is remembering that behind every username, every e-mail, and every profile picture is an individual person and that person took the time to contact or follow your funeral home.

Autopilot doesn’t work. Connect, engage, do something special. Humanize your brand in real time and clients will be comforted and spread the word.

[H/T: Funeral Tech]