How Eulogica can help Funeral Directors handle the new challenges
The ongoing pandemic has brought a number of challenges to Funeral Directors. Some areas have seen a spike in the number of deaths, and extra care is required when dealing with bodies that may be infectious. But the main challenge has perhaps been with regards to routines; New ways of meeting the bereaved, changes to pricing and documentation and of course, changes to the funeral itself due to social restrictions.
Funeral companies that use Eulogica have a head start. Due to the flexibility in the software, Eulogica installations can be tweaked with relative ease according to the new needs now emerging. Below are some examples of how Eulogica users across several countries have benefited from the power of Eulogica lately!
First of all, from a health and safety perspective, it is important simply to highlight cases that may be infectious. Eulogica’s visibility codes are not the only way of doing this, but it’s a popular option. This is a feature that allows for adding colourful labels to funeral records. Such marking will appear prominently in lists and windows on the screen, and can be printed in documents as required.
On the issue of documentation, any new forms that need filling, or changes to existing forms, can be managed by way of updating the relevant reports in Eulogica. It may also be necessary to change the wording of some letters, perhaps to explain that the company is not able to provide a regular service due to the pandemic. Some countries use a specific Covid-19 symbol – one is shown here – which can be printed from Eulogica as required. Our support staff are happy to help with implementing such details.
One client had a unique problem: Due to logistical challenges, it became necessary to use multiple florists in order to get the family flowers for just one funeral. With Eulogica, reports can be configured for managing such split flower orders or, indeed, any odd combination of orders.
The pandemic may also require changes to Eulogica products, services and templates. A common issue has been that the planning of funerals now increasingly takes place on the phone or by video call, rather than in person. Also, funerals will more often involve a graveside service and a future memorial service. One client has created a brand new concept – drive-in viewing, where the coffin is placed outdoors and visitors can slowly drive by.
Eulogica service icons can be prepared for handling any such combination of events – with relevant fields, tasks, costs and responsibilities.
Whole templates and packages can be set up as required by the new circumstances, or existing ones reconfigured, perhaps to reflect lower prices when a full service cannot be provided. One client has designed a specific «Coronavirus package» for victims of the pandemic, represented by a Eulogica template. Also, templates that are not going to be relevant these days, due to social distancing or other restrictions, can be temporarily hidden.
As for the ceremony itself, live streaming is popular now. While Eulogica does not do the actual streaming, the software can help with its administration. A funeral service record for live streaming can be prepared for adding to funerals, to ensure costs and other aspects are properly managed, perhaps also with a button to open the relevant web site. Confirmation letters can be extended to explain the details of streaming for families who desire this option.
In areas with a higher number of Deceased due to the pandemic, good planning is important. Some affected clients have requested new reports to show what coffins will be required for upcoming funerals.
Managers are likely to be interested in observing changing trends. Eulogica can provide management reports to look at changes to revenues or to the sales of specific packages, product groups, etc. Another need can be for management- or operational reports just highlighting the Covid-19 cases. More demanding leaders will wish to consider Eulogica’s Management Dashboard module, displaying live information and trends in a graphical format.
With less time in the office and perhaps more funerals, mobile access to task management and some very basic funeral data becomes handy. The Eulogica Companion app lets you have access to this basic data on your mobile phone.
The Companion app is mainly focused around managing tasks. And when it comes to tasks, their structure should be adapted to reflect changing routines as required by the pandemic. For example, when planning for meetings it may be prudent to ask – and record – if any bereaved who wish to visit the office are quarantined or are showing symptoms of illness. Extra cleaning and disinfection may also be required for meeting rooms – once again, this is perhaps something worth tracking in Eulogica by way of defined tasks.
Finally, in many countries, businesses are now advised to let staff work from home as far as possible. Eulogica Cloud is our answer to this. We can ensure all of the information in Eulogica is accessible from home offices in a safe and convenient manner.
To summarise, the Eulogica software can help you in a number of ways to cope with the pandemic, perhaps with some tweaks or add-on modules. If you have questions or would just like to have a chat about the possibilities, please do not hesitate to contact our support team on phone 0845 3519 935 and/or email enquiries@eulogica.co.uk.