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NOVEMBER 2014
FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS
S ec t i on B
With the purchase of a new
the time when the coach could carry a casket, flowers,
racks and necessary equipment to the funeral.
Fleet Systems is based in Fremont, Nebraska, where the air is
fresh and the skies are clear. It’s a great place to live and work,
and a wonderful place to raise a family! Since late 1987, Fleet
Systems has sold funeral cars in 44 states and three foreign
countries. While most customers are in the “Great Plains”
The Apollo Funeral Coach
from Fleet Systems
ASD’s Patented Solicitor
Shield™ Blocks Over 2.7
Million Unwanted Calls
MEDIA,PA—
ASD – An-
swering Service for Di-
rectors,
the leading funer-
al home answering service,
recently achieved an impor-
tant milestone. The com-
pany’s Solicitor Shield™
feature, which received an
official patent from the
U.S. Patent Office last Oc-
tober, has blocked more
than 2.7 million unwant-
ed phone calls. Created by
ASD’s technical team in
2010, Solicitor Shield™ is
the only answering service
tool proven to dynamical-
ly shield against unwanted
phone solicitations.
Being able to reach a live
person at a funeral home is
vital to creating a positive
first impression and pro-
tecting new business. Un-
fortunately, many funeral
homes are inundated with
calls from telemarketers
and recorded solicitations
that tie up phone lines,
waste staff time and pre-
vent critical calls from get-
ting through. To ensure this
does not affect directors
when their phone lines are
forwarded, ASD invented
Solicitor Shield™, a power-
ful and one-of-a-kind tele-
phone spam blocker.
Earlier this year, ASD’s
Solicitor Shield™ set a new
record by blocking more
than 1,000 automated so-
licitations in a single min-
ute. Phone lines through-
out the country were
flooded with a barrage of
incoming calls, all tracing
back to three toll-free num-
bers. These “spam” calls
would have been a night-
mare for most call centers,
but ASD’s operations were
unaffected due to the com-
pany’s protective Solicitor
Shield™ feature.
In addition to blocking
dial storms from spam call-
ers, directors can also se-
lect specific numbers they
would like ASD to block.
This empowers funeral di-
rectors to prevent annoying
telemarketers from tying up
the funeral home line.
Currently, ASD answers
approximately 13,000 calls
per day with 90 percent
of all calls answered by the
first ring and 98 percent
by the fourth ring. Solici-
tor Shield™ helps ASD to
forecast their call volume
in advance and schedule ac-
cordingly allowing the com-
pany to answer calls more
promptly than other call
centers. Assisting callers
without delay protects each
funeral home’s reputation
for excellence and lets fami-
lies know they are a high pri-
ority every time they call.
“Funeral directors rely on
ASD to promptly and com-
passionately answer their
phones when they can-
not. Solicitor Shield™ helps
make that possible,” says
ASD vice president
Kevin
Czachor.
“Our clients also
save money because they
are not charged for those
annoying phone calls. This
is just one of the many de-
tails that sets ASD apart
from the thousand other
answering services in busi-
ness today.”
Family owned and op-
erated since 1972, ASD
blends state-of-the-art tech-
nology with an extensive,
6-month training program
focusing on compassionate
care. The company’s cus-
tom-built communication
systems and sophisticated
mobile tools were designed
solely to meet the needs of
funeral homes. With pat-
ented solutions, ASD’s
smartphone app, ASD Mo-
bile for iPhone or Android,
was recognized as the win-
ner of the 2012 NFDA In-
novation Award after revo-
lutionizing communication
for thousands of funeral
homes nationwide. Discov-
er why more than 45 pere-
cent of independent funeral
homes using an answering
service have chosen ASD.
By offering funeral direc-
tors unmatched protection
for their calls, ASD has re-
defined the role of an an-
swering service for funeral
BATESVILLE,IN—
Batesville,
the leading provider of com-
prehensive solutions to the death care industry, announced
the addition of a new category of premium memorial statio-
nery and additional Catholic-inspired collections, designed
by
Hallmark Cards, Inc.,
to meet customer expectations.
These new products combine high quality construction and
materials, deluxe finishes and opulent touches that are not
available in standard stationery offerings.
“Since launching our initial collections in 2013, we’ve con-
tinued to work closely with our funeral home customers and
with Hallmark’s creative team to make sure our stationery
products are meeting families’ needs and adding value to their
overall funeral experience,” said
Mike Bryan,
general manag-
er of
Batesville Technology Solutions.
In assessing themarket, two common themes emerged: a gen-
eral desire for more upscale stationery products, and a specific
request for additional Catholic selections.While serving a func-
tional role during the service, memorial stationery also meets
the emotional needs of families as a tangible keepsake of the
relationship with the deceased. In research, 75 percent of con-
sumers report keeping personalized stationery as remembrance
items. It is often the only keepsake they bring home from the
funeral, and because of its significance, consumers expect a lev-
el of quality and elegance that is equivalent to items purchased
for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special events.
“Hallmark designed the new premium memorial stationery
collections to look right at home sitting next to any of their
high-end, luxury stationery products used to commemorate
life’s special moments and occasions,” said Bryan.
Schoedinger Funeral Home and Cremation Service
in
Columbus, OH one of the firms involved in the market tri-
als, uses Batesville’s memorial stationery as a way to present
families with something unique and personalized, creating a
healing experience that helps families honor their loved ones.
They’ve had positive response to the new premium offerings.
“The updated contemporary designs by Hallmark are wel-
comed by the families our funeral home has the privilege to
serve,” said
Barry Griffith,
senior vice president at Schoed-
inger. “The online Print Studio is easy to use and consistently
provides a high-quality finished product.”
Each of the 5 new collections has a distinct style that sets
it apart from other stationery and provides a unique way for
families to memorialize their loved ones.
The Premium Collections includes:
Woodland Tranquility:
Discerning families will appreciate the subtle herringbone de-
sign combined with an embossed leaf pattern on the registry
book cover;
Sterling Tribute:
A sophisticated photo frame in-
set on the registry book can be filled with a picture, a prayer
card or verse to create a truly meaningful keepsake; and the
Beloved Rose:
The elegant flocked fabric cover and feminine
floral design evoke a sense of hope and renewal to honor a life
defined by grace and beauty.
The Catholic-InspiredDesigns includes:
Stained Glass Light of
Christ:
Spiritual and contemplative, the carefully selected image
of God’s loving sacrifice speaks to the spiritual needs of families
of faith; and the
Golden Ascension:
The promise of life everlast-
ing is reflected in the beautiful image of Jesus, the Resurrected.
Batesville worked with Hallmark to test numerous designs
with consumers before selecting iconic religious images that
resonate with families of the Catholic faith. The new Stained
Glass Light of Christ and Golden Ascension collections are
complemented by additional prayer card designs featuring
a variety of religious imagery. Collections include a registry
book, memorial folders (or prayer cards), acknowledgement
cards and envelopes, bookmarks and a grief brochure.
As part of its development process, Batesville looked internally
and externally to identify the products that resonate with con-
sumers. An analysis of actual sales showed that more than 50
percent of Batesville stationery purchases are occurring at the
top of its current product line. Not surprisingly, stationery with
a religious theme is among the most popular with consumers.
While stationery is one of the lower cost items purchased in con-
nection with a funeral, an online study with consumers showed
that 90 percent of funeral planners will decide to purchasememo-
rial stationery. This is a clear reflection of the value families place
on these items. “The right stationery mix and effective displays
not only add up to a sizable revenue opportunity, they provide a
positive representation of your funeral home’s brand, while help-
ing to create more satisfied customers,” says Bryan.
As with all of its memorial stationery, Batesville has made it
easy for funeral home staff to personalize with photos, obituary
information, poetry, scripture, or special memories the family
wants to share. It’s as simple as choosing a design or message
from Batesville’s convenient online library, entering personal
information and then printing on a standard office printer.
All of the new collections are available in boxed sets or as
open stock items, making it easier to create individual pack-
ages to serve the needs of all families.
Batesville, a wholly owned subsidiary of
Hillenbrand, Inc.
(NYSE:HI), is the leader in the North American death care
industry, offering a comprehensive portfolio of burial solu-
tions, cremation options, memorial solutions and technolo-
gy solutions. For more than 125 years, Batesville has been
dedicated to helping families honor the lives of those they
love. Batesville’s innovation has changed the face of funeral
service, from advancements in manufacturing and quality to
patented features and memorialization offerings, technology
and web-based solutions, and profit-enhancing merchandis-
ing systems. Their history of manufacturing excellence, prod-
uct innovation, superior customer service, and reliable deliv-
ery has helped Batesville become and remain a market leader.
For more information, including photos or individual piec-
es and complete collections,
or call 877-2878661
to speak with a stationery expert.
Batesville Expands Memorial Stationery Line with
New Premium Offerings