Page B7 MAY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on B Scan QR for our website 1-888-792-9315 • mymortuarycooler.com Mortuary Coolers starting at $5,899 The Benefits of Updated Equipment During and After the Pandemic This partnership means funeral homes can now attract and sell pre-need solutions by offering the GoodTrust will-creation tool in tandem with all estate planning documents any family needs eFuneral and GoodTrust Partner to Boost Funeral Homes’ Sales with New Digital End-of-life Solutions MENLO PARK,CA— GoodTrust and eFuneral Partner are excited to announce a new partnership that helps funeral homes go a step further in the digital age. This partnership means funeral homes can now attract and sell pre-need solutions by offering the GoodTrust will-creation tool in tandem with all estate planning documents any family needs. Further, funeral homes will now be able to help at-need families easily and securely take care of the digital legacy of their lost loved ones. “Only 33 percent of United States adults have a will today and no one is really taking care of the online accounts of people who pass away,” said Rikard Steiber, CEO and founder of GoodTrust, the leading digital legacy and endof-life planning platform. “This is a serious and massive problem as countless families may suffer and important assets may not be passed on as intended. We should all have a plan.” This partnership empowers all new and existing eFuneral customers through the GoodTrust Premium Plan, which includes a free will-maker-tool and Digital Executor service to take care of accounts like Facebook, LinkedIn, Netflix and more - including financial accounts and other services - after someone passes away. GoodTrust Premium makes it possible for anyone to secure their online life with a Digital Vault and easily create their will based estate plan in less than 15 minutes. “We are excited to partner with GoodTrust to help our funeral home partners add a will to their pre-need planning as well as manage online accounts for atneed families,” said Mitch Smith, director of partnership development at eFuneral. “In today’s online world, everyone needs a plan for their digital end-of-life.” eFuneral Partner offers digital solutions for funeral homes to help grow revenue and free up staff to serve their families. Their easy-to-use online tool integrates the funeral home brand, offerings, and prices, so pre-need and at-need families can experience the very best their partners have to offer. For more information, visit www.partner.efuneral.com. GoodTrust is the digital-legacy pioneer dedicated to solving the problem of what happens to our online accounts and assets when we die. The GoodTrust platform helps people secure their digital assets, plan their estate, and protect their priceless memories. GoodTrust has been featured in numerous media outlets including CBS News, WIRED, and Fortune. Visit www.MyGoodTrust.com to learn more. CEDAR RAPIDS,IA— The funeral industry stepped up to the plate when called upon to play a pivotal role in pandemic management. The response has been overwhelming with funeral directors working hard to meet the high demand. The question now becomes, how do we equip ourselves and build from here? The Covid-19 death toll is hovering around one million in the United States alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control. This spike in deaths has highlighted the intensity of being a last responder. Funeral directors are adapting to working with reduced staff and doing this with an unprecedented volume. One funeral director that was spoken with said The Stepper has been instrumental through this crisis because it reduces their close physical interaction with clients as one person can do the work of many. It also makes the home visit more efficient and fluid – another time saver that minimizes interaction. Shortage of equipment ranging from personal protective equipment to cold storage has been another big issue. Since some funeral homes have seen increased income due to the pandemic, a great use for these excesses would be to invest in their business by adding the equipment that streamlines workflow and eliminates the need for extra employee. Having your Ultimate Lift 1000 and cooler installed, and The Stepper ready, is a smart way to plan ahead for times when equipment and/or manpower are in short supply. Many funeral homes with one lift are adding another. More funeral homes are adding lifts when there is just one person to move a case. Solo operations are benefitting from having both a lift and The Stepper. Almost all industries are experiencing a staffing shortage and companies are scrambling for ways to make it work. Funeral professionals have realized that increased caseloads require equipment or staff. During the pandemic, many funeral homes had several employees out on sick leave. Adding equipment to fill the gap has been the solution. One funeral professional can make solo home removal and a solo transfer into a cooler. The funeral industry will continue to be instrumental as the last responders in the first major health crisis of the century. It is time to innovate and think forward with solutions to make the process work with the times we live in. Moveable tables are an excellent idea. Funeral directors have realized that coolers allow for flexibility when they are facing staff shortages and overflow situations. Fortunately, these industry-specific solutions are available to implement in funeral homes now. Increased business has fueled the demand for more qualified people in the workforce. Compassion fatigue and burnout have made a dent in the number of professionals in the industry. It is crucial in this climate to work smarter, not harder. The urgent need to be prepared goes beyond the current health crisis. According to eldementals.com, the average age of a funeral director is 55. Looking beyond the pandemic, it is the time to prepare for a decrease in manpower. The pandemic highlighted the need to be prepared with equipment that makes their funeral home preparation routine streamlined. Katie Hill, president of Mortuary Lift, states, “Many funeral directors have told me that installing our body lift made their staff feel heard and appreciated and that maintaining their future health is important. It also freed them up for more important tasks than lifting.” Creating a stateof-the-art environment for their team does more than increase efficiency, the psychological benefit is there during a time when folks are feeling overworked and overwhelmed. Mortuary Lift Company has been your source for quality and dependability for half a century, delivering lifts as far as Singapore and Dubai. It has been their honor to face challenging times with their partnered funeral homes. They have learned that now, more than ever, by working together they can provide superior products and services for the public. Visit www.mortuarylift.com or call Brenda Stratton at 903-504-3131 for more information. Tecstone Introduces New Standardized Purchase Program COLUMBUS,OH— Tecstone Granite has announced the launch of its Tecstone Value Plus (TVP) program for all customers. The TVP program recognizes all customers’ loyalty with a tiered discount level based on sales as well as with a growth rebate component. Customers can earn up to a 6 percent discount and a 2 percent growth rebate with the program. “We felt it important to offer a uniform and consistent purchase program to all customers,” commented Jay Kown, sales director at Tecstone Granite. “Through the creation of our Tecstone Value Plus program, we now have a formal and published offering that provides consistent discounts and growth rebates to all customers.” As always, orders can be placed by speaking with a Tecstone customer service representative, using the Tecstone online account manager platform, or by submitting the order by email or fax. Once accepted, the customer will receive an acknowledgment of the order. “Our mission at Tecstone is to partner with our customers to ensure both their sales growth and profitability,” added Tony Colson, president of Tecstone Granite. “Programs like Tecstone Value Plus help ensure we deliver on this message with our valued customers.” Additional information on the TVP program is available from any Tecstone account manager or by calling 800-562-0777. In business since 1987, Tecstone Granite is a national wholesale supplier of fine granite. The company is a one-stop solution, able to provide everything from small inlay ceramics and grass markers to towering veteran memorials and mausoleums. With an in-stock selection of more than 30 granite colors, Tecstone offers fast delivery of stone anywhere in the country. Learn more at www.tecstonegranite.com. amazed by Dave’s strong track record for excellence and growth year after year,” stated Brian Clary, Sales Director of the East Region for Messenger. Kolbe has been serving accounts in Ohio and Kentucky since 1989. Express Funeral Funding also presented sales awards during the Sales Meeting. Kevin Smith received the top sales honor for insurance funding. “Kevin has worked hard to grow his territory from the ground up. In just one year, he has gone above and beyond to secure new accounts and grow funding claims for his existing clients” stated Andy Buckman, Vice President of Sales at Express Funeral Funding. Express Funeral Funding also presented Gold Member awards to sales representatives Olivia Ralston, Larry McCracken and Smith for exemplary sales achievements in 2021. “In 2021, we were honored to help more funeral homes help more families than ever before and after the challenges we all faced in 2020 that felt really good. We commend our entire team for the creative and passionate ways they serve each and every day,” stated Heather Garman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Messenger. The Messenger Co., LLC, headquartered in Auburn, IN, was founded in 1913 by Frank Messenger, who started in the religious calendar business. Messenger has since become the leading provider of stationery, funeral service items and personalization services. In 2019, Messenger acquired Express Funeral Funding, the largest privately-held insurance assignment funding company. Focused on being a trusted partner to funeral professionals, Messenger delivers time saving solutions to increase customer satisfaction and add value. Messenger provides quality product and technology solutions with quick lead times and exemplary service, exclusive partnerships and one of the most experienced and extensive sales teams in the funeral industry. For more information about Messenger, visit www.messengerstationery.com or call 1-800-827-5151. Messenger Representatives Continued from Page B1
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