In 1950, Willfred and Noma Byrum partnered with

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M
Homesteaders
April 2016
Jeff Lemmond
In 1950, Willfred and Noma Byrum partnered with
Romney Rudolph to open the first funeral home in
Lancaster, Texas. Rudolph had experience with his own
firm in Waxahachie and worked with the Byrum family
to establish their new location. After his death in 1954,
the Byrums purchased Rudolph’s stock from his widow,
Billie, and renamed the funeral home to reflect their
own family name. Today, ownership of Byrum Funeral
Home remains in the family, with day-to-day operations
passing to Willfred and Noma’s great-grandson, Jeff
Lemmond, late last year.
Though he grew up helping in the funeral home, Jeff opted to pursue
other interests in college, graduating from Texas A&M UniversityCommerce in 2003 and working as a realtor, football and track coach
and private school teacher before transitioning into customer service at
a telephone company. When the organization downsized and offered
him a voluntary severance package, Jeff used it to enroll in the Dallas
Institute of Funeral Service. “It felt like a very natural choice,” he reflected.
“My family has been in funeral service for a long time, and I grew up
watching my parents and grandparents help people through some of
the most difficult times in their lives.”
Jeff worked at the family business while he attended mortuary school
and assumed full-time responsibilities upon his graduation in May of
2011. Now, his parents handle the details of cemetery services, while he
and his grandmother, Sandra Terry, tackle the funeral home operations.
“My grandmother has a pre-need license, but no funeral director’s
license,” he explained. “For over 50 years, she’s been exceptional at
running the day-to-day operations of the business and building our
pre-need program, but there are certain things she can’t do.”
Now that he is fully licensed, Jeff is able to step in and work one-on-one
with the families in their community. At a small funeral home like theirs,
it’s not uncommon for one funeral director to work with a family through
More
My
Homesteaders
Contents – April 2016 Issue
Byrum Funeral Home................................. page 1
The Homesteaders life................................ page 4
Important updates......................................page 5
Upcoming events & Con-ed......................page 6
What we’ve been reading.......................... page 7
Funeral planning on social media............page 8
Developing a strong
pre-need program....................................page 10
Executive insights.....................................page 12
Note from the editor
Spring is here and – though I certainly have no
complaints about warmer weather and greener grass – I
find myself wondering how the winter months could have
slipped by so quickly. It was not too long ago that I was
hanging holiday lights and making New Year’s
resolutions. Now here we are at the beginning of April,
and my resolutions seem to have been packed away
with the snow shovels and sidewalk salt.
It’s in moments like this that I am so grateful for quarters:
convenient little restart buttons that come around every
three months. If you’re like me, the beginning of a new
quarter presents a great opportunity to recommit to your
goals for the year.
Perhaps – like this month’s featured firm – you are
looking for creative ways to implement a more active
pre-need program. If so, I encourage you to take a look
at page 10 for some tips for building a successful
program. Maybe you want to amp up your funeral
home’s social media presence or technology usage.
A few of you may even want to commit to qualifying for
one of Homesteaders’ annual incentive trips.
Byrum Funeral Home
(continued)
every step of the process. “It’s very personal for me,” Jeff noted. “We treat each and
every family as if they are part of our family.”
Many of their clients take time to write notes of appreciation to the Byrum family, even after
the conclusion of memorial services. “My grandmother keeps a box full of the thank you
notes we get,” Jeff explained.
“She takes them out and reads
them sometimes, and they always
talk about how much these
families appreciated our services.”
One such note read, “Everything
was beautifully done – we could
not have asked for more or better.”
Reviews on the funeral home’s
Facebook page tell the same story,
with consistent five-star rankings.
“There’s nothing like a hometown
family business,” one reviewer
wrote. “My family has entrusted
the Byrums with our loved ones’
services for almost 50 years. The
caring and compassion and
“Funeral service is very personal for me,” Jeff explained. “We
treat each and every family as if they are part of our family.”
excellent service is unequaled.”
Crediting their staff with the high
quality of service Byrum Funeral Home offers client families, Jeff noted that he values his
employees’ work ethic above all else. “They are – all of them – incredibly hard-working.
They are quick learners, they are good with families and they are trustworthy,” he explained.
Though their staff is small – just three full-time employees and a handful of part-time workers
More
Whatever your goals, I encourage you to take stock as
you read this month’s newsletter and view the beginning
of this new season as a great opportunity to reevaluate
and reinvest in your funeral home business.
Enjoy!
Danielle J. Burmeister, Marketing Communications Specialist
800-477-3633, ext. 7734 email: [email protected]
myHomesteaders is a publication of Homesteaders Life Company,
P.O. Box 1756, Des Moines, IA 50306-1756
Stephen R. Lang, Chairman, President & CEO
Editor: Danielle J. Burmeister Designer: Ken Haas
Visit us at homesteaderslife.com.
Life insurance and annuity products are issued by Homesteaders Life Company. Products are subject
to state availability. Texas consumers visit www.prepaidfunerals.texas.gov for more information.
Byrum Funeral Home is located in a repurposed
white Cyprus boarding house dating back to 1918.
2
Byrum Funeral Home
“With
Homesteaders,
we have the
support and
flexibility to
implement a
strong, active
pre-need
program.”
– they are able to reach their community in meaningful and
memorable ways. “We don’t have much personnel turnover,
which allows us to build strong relationships in the community.
Families know when they come here they are going to speak
with the same people they have always done business with. I
think that is a real selling point for a firm like ours.”
The Byrum family is very active in their community. The
business was one of the charter members of the local
Chamber of Commerce, and Jeff has been invited to sit on
the Board of Directors for both the chamber and a local credit
union. Their funeral home – which is located in a repurposed
white Cyprus boarding house dating back to 1918 – also
partners with the local historical society to preserve the
town’s history.
Part of their outreach includes educating their community
about the benefits and value of pre-need funeral planning.
“We want to provide the very best service to our families, and
pre-need offers a way to do that,” Jeff explained. “We provide
them the information they need to understand their options,
and then we let them choose what works best for them.”
Jeff has plans to further expand their pre-need program in
service to the community, including hiring a few additional
staff members. “With some extra hands, we can be out in the
community, offering educational seminars and community
presentations. We can be in churches and at rotary clubs.”
(continued)
Though he’s worked with other pre-need providers in the
past, Jeff is happy with his decision to work exclusively
with Homesteaders, due in large part to money-saving
programs like the Casket Price Protection Plan with Matthews
Aurora™ Funeral Solutions and technology support like the
myHomesteaders.com dashboard and Online Enrollment.
“When I used paper forms in the past, I almost always had to
ask the family to come back in and sign or initial something,”
Jeff recalled. “Homesteaders’ Online Enrollment makes it so
easy to submit new applications, and I know the business I
write is complete and accurate.”
Jeff also cites the high level of customer service as a key
factor in his decision to work with Homesteaders, noting, “My
account executive is always a phone call away. She answers
every time I call – day or night. It’s always easy for me to
get any information I need, whenever I need it,” he affirmed.
“With Homesteaders, we have the support and flexibility to
implement a strong, active pre-need program.”
byrumfuneralhome.com
Click here to learn
more about how
Homesteaders is
partnering with
our funeral home
customers to
help grow their
pre-need business.
Jeff and his grandmother, Sandra Terry, tackle the day-to-day operations of the funeral home.
3
The Homesteaders life
At Homesteaders, we believe that
our positive corporate culture is the
source of the high level of customer
service and expertise we offer our
funeral home customers. Ask anyone
who works for Homesteaders and
they’ll tell you the days go fast – proof
positive that time flies when you’re
having fun and loving what you do.
Right now in the Home Office:
We’re welcoming new employees.
It’s been a busy month in our home office! We’ve welcomed
seven new employees to the Homesteaders team, including
fresh faces in licensing and compensation, legal and
compliance, document management, technology, policy
accounting and new business. Our newest hires are already
hard at work supporting our account executives and serving
our funeral home customers.
We’re celebrating March Madness.
Last month, we celebrated a little March Madness with
a healthy mix of tailgating and team spirit. Many of our
employees gathered after work to cheer on their favorite
“home” team – excited that all three of our in-state universities
made it to this year’s tournament. Though most of our
brackets didn’t make it out of the first round (we’re looking at
you, Michigan State), we’re still excited to see how the rest of
the tournament plays out.
Right now on the road:
We’re recognizing excellence in
sales achievement.
Many members of our sales and executive staff travelled
to Panama last month to recognize the 2016 Leaders
Conference qualifiers. This year’s retreat featured a trip to the
Panama Canal, a tour of the historic city, a welcome reception
with delicious food and live music and – of course – a
celebration of the top producing pre-need professionals from
2015. Congratulations to all of this year’s qualifiers! See page 5
for information about the 2017 Leaders Conference.
Congratulations to the 2016 Leaders Conference qualifiers!
4
Important updates
New and Improved Rate Calculators
On April 1, Homesteaders released updated versions of our
rate calculators. The new apps feature a more streamlined,
intuitive set up, making it easier than ever to write business
quickly and accurately. The improved calculators will continue
to offer the security and convenience you rely on with the
addition of helpful new features like a payment option screen,
streamlined default settings and enhanced customization.
The redesigned calculators also use the new rate structure
that went into effect on April 1. If you haven’t already, visit
the myHomesteaders.com dashboard to download the
updated versions, securing a better user experience and
ensuring you are writing business using the correct rates.
Congratulations to the members
of the 2016 Leadership Council
Homesteaders’ top producers were recognized at last
month’s Leaders Conference at the Westin Playa Bonita in
Panama. The Leadership Council is a group of personal
producers who demonstrate their commitment to serving
families on behalf of Homesteaders and the entity they
represent (funeral home or marketing organization). The
next Leaders Conference will be held March 1-5, 2017, at
the Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit resort in Puerto Vallarta.
For more information about these incentive trips, log into
myHomesteaders.com, access your agent dashboard
and scroll to the “Homesteaders Incentive Trips” section.
Homesteaders’ 2015
Annual Report Now Available
We recently released Homesteaders’ annual report of company
performance for 2015. The report features an overview of
Homesteaders’ financial position as of December 31, 2015, in
addition to other achievements during the past year. Highlights
from 2015 include A.M. Best’s affirmation of our A- (Excellent)
rating, the launch of new product and service offerings and a
99% customer satisfaction rating.* Click here to download
the full report.
* According to Homesteaders’ 2014 Customer Satisfaction Survey
5
Upcoming events
Homesteaders values participation
in industry events, which is why you’ll
find our staff attending conventions
throughout the year. In April, you can
visit with Homesteaders experts at the
following events:
Oklahoma Funeral Directors
Association Convention
April 4-5
NCED Convention Center & Hotel
Norman, OK
North Dakota Funeral Directors
Association Annual Convention
April 11-13
Ramada Plaza Suites Hotel & Convention Center
Fargo, ND
ICCFA Annual Convention & Expo
April 13-16
Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel
New Orleans, LA
Continuing
education
Homesteaders hosts several
continuing education programs
throughout the year that qualify for
state insurance, funeral director
and ethics credit hours. In April, we
will be hosting the following classes:
Council Bluffs, IA*
• The Evolution of Ethics
(April 19 from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.)
• The Evolution of Insurance
(April 20 from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.)
Okoboji, IA*
• The Evolution of Ethics
(April 21 from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.)
• The Evolution of Insurance
(April 22 from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.)
The fee for each course is $75 and includes the
registration/filing fees, lunch and refreshments
throughout the day. Visit our website to learn more.
*Valid for Iowa and Nebraska credit hours
Michigan Funeral Directors Association
Annual Convention
April 18-21
Detroit MGM
Detroit, MI
Visit our website for the complete list of upcoming events.
6
What we’ve been reading
Funeral Home Owners Are Like Politicians
If you live in a hotly contested primary state, you’ve likely
experienced the onslaught of political canvassing that
accompanies major elections. Volunteers go door-to-door to
convince undecided voters that their candidate is the best
choice. A recent article from the Funeral Business Advisor
suggests that, in many ways, funeral service is similar. Modern
funeral businesses need to actively recruit “undecided” client
families to secure their market share and ensure their longterm security. They feel – as we do – that a strong pre-need
program is a key component in your business’s success.
When the Gentlest and Dearest
Sounds Are Gone
Your Personal Brand Is as
Valuable as Your Business Brand
In this helpful blog post, Funeral Social offers some
helpful insights into the value of brand building for funeral
professionals – for their business and for themselves.
“Building your personal brand is more important now than it
has ever been before,” Ryan Thogmartin explains. “The days
of sitting back and letting the calls come in are over. You’ve
got to work now to attract the attention of your community
because, if you don’t, you can bet your favorite trocar that
your competition will.” These five tips will help you get started
if, like many funeral home owners, you find yourself stuck in a
rut when it comes to building your personal brand.
In this beautifully-written tribute to a departed family pet,
Barbara Mahany offers a stunning reflection on the grieving
process: “While the loss of a most blessed friend and the
loss of a furry one are in no way comparable, I’ve realized this
week that death is death. And ‘little deaths,’ too, loom large,
and they hurt sometimes in ways that riddle each hour with
excruciating moments of missing.” Aside from being a brilliant
and vivid obituary, Mahany’s observations offer a glimpse at
the most profound part of grief – silence that was once filled
with sounds from a loved one.
Want more great content?
Connect with us on social media or subscribe to our
blog for additional industry information, tools and tips.
7
Sharing the Benefits of
Pre-need Funeral Planning on Social Media
Alyssa McNab
Digital Marketing
Specialist
One of the most valuable gifts funeral
professionals have to offer families
is the ability to facilitate important
conversations about final wishes.
Your expertise allows you to educate
people about the value of planning
ahead to ensure their memorialization
preferences will be honored.
In addition to the discussions you have with families every day,
there are many other ways to reach out to members of your
community. Your funeral home’s social media channels offer
another place to encourage those important conversations.
The content you post could be the starting point for a family to
contact you for further information about your services.
Social media posts are intended to be brief, so you’ll need
to get creative in how you use them to share the benefits
of advance funeral planning. Rather than including many
different points in a single post, think about how you can
break up the content to provide information that will resonate
with your audience. Below are a few ideas to help you get
started.
Introduce your staff members.
Planning a funeral – whether it occurs in advance or at the
time of need – is a deeply personal experience. In order for
client families to have a positive experience with your funeral
home, they must be able to establish relationships with the
staff members who assist them.
Social media allows your community to learn about the
people who can help them make advance funeral plans. One
way to introduce your pre-need staff members is to produce
short funeral home marketing videos in which they share
who they are, what they do to assist families and why their
work is rewarding.
Because social media posts must be short, consider
providing links to your funeral home blog for additional
information. Ask funeral home staff members to answer a
series of questions about their professional backgrounds,
what they do, why they’re passionate about funeral service,
etc. This simple question-and-answer format is easy to
complete, and their responses can become blog posts that
allow client families to “meet” individual members of the staff
before ever setting foot in the funeral home.
Explain why pre-need
funeral planning matters.
Your firm’s social media channels offer opportunities to
educate your community about the services you offer and
why they are valuable. This includes the ability to craft posts
explaining the many ways your advance funeral planning
services can help families.
In each post, focus on one key benefit. Here are a few
prompts to help you get started:
• Individuals who prearrange can make their own
decisions about funeral arrangements.
• Advance funeral planning can help prevent conflict
between family members.
• Prearranging can help relieve loved ones’
financial burdens.
• Planning ahead can provide peace of mind that one’s
wishes will be carried out.
• When advance funeral plans are in place, families are
spared from making memorialization decisions during an
emotionally difficult time.
Resources such as FAMIC’s Have the Talk of a Lifetime®
campaign can also help you share the benefits of funeral
planning. The program maintains an active social media
presence and generates posts that you can share on your
firm’s social media pages to encourage families to discuss
end-of-life issues. Click here to get more tips for using this
program at your funeral home.
More
8
Sharing the Benefits of
Pre-need Funeral Planning on Social Media
Describe the process.
For some people, the biggest barrier to taking the next step
in prearranging may be a lack of understanding about the
process. Your funeral home social media presence can help
address this issue by answering some of your firm’s most
frequently asked questions. These topics could include:
• What information do I need to gather to help me make
advance funeral plans?
• What can I expect when I meet with you to discuss
prearrangements?
Click here
for more tips about
using social media
to connect with
families in your
community.
• Can I make changes to my advance funeral plans after
completing the paperwork?
You can address these questions with a link to a blog post
related to the topics or, even better, a short video from a
member of your funeral home staff. Be sure to invite members
of your community to submit their own questions so you can
answer them in future posts.
Share stories from people
who have prearranged.
One of the most powerful ways to share the benefits of
prearranging is through the stories of people who have
already experienced them. People who have prearranged
their funerals can share why the process gave them peace of
mind, loved ones can explain how much easier prearranging
made things for them and funeral professionals can talk about
why advance funeral planning helps them provide exceptional
service to families at the time of need. As with other types of
posts, testimonials can be shared via a series of short quotes,
in videos or through links to longer stories on your funeral
home blog.
(continued)
Homesteaders’ Think of Me When…® program is designed
to help share the benefits of advance funeral planning through
real stories from people who have prearranged. In addition
to a video presentation with testimonials, the program kit
contains a discussion guide with questions that can be used
as conversation prompts in social media posts. Contact your
account executive to learn more about this program.
Promote an event.
Social media channels provide excellent opportunities to
promote events to your community. For example, Facebook
pages include an Events tool that allows you to publish
information about open houses, seminars, charity events, etc.
If you’re hosting an event related to your firm’s pre-need
program, such as a lunch and learn, don’t forget to share
details about the event on your social media channels. Post
several reminders about the event on your page as the date
approaches to ensure that those who may be interested have
the opportunity to attend.
One final (very important) note: Social media posts
that do not contain information about the next steps are not
beneficial to your firm or helpful to client families who are
ready to discuss advance funeral plans with you. Be sure that
each post related to prearranging ends with a call-to-action
that explains how families can learn more and/or contact your
funeral home to get started.
This article was originally published
on the Homesteaders blog.
Click here or on the links above
for more great blog content.
9
Developing a Strong
Pre-Need Program: Five Rules for Success
After nearly two decades in the
funeral profession, I am confident a
strong, active pre-need program is
an essential ingredient in ensuring
the long-term success and security of
your funeral home.
Wanda Sizemore
Regional Director,
Southeast Region
2. Develop a Strong Aftercare Program
Securing pre-need business ahead of the time of need not
only safeguards your firm’s future, but it also provides a
valuable service to your client families. If you are looking to
establish or expand your firm’s pre-need program, but aren’t
sure how to begin, I recommend starting with these five rules
for success.
As funeral professionals, you know that word-of-mouth
referrals can have enormous influence on a family’s end-of-life
plans. Return business and referrals can greatly impact your
at-need call volume as well as your pre-need business.
Not only is it important to make sure that you are offering
exceptional service to each and every family, but it’s also
essential to continue to build relationships with the families
you’ve served in the past so your firm remains top-of-mind
when they need the services of a funeral professional in the
future. One of the best ways to do this is to develop a strong
aftercare program that serves your families’ needs while
gently introducing (or reinforcing) the benefits of prearranging
and pre-funding.
1. Provide Exceptional Value and Service
3. Stay Up-to-Date on Industry Trends
When I first joined the funeral profession, I worked as a
pre-need sales counselor alongside a funeral home owner
who empowered me to go out and talk with the families in my
community. He used to say that I would talk to 10 times as
many people as he would on any given day, so my message
was important. I found that families responded well when I
could tell them what other people liked about working with
our firm. Ultimately, my success in pre-need sales was tied to
how successful my funeral home was at meeting the needs
of families. At the end of the day, I was an important link in
getting information to as many audiences as I could find. The
funeral home made it easy by providing exceptional service
offerings that brought value to families.
In every industry, consumers want to work with professionals
who are experts in their field and are often willing to pay
higher prices for services they feel are higher quality.
As a funeral professional, it’s important to stay up-to-date
on industry trends so you can demonstrate your expertise
to client families and ensure that your firm is knowledgeable
about new product offerings and services. Involvement
in professional associations, subscriptions to industry
publications and commitment to continuing education are
all great ways to make sure you and your firm are seen as
thought leaders in your community.
More
In light of that, I would encourage firms who are considering
a more active pre-need program to start by ensuring your
at-need services are meeting the needs of your client families.
Then, you can work to model your pre-need services in the
same way. Your pre-need program should be a mirror of
your other quality services. Take time to assess your current
products and service offerings, and make note of any areas
that might need to be updated or improved before shifting
your focus toward attracting more pre-need business.
10
Developing a Strong
Pre-Need Program: Five Rules for Success
4. Know Your Market
“A key ingredient in
your firm’s success
is selecting a
pre-need funding
provider that meets
your needs and
aligns with your
goals and values.”
The best way to ensure that your firm is meeting the needs
of members of your community is to learn as much as you
can about them. You will have a much higher rate of success
when you know exactly what your client families are looking
for in a funeral service provider. Invest some resources in
market research – either through your pre-need provider or
by partnering with a marketing organization that specializes
in funeral service. Learn what your client families want and
need, and allow that knowledge to influence the products you
offer. Knowing what approach your market is likely to respond
to will also help you narrow your focus to those efforts that are
most likely to yield positive results.
5. Stay Active in Your Community
As a sales counselor, I found that there were places in our
community where my message was better received than
others. I also discovered that there were certain audiences –
nursing home residents, elder care attorneys, etc. – who were
more willing to receive me than the funeral home owner.
People like to do business with professionals they know
and trust, and this is especially true in funeral service
because you are working closely with families during a highly
emotional and stressful time. Your client families want to feel
comfortable when they walk into your funeral home, so it’s
important to make sure that you and your staff are both visible
and approachable. Finding ways to stay active in your
(continued)
community through civic organizations, charitable groups or
local churches reinforces your desire to provide great service
to the whole community – not just at the time of need when it
benefits your business.
When you are out in the community, it’s important to be
mindful of what is/has been successful to ensure that those
funeral home ambassadors who are out in the field – namely,
sales counselors – have the knowledge necessary to be as
successful as possible.
These five rules for success should go a long way toward
establishing a healthy, robust pre-need program. And, of
course, a key ingredient in your firm’s success is selecting a
pre-need funding provider that meets your needs and aligns
with your goals and values. Not all funding options are the
same, so I encourage you to research your options and select
a provider that can offer the products and expertise that best
complement your funeral home’s current services.
Like many of you, I enjoy my career helping firms establish
pre-need programs which ensure their long-term financial
security, teaching sales professionals how to represent
their funeral homes with pride and working with families to
help make end-of-life plans. I look forward to the day when
my career comes full circle and I will be able to end where I
began – helping families make funerals better and easier.
11
Executive
insights
Imagine you purchased a brand
new car. You and your spouse spent
weeks researching the best options,
comparing safety features, fuel
economy and comfort. You went to
several different dealerships to testdrive the top contenders before finally
selecting the make, model and color
that best fit your needs. As an added
bonus, the dealership threw in a full
year of free routine maintenance.
Three months later, their service team sends you a reminder
to bring your car in for its first oil change. You disregard the
message, thinking that the inconvenience of taking the car in
far outweighs the benefit of the minor maintenance. The same
thing happens three months later and again six months after
that. A full year – and 20,000 miles – goes by before you find
time to take your car in for an oil change. By that point, the
car has been running without oil for months, dragging down
your fuel economy and causing irreparable (and expensive)
damage. Now, instead of getting a free oil change, you have
to pay for extensive repairs to your engine.
Just like your car requires upkeep and maintenance to run
properly, your computer needs regular software and security
updates to ensure a seamless, secure experience. It’s easy
and tempting to put off upgrades when your computer is
operating efficiently, but doing so can leave your computer
vulnerable to damage from malware and viruses that can be
costly and time-consuming to repair.
Most software updates address one of two concerns:
1. Security Updates: More than 90% of software and
operating system updates fall into this category. When a
manufacturer discovers a hole in their security framework,
they create a patch to repair the vulnerability. Ignoring these
important updates can expose you – and any information on
your device – to cybercriminals.
Wade Comstock,
VP-Information Services
2. Product Enhancements: These updates create a better
user experience – through features like faster processing,
easier access or more intuitive design. While these upgrades
may seem less important than security repairs, ignoring
product enhancements can lessen the user experience, which
can lead to less efficiency in the long run.
At Homesteaders, we carefully monitor our technology,
ensuring the devices our employees use are up-to-date and
secure. Because of our commitment to our customers’ digital
security, we recently discontinued myHomesteaders.com
dashboard support for external devices running the Windows
XP operating system. Microsoft has not supported the XP
operating system since April 8, 2014, meaning the software’s
security has not been updated in over a year and a half. With
the advances in technology as well as the increasing threat
of cyber hacking, XP users are more vulnerable to security
breaches that could compromise your information as well as
the integrity of the dashboard’s security framework.
We also regularly upgrade and enhance our digital tools
to provide better user experiences for our funeral home
customers. On April 1, we released our new rate calculator
apps. The redesigned tools feature more modern, intuitive
design, making it easier than ever to write business quickly
and accurately. If you haven’t already, update your current rate
calculators to ensure you are using the most up-to-date and
user-friendly versions.
Families place a great deal of trust in their funeral care
providers and expect their loved ones will be treated with
respect and dignity. That same expectation extends to the
information they provide to you, which can be sensitive. It
is your responsibility to ensure that the records you keep
(both hard copies and digital archives) are not susceptible to
unauthorized access.
Security is also important for your business. Increased
protection lowers the risk that proprietary information — like
long-term strategic plans, payroll, bank account details and
other sensitive data — could be accessible to unauthorized
users. Regular updates also help extend the life of your
devices, protecting your initial investment and saving
you money.
As funeral professionals, you likely store confidential
information such as names, addresses, social security
numbers and even credit card information on your
computer. Your client families and employees entrust you
with these details, and it is your responsibility to ensure that
your computer’s security software protects their sensitive
information from unauthorized access.
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