With technology changing every year, staying updated with the latest advancements is so important. From fast food delivered to your home to buying a car from a vending machine (ahem, Carvana), more businesses are using technology to provide consumers with digital ways to connect with them.

And funeral service is no exception. Take a look at this stat: 

📈 Since 2021, acceptance rates to Passare's online at-need planning tool (Planning Center) have increased by 55%. 

Whether you use an online at-need tool or not, this stat shows that acceptance of online interactions with funeral homes is growing. And this isn't the only area of funeral service affected by technology.

Read on to see the top 3 trends about families and technology use that you need to know this year to help you connect with families. 👇 👇 👇

#1. Online planning is a necessity.

Families are more dispersed than ever, and fewer families live in the same town these days. If you're thinking, "No, not in my town," look at this data from 2023:

• The average distance between families and the decedent was 170 miles

• 5% of families were 1,000+ miles away

• 10% of families were 500+ miles away

• 19% of families were 100+ miles away

Since 34% of families don’t live in the same town as the decedent, it's important to think of ways to offer convenient, efficient options to families who can't come into the funeral home immediately.

With Passare's online at-need planning tool, Planning Center, families can collaborate with you and other family members on everything from service details to writing the obituary or picking out merchandise.

Plus, providing digital options for families to plan online can benefit your funeral home! Last year, funeral homes witnessed a $400.69 dollar increase on average in contract size when families used Planning Center.

Want to learn more about Planning Center? Take a tour here → 

#2: Paper documents are out - digital documents are in. 

Gathering signatures manually can feel like waiting for the Pony Express to deliver documents. And once your documents are delivered, what if the family doesn't have access to a scanner? 

And if you have to mail the documents out of state, how can you know the person who signs the forms is who they say they are?

This process is stressful and frustrating for both you and the family.

As technology progresses, more funeral homes (and families) are turning to digital methods to complete paperwork quickly and easily.

In just the last 4 months of 2023 alone, Passare collected 16,000+ electronic signatures from families. 

This data indicates that families are comfortable signing documents digitally. eSignatures save time, eliminate double data entry, keep you organized, and are convenient for your families.

If you're looking for an eSignature tool that will help you save time, learn more about Passare's eSignature tool here →

#3: Families are comfortable paying for funerals online. 

In today's interconnected world, families want convenient options. Think back to the earlier example - families can shop for, pay for, and order items to be delivered directly to their homes. They also expect convenience when making payments to your funeral home.

Look at these stats from 2023:

• 42% of families used insurance or credit cards to pay for the funeral service

• 1.03 billion dollars' worth of payments were processed in Passare last year

This data shows that not only are families comfortable paying for funerals online, but also that families are using credit cards or insurance to pay for services nearly half the time.

That's why it's essential to have reliable, easy payment options available to your families. Here are two ways you can do that at your funeral home:

1. Work with a funeral funding partner who will process life insurance assignments for you. That way, you have more time to care for the family, and the family can rest easy knowing their funds are on the way. CLAIMCHECK makes processing insurance assignments easy. Learn more by visiting their website. → 
2. Work with a reliable credit card processing company to make credit card payments hassle-free. Passare partners with First American to offer funeral homes minimal fees, great customer support, and the ability to process card payments easily.